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Bearcats Open Homestand With Zips

Bearcats Open Homestand With ZipsBearcats Open Homestand With Zips

April 11, 2006

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SETTING THE SCENE: Cincinnati opens a 10-game homestand and a stretch of four consecutive days with a game when Akron visits the UC Baseball Stadium on Wednesday (April 12) at 6:30 p.m. After winning five consecutive games, the Bearcats stumbled in both ends of a doubleheader last Sunday at Seton Hall. The defeats put the Bearcats' record at 18-12 overall and in seventh place in the BIG EAST with a 4-5 record. Akron got swept by Western Michigan last weekend to drop to 7-20 overall and 2-7 in MAC play. The game marks the first meeting between the schools since May 18, 2004.

NOTES FROM THE SETON HALL SERIES:

  • Steve Blevins earned his fifth win of the season, tying him for the fourth-highest total ever recorded by a UC freshman hurler.
  • Jon DeLuca climbed to sixth place on UC's career at bats list with 689. He passes Chris Hamblen who accumulated 683 from 1999-2002.
  • UC won the series opener in the first-ever match-up between the schools. After losing the final two games of the series, the Bearcats are now 10-12 this year against first-time opponents.
  • The Bearcats' three hits in game two on Sunday marked the squad's second lowest offensive output of the year, topped only by a two-hit effort at Connecticut on March 24.

NOTING THE BEARCATS:

  • True freshman Josh Harrison continues to pace the Bearcats in hitting, ranking 10th in the BIG EAST with a .367 average. Logan Parker is tops in homers and RBI with six and 33, respectively, but he hasn't homered in his last 11 games or driven in a run in the last four.
  • Adam Calez will make his second career start on the mound for the Bearcats. The sophomore lefty was victorious in his first-ever start on April 5 at Ohio, pitching three shutout innings in a split-staff format.
  • Junior C Nick Maragas holds the longest active hitting streak on the Bearcat roster, having reached safely in a career-high six straight games. He is hitting .333 (7 for 21) during the stretch.

NOTING THE ZIPS:

  • The Zips come to Cincinnati having lost eight of their last nine games, including five straight to drop to 7-20 overall and 2-7 in Mid-American Conference play.
  • Sophomore Kurt Davidson has been Akron's most dangerous offensive player, ranking second on the squad with a .321 batting average and leading the team with seven home runs and 23 RBI.
  • Junior Pat Watt will start on the mound for the Zips. In six games, including three starts, the left-hander is 0-1 with a 16.71 ERA. In his last start on April 4 vs. Youngstown State, Watt allowed six runs and five hits in five innings of work.

ANOTHER BAD WEEKEND: On the heels of a home series sweep of USF, March 31-April 1, the Bearcats endured another poor weekend when they traveled to Seton Hall this last weekend. UC saw its road record fall to 7-11 after dropping two of three to the Pirates. A comparison of UC's performance against USF and Seton Hall.

DELUCA PICKING UP THE PACE: No UC hitter has been hotter at the plate lately than senior 3B Jon DeLuca. Over his last 15 games, DeLuca is hitting .429 (24 for 56) with 10 runs and 16 RBI. The hot streak has raised his average from .255 on March 11 to .346. DeLuca hit .800 in the Bearcats' sweep of Oakland on March 18-19 and was instrumental in UC's sweep of USF, March 31-April 2. Against the Bulls, DeLuca hit .583 (7 for 12) and tallied seven RBI to earn BIG EAST Player of the Week honors on April 3. He was also placed on the College Baseball Foundation Honor Roll, joining Logan Parker as UC players named to the list this season. The stretch has also seen DeLuca match the school record for doubles in a game with three vs. USF on March 31.

HOME SWEET HOME: In its nearly two seasons of existence, the state-of-the-art UC Baseball Stadium has provided a solid home field advantage for the Bearcats. At no time has the edge been more significant than this year as the Bearcats are 11-1 at home. UC is hitting over 75 points higher at home than on the road and averages over three runs per game more. Of Cincinnati's 20 home runs this year, 12 have come at home. Since its opening, the Bearcats hold a 28-16 (.636) record at home.

MAKING A NAME FOR HIMSELF: In his first season as a collegiate pitcher, true freshman Steve Blevins is quietly having an outstanding season. In nine starts and one relief appearance, Blevins leads the Bearcats with 50.0 innings pitched, holding a record of 5-3 and a 6.12 ERA and striking out a team-high 41. Without two rough starts at the beginning of the year, Blevins would have a 5-1 record and a 4.14 ERA. He is also within striking distance of the UC record (7) for wins by a freshman pitcher.

OFF TO THE RACES: The Bearcats have enjoyed a collective improvement in team speed this season, having collected 30 stolen bases through 30 games, matching the Bearcats' total of all of last season. LaFringe Hayes and Josh Harrison have been the catalysts of the speed outbreak, as the duo shares the team lead with seven each. UC has also enjoyed career-highs from both Logan Parker (five) and Jon DeLuca (four).

BIG COMEBACK: When Mark Muscenti's single through the middle scored Logan Parker in the ninth inning of UC's come-from-behind win over USF on April 2, the Bearcats not only finished off a sweep of the Bulls, but they also put an end to a lengthy dry spell. Trailing 10-8 heading into the ninth, Cincinnati put together five consecutive singles, capped by Muscenti's hit, to rally for an 11-10 win. The ninth inning comeback snapped a streak of 98 consecutive games the Bearcats had lost when trailing after eight innings. Before the win over USF, the last victory of the kind came on May 16, 2002 vs. Saint Louis as Chris Hamblen's two-run, walk-off home run sent UC to an 8-7 victory.

A SCORING MACHINE: The Bearcats have become one of the BIG EAST's most dangerous offensive teams this season, averaging 7.3 runs per game and hitting .291 as a team. These numbers come despite being shutout four times and being held to a single run once. A sampling of some other UC scoring notes:

  • In 30 games this season, the Bearcats have reached double-figure scoring nine times, after doing so just seven times in 55 games last year.
  • In UC's Feb. 19 game at North Carolina A&T and again on March 19 vs. Oakland, the Bearcats scored 10 runs in the sixth inning.
  • UC has scored over 20 runs twice this season, a feat that hasn't been accomplished by a UC team twice in a year since 2001.
  • The Bearcats' 23 runs on March 19 vs. Oakland were the most by a UC team since the school record of 26 against UAB on April 24, 1993.
  • UC, ranked third in the BIG EAST in runs scored (219), boasts two of the top-six individual run scorers in the league.

FINDING HIS STROKE: As a sophomore, Jack Nelson was one of the most dangerous hitters in Conference USA with a .360 batting average. After struggling as a junior, Nelson is back on track during his senior year. A recent hot surge, including a nine-game hit streak, has raised Nelson's average to .345, good for third on the team. Nelson has tallied a pair of home runs this season with both of the longballs coming against Cleveland State on March 10. The multi-homer game was the second of Nelson's career and first since May 1, 2004 vs. Saint Louis.

TIGHT GAME BLUES: Close games have been the Bearcats' achilles heel this season as six of UC's 12 losses have come by a single run. At no point was it more evident than March 24-26 at Connecticut, when UC opened BIG EAST play with a pair of one-run losses. The Bearcats followed that up with a 4-3, 11-inning defeat at Miami (Ohio) on March 29, but earned an 11-10 win over USF on April 2. UC has been hurt by a pair of 1-0 losses this season, something that hasn't happened since accurate records were kept beginning in 1958.

THE ANCHOR: Logan Parker has been the anchor of the Bearcats' line-up in 2006, beating opponents with both his bat and his patience. This year, Parker is fourth on the team in hitting at .321, while adding seven doubles, five triples, six homers and a team-leading 33 RBI. He has also shown great patience at the plate, drawing a BIG EAST-leading 30 walks. Parker is making waves in the new league, where he ranks among the conference leaders in RBI (1st, 33), total bases (3rd, 71), triples (1st, 5), and slugging percentage (4th, .634). Additionally, Parker, who stole just three bases all of last year, has already swiped five in 2006.

BEARCATS EARN REGIONAL RANKING: In the latest regional poll released by Northeast Baseball Review, the Bearcats have held their 10th place in the weekly top-10. UC became eligible for the list as a member of the BIG EAST Conference. Cincinnati is one of four BIG EAST schools ranked, joining West Virginia (4th), Notre Dame (5th) and St. John's (7th).

BUCKEYE STRENGTH: The Bearcats are out to continue their recent success against in-state rivals in 2006, with 10 games against Ohio schools scheduled. UC is 4-1 against in-state teams this year, after an April 5 win at Ohio. UC's next Ohio battle is April 12 vs. Akron. Last year, UC posted an 8-4 mark against in-state foes and has won 16 of its last 22 games against Ohio adversaries, including four straight against Xavier. All but one of the defeats during the stretch have come against Miami.

FILLING A HOLE: Freshman Josh Harrison has excelled since taking over the number two position in the batting order from the graduated Mark Haske. This season, Harrison leads the team and is 10th in the BIG EAST with a .367 batting average. The Cincinnati native has helped the Bearcats in a number of ways, stealing seven bases, notching two home runs, including his first career grand slam, scoring 33 runs and driving in 22. Harrison's 14 multi-hit games help him rank among the BIG EAST leaders with 44 total hits. He had one of his best performances on March 19 vs. Oakland, going 3 for 4 and driving in a career-high six runs. He also has a pair of four-hit performances to his credit. In the field, Harrison has drawn starts at shortstop, second base, catcher and in the outfield.

UNDER THE RADAR: Throughout his career, senior 2B Mark Muscenti has flown under the radar, but if he continues the play he has this season, that won't be the case for long. This year, Muscenti is hitting .397, above his career average of .277 entering the season. He also has recorded 16 RBI, putting him on pace to top his career-high of 28. Always a steady fielder, Muscenti has a career fielding percentage of .969 in 188 games and has started 100 consecutive games, with all but one coming at second base. Muscenti has also made waves on UC's career lists, moving into the top-20 in games played (12th, 187), walks (T-13th, 93), on-base percentage (14th, .421), at-bats (15th, 642), hits (T-16th, 180) and runs (T-17th, 115). Muscenti is also the school record holder with 66 career hit by pitch. Since providing the game-winning hit against USF on April 2, Muscenti has endured an 0-for-13 slump, that has dropped his average to its lowest point since Feb. 12.

STEADY ARMS: Junior lefty Jack Nelson and sophomore right-hander A.J. Upton have formed a solid 1-2 punch out of the Bearcat bullpen in 2006, helping UC overcome the loss of graduated relievers Josh Kay and Kyle Markle. After tossing a combined 10.1 innings last year, Nelson and Upton have been UC's most reliable relievers this year. Upton has been one of the biggest surprises of 2006 as he has evolved into the Bearcats' closer. After preserving the Bearcats win on April 1 vs.USF, Upton is tied for second in the BIG EAST with four saves. He holds a 2.28 ERA and is limiting batters to a .176 batting average in a team-best 13 appearances. Nelson has also been strong, holding a 2-1 record and a 4.15 ERA in 12 games. Sophomore Sean Munninghoff has also enjoyed a fine season in relief, with a 2-1 record and a 3.09 ERA in 11 outings. In 23.1 innings, opponents are hitting just .202 against Munninghoff.

HIGH ON HAYES: LaFringe Hayes has been a catalyst at the top of UC's line-up much of this season, using his speed to contribute in many ways. In game one of UC's Feb. 19 doubleheader at North Carolina A&T, Hayes scored five runs, becoming the first UC player to reach the total since Craig Tewes on March 7, 2001 vs. Xavier. During that same weekend, Hayes once again tied the school record for most triples in a single game, a mark that Hayes has already achieved one other time in his career, as he ripped two. With 11 triples in nearly two seasons at UC, Hayes is just one back of Billy Wolff's career record. Hayes is second in the BIG EAST with four triples and is tied for third with 34 runs scored. In addition, Hayes is tied for the top spot on the team with seven stolen bases.

MR. VERSATILITY: Freshman Josh Harrison produced one of the top storylines of UC's series with Cleveland State, March 10-12. After Nick Maragas, the Bearcats' only healthy catcher, went down with an injury, Harrison was forced to don the catcher's gear for the first time in a game in his life. Harrison held his own behind the plate, handling 21 chances without an error or passed ball. The versatile freshman received high marks for his play from UC head coach Brian Cleary and the Bearcat pitching staff.

PARKER HONORED FOR PLAY: Logan Parker's big weekend against Oakland March 18-19 earned him recognition from both the BIG EAST and on the national scene. In addition to being named BIG EAST Player of the Week, Parker also earned a spot on the College Baseball Foundation National Honor Roll. For the series, Parker hit .462 (6 for 13), with all but one of his hits going for extra-bases. The senior ripped three home runs in the series, including a pair of three-run shots in the series-opener, while also recording 11 RBI, including seven in one game. Parker slugged an incredible 1.385 in the wins, while scoring six runs, walking four times and stealing two bases.

DELUCA'S BIG WEEKEND: Jon DeLuca enjoyed a stellar weekend against Oakland (March 18-19), hitting an astounding .800 (8 for 10) in the three-game series. He opened the weekend with a five-hit game, the first of his career. DeLuca also doubled twice, hit the first triple of his career and drove in four runs, while scoring seven during the set.

ALL THE WAY: During the 2005 season, Cincinnati's pitchers turned in only one complete game, but the 2006 staff doubled that total in just one day with its Feb. 19 doubleheader performance at North Carolina A&T. In the twinbill, juniors Kyle Rapp and Glen Simon each pitched all seven innings, leading the Bearcats to a sweep. In the first complete game of either pitcher's career, each struck out a career-high with Rapp fanning seven and Simon 13. The back-to-back complete games were the first for Bearcat hurlers since B.J. Borsa and Nate Bouldin each went all the way on April 5-6, 2003 vs. Southern Miss.

BEARCATS 10TH IN BIG EAST POLL: In its first season as a member of the BIG EAST Conference, the Bearcats have been tabbed to finish 10th in a poll of the league's 12 coaches. Notre Dame, the defending champions of the conference tournament, were the overwhelming favorites to win the 2006 title. The Fighting Irish picked up a total of nine first place votes, while Pittsburgh picked up two first place nods. Villanova, chosen in a tie for seventh, also earned a first place vote.