TicketsFeb. 5, 2007
This is the final in a 14-day series previewing the 2007 Bearcats baseball team. Today's installment features an announcement on Opening Day.
CINCINNATI, Ohio---A familiar face will take the mound to start the 2007 season for the University of Cincinnati baseball team as sophomore Steve Blevins has been named the Opening Day starter for the Bearcats. UC opens the campaign on the road on Friday, Feb. 9, taking on Florida Atlantic at 7 p.m.
This will mark the second consecutive year that Blevins (Louisa, Ky./Lawrence County) will start the Bearcats' opener. He becomes the first Cincinnati hurler since B.J. Borsa in 2002 and 2003 to make consecutive Opening Day starts.
"This is an honor for me because we have alot of good pitchers coming back and more coming in," Blevins stated. "It's nice to know that the coaches have the confidence to put me out there in the first game."
"Obviously, we are excited to have Steve leading us on Friday nights," UC head coach Brian Cleary said. "The fact that he did that so much last season and was a Freshman All-American, points us in the direction of him being our Opening Day starter. We have a number of capable guys, but with Steve's demeanor and performance in the past, we feel like he is a guy that will lead us into each series and give us a good chance to win."
Blevins enjoyed an outstanding freshman season, earning Freshman All-American and third team All-BIG EAST honors. He led the league and set a UC freshman record for wins with nine, while tossing a league-leading 101.0 innings. Blevins' career opened with a start at No. 1 Florida on Feb. 10, 2005.