TicketsFeb. 28, 2007
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SETTING THE SCENE: Cincinnati opens the home portion of its 2007 schedule, hosting Dartmouth in a three-game set at Marge Schott Stadium starting on March 3. Action will get underway with a doubleheader at 1 p.m. on Saturday, with a single game at 1 p.m. on Sunday. The Bearcats (3-5) have won three of their last four outings, including a doubleheader sweep at North Carolina A&T last Saturday. The trip to Cincinnati will mark the season-opener for Dartmouth.
NOTING THE BEARCATS:
- Steve Blevins' record stands at an unlucky 0-3 after another strong outing at North Carolina A&T last Friday. The Bearcats have averaged just 2.7 runs per game in Blevins' three starts, while averaging over 10 per game in the other five contests of the year.
- A pair of school records fell during the second game of the Feb. 24 doubleheader at North Carolina A&T. Tony Campana broke a 16-year old mark by stealing six bases, while Adam Yeager became the 15th player in program history to draw four walks in a game.
- Cameron Satterwhite has tallied a BIG EAST-best five doubles in the first eight games of the year. The Indiana transfer is on pace to shatter the UC single season record of 25 established by Mike Kinnett in 1985.
- Cincinnati's team stolen base total for the year rose to 26 after the team swiped 13 at North Carolina A&T. It took the Bearcats 26 games to reach 26 steals last season. UC is on pace to set a school record for steals in a season, with the current mark at 119.
NOTING THE BIG GREEN:
- Baseball America picked Dartmouth to finish third in the Rolfe Division of the Ivy League after a 20-19 record a year ago.
- Junior OF Damon Wright was tabbed a Player to Watch in the league by Baseball America prior to the season. In 2006, Wright hit .377 with 34 RBI.
- Junior lefty Russell Young is the top returning hurler for Dartmouth after posting a 3-3 record and a 3.44 ERA last year.
UC AGAINST THE IVY LEAGUE: The Bearcats are 4-2-1 (.643) against current members of the Ivy League, but have never played this weekend's opponent Dartmouth. Since 1958, UC has faced Brown (2-0), Cornell (1-2) and Princeton (1-0-1), but have not played the other five members of the league.
CAMPANA HONORED FOR PLAY: On the strength of a brilliant weekend at the plate and on the basepaths, junior Tony Campana was named the BIG EAST Player of the Week, along with earning one of Collegiate Baseball's National Player of the Week awards, on Feb. 26. For the week, Campana hit .533 (8-for-15), but did most of his damage once he reached base. In four contests, Campana stole 12 bases in 14 attempts, including a school record six in the second game of a doubleheader at North Carolina A&T. Campana also scored seven runs, drove in another and walked six times, finishing the week with a .667 on-base percentage.
OFF AND RUNNING: The Bearcats' running game has quickly evolved into one of the team's biggest weapons and is on track to be one of the best efforts in school history. In just eight games this year, Cincinnati has already swiped 26 bags, more than halfway to its total of 48 attained all of last year. Tony Campana has been the catalyst with 15 steals, more than any Bearcat has totaled since Justin Niefer had 15 in 2003. Campana was at his best the week of Feb. 19-24, as he tallied 12 stolen bases, including a school-record six in the second game of a doubleheader at North Carolina A&T on Feb. 24. His effort topped Ken Schneider's previous high of five set in 1991. If the Bearcats stick to their current pace, they will topple the school record of 119 thefts established in 1992.
BLEVINS THE UNLUCKY ONE: In 2006, Steve Blevins had it all. He set a school record for wins by a freshman with nine, while leading the BIG EAST in wins and innings pitched. His offense did the part as the Bearcats averaged 7.3 runs per game in his 16 starts. Early in 2007, Blevins has still been successful on the mound (5.40 ERA and 21 strikeouts in 18.1 innings), but a lack of run support has pushed his record to 0-3. In Blevins' three starts, UC is averaging 2.7 runs per game and over 10 in the other five contests.
HARRISON BACK AT IT: Josh Harrison has picked up where he left off last year early in 2007, hitting .344 and leading the team in home runs (four) and RBI (12). At Austin Peay on Feb. 18, Harrison saw his career-best 18-game hit streak come to end, but he bounced back with his fourth long ball one day later. In the 66 games making up his UC career, Harrison has failed to gather a hit in just nine contests. The sophomore has shown his blend of speed and power this year, adding four stolen bases to his home run total. For his play at Florida Atlantic (Feb. 9-11), Harrison became the first Bearcat this season to be named to the College Baseball Foundation National Honor Roll.
BULLPEN LOCKDOWN: Two newcomers have joined returning ace A.J. Upton in forming a lethal threesome in the Bearcats' bullpen.
- Junior Billy Welsh has gotten his short stay off to a fine start, holding opponents hitless in 7.2 innings over a team-leading four appearances and notching a BIG EAST-leading two saves.
- After struggling in his initial outing at Florida Atlantic, sophomore Michael Hill has been dominant ever since. In 9.2 scoreless innings last week (one start, one relief appearance), Hill allowed just two hits while striking out 11 and earning the first two wins of his collegiate career. For the year, opponents are batting just .114 against the sophomore.
- Upton, a candidate for the NCBWA Stopper of the Year Award, shrugged off allowing a walk-off homer at Florida Atlantic with two straight scoreless outings.
GETTING CROWDED: With LaFringe Hayes gone to graduation and Josh Harrison moved to the infield, UC entered the season needing someone to step up in the outfield. With the additions of Tony Campana, Cameron Satterwhite and Michael Obyc, the Bearcats have found the cogs to fill the holes. Campana has been a sparkplug at the top of the line-up, swiping 15 bases and hitting .333. Satterwhite is off to a good start, hitting .276 and leading the BIG EAST with five doubles. The surprise in the group has been Obyc, who moved into the starting line-up at Austin Peay and is hitting .318 with two doubles and four RBI.
A MUCH NEEDED LIFT: Senior Brian Szarmach is providing the Bearcats a much needed boost in the middle of the line-up, as he sits atop the UC leaderboard with a .367 batting average and 12 RBI. The stretch from Feb. 19-24 was especially good for Szarmach as he hit .500 (6-for-12) with six runs scored, two doubles, a home run and eight RBI.
BLEVINS NAMED TO WALLACE WATCH LIST: Sophomore RHP Steve Blevins has been named to the 2007 Wallace Watch, the College Baseball Foundation announced. The "Watch" is comprised of 148 of the nation's best players, all vying for the Brooks Wallace Award, honoring college baseball's top player at the conclusion of the 2007 season.
NO PLACE LIKE HOME: In its two full seasons of existence, Marge Schott Stadium has provided a solid home field advantage for the Bearcats. With 28 home games on this season's home schedule, UC will look to carry over its home field success of 2006 this year. Last season, the Bearcats finished the year with a 22-10 record at home and hit 62 points higher (.319 to .257) at home than on the road, while averaging over three runs per game more. Since its opening, the Bearcats hold a 39-24 (.619) record at home. Prior to a loss to Rutgers on April 14, 2006 the Bearcats had a 12-game home winning streak, the second-longest in school history, behind a 17-game streak in 1960-61.
BUCKEYE STRENGTH: In recent years, Cincinnati has enjoyed success against its in-state rivals, winning 19 of its last 27 games against Ohio adversaries, including 7 of 10 last year. The Bearcats will work to continue that success again in 2007 with 11 match-ups against Ohio schools. The in-state contests are: March 9-11 vs. Cleveland State, March 20 at Xavier, March 21 vs. Toledo, March 28 vs. Wright State, April 3 at Dayton, April 11 vs. Xavier, April 17 vs. Ohio, May 9 vs. Miami and May 16 at Miami. In 2006, UC's .700 winning percentage against other Ohio teams ranked as the third-best in the state behind Kent State and Wright State (.750 each).
UPTON A BEARCAT TO WATCH: Junior closer A.J. Upton has been recognized among the nation's best at his position as he has earned a berth on the National Collegiate Baseball Writers of America Stopper of the Year Award watch list. The award is presented annually to the top relief pitcher in Division I. Upton is listed among the top-35 relievers in the country for the award that will be announced on June 7, just eight days after the finalists are revealed. The mid-season watch list will be announced on April 18. Upton ranked fourth in the BIG EAST last season with six saves, while holding a 2-2 record and a 3.86 ERA.
BEARCATS ON THE AIR: Last fall, the UC Department of Athletics relaunched its official website, GoBEARCATS.com, and with it rolled out CATSVision All-Access. This spring, Tommy Gelehrter, UC's manager of new media and broadcasting, will provide fans exclusive radio coverage of approximately 15 games, along with the BIG EAST Championship. The tentative schedule includes: March 10 vs. Cleveland State; March 16 and 18 vs. Chicago State; March 21 vs. Toledo; March 28 vs. Wright State; April 3 at Dayton; April 11 vs. Xavier; April 17 vs. Ohio; April 20 and 22 vs. Connecticut; April 25 vs. Butler; April 28-29 vs. Villanova; May 2 vs. Morehead State; May 9 vs. Miami (Ohio); May 16 at Miami (Ohio) and May 17 vs. Louisville.