TicketsApril 8, 2008
Miami (OH) and Wright State Game Notes
SETTING THE SCENE: Coming off of a three-game BIG EAST Conference sweep on the road, at Connecticut, the University of Cincinnati baseball team continues its five-game road swing with a pair of non-conference trips on Tuesday and Wednesday at Miami (OH) and Wright State. UC looks to bounce back after last Tuesday's 11-8 setback against Miami at Marge Schott Stadium. Jamel Scott (21 steals) and Tony Campana (20 steals) are No. 1 and 2 in the BIG EAST and are first and third nationally in stolen bases per game. In the most recent NCAA rankings, Cincinnati is listed fifth in the nation in stolen bases with 57 thefts on 72 attempts. Victorious in four of their last five contests, the Bearcats continue to find ways to win with opportunistic offense and solid pitching. UC is averaging 4.75 runs per game and allowing a 3.25 runs over its last four victories.
SCOUTING THE REDHAWKS: After taking an 11-8 decision at Cincinnati last week, Miami (OH) dropped two out of three Mid-American Conference games to Western Michigan at McKie Field. Chris Nadeau and Tommy Nurre lead the RedHawks' offense. Nadeau is batting .349 with 16 RBIs, while Nurre enters the week batting .326 and has 14 runs batted in.
SCOUTING THE RAIDERS: The Raiders won their Horizon League series over the weekend, taking two of three games at Cleveland State. Justin Parker is the top hitter in the Wright State lineup, hitting .415, with four home runs. Aaron Fields is a perfect 8-for-8 in stolen base attempts. Michael Meintel has pitched in 11 contests, with five starts, and also has three saves in six relief appearances.
NOTING THE BEARCATS: Cincinnati has won three games in-a-row and nine of its of last 11 contests. After the weekend sweep at Connecticut, UC stands tied for first place in the BIG EAST Conference standings at 7-2. Senior center fielder Tony Campana leads the Bearcats with his .348 batting average and three triples. As a teams, Bearcats are hitting .286 with 14 home runs, 43 doubles and seven triples. Cincinnati's three weekend starting pitchers are a combined 9-6 with 95 strikeouts and only 24 free passes in 117 and two-thirds innings of work. Dan Osterbrock is 3-2 with a 3.07 ERA, while Tyler Smith is also 3-2, with a 3.49 earned run average, to go with 41 punch outs and nine walks in 38 and two-thirds innings. Michael Hill owns the lowest earned run average of the group, at 2.39.
SATTERWHITE SEEING THE BALL ALRIGHT: Over the last eight games, no one is hitting better for the Bearcats than Cameron Satterwhite. Second on the team with his .341 average, Satterwhite is hitting .469 (15-of-32) over the stretch.
WELSH SAVES THE WEEKEND IN STORRS: Off of an injury to his throwing arm a year ago, Billy Welsh has enjoyed a fine senior season with 13 appearances on the season. After allowing his first runs of the season against Miami (OH), the senior right-hander responded by notching a save in each of UC's three victories at Connecticut. Welsh allowed one hit in two innings of relief to earn his first save. He bounced back in the nightcap to work a scoreless ninth to secure the doubleheader sweep. With Sunday's outcome hanging in the balance, he came in with two men on and two men out in the ninth inning and struck out the only batter he faced.
GEGLEIN's EFFORT WORTH A BIG EAST HONOR ROLL MENTION: Junior right-hander Jake Geglein has taken the ball in the Bearcats' closer role and showed why he deserves the title of fireman in last Sunday's 4-3 win at Notre Dame. Tossing a career-long three and two-thirds innings of relief, Geglein allowed one run on five hits and struck out five on his way to his fourth save of the season. In seven appearances this season, Geglein has yielded one earned run in 12 and one-third innings of relief.
BIG EAST EXPECTATIONS: Picked to finish ninth in the BIG EAST in a preseason poll of the league's coaches, Baseball America picked the Bearcats to finish fifth. The Bearcats are led by a trio of returning all-BIG EAST performers pitcher Dan Osterbrock, infielder Josh Harrison and outfielder Tony Campana.