TicketsApril 11, 2008
SETTING THE SCENE: Entering the weekend carrying a five-game winning streak that started with a BIG EAST Conference sweep at Connecticut, the University of Cincinnati baseball team looks to continue its winning ways with a three-game home stand against Pittsburgh. UC is off to its best start in BIG EAST play since joining the league in 2006 and enters the weekend sharing the top spot in the standings with a 7-2 record in league games. Jamel Scott and Tony Campana share first place in the BIG EAST in stolen bases with 23 thefts each. The duo make up the only players in the BIG EAST to surpass the 20 steals mark.
SCOUTING THE PANTHERS: Pittsburgh invades the Queen City on the losing side of six of its last seven games, including four consecutive setbacks in BIG EAST Conference play. The Panthers offense is centered around Sean Conley, who leads the team with his .340 batting average, eight home runs and 34 runs batted in. Joe Leonard is the only other Panther hitter entering the weekend above the .300 mark, at .303. Jordan Herr is a perfect 10-of-10 in stolen base attempts.
NOTING THE BEARCATS: Cincinnati has won five games in-a-row and 11 of its of last 13 contests. After the weekend sweep at Connecticut, UC stands tied for first place in the BIG EAST Conference standings at 7-2. Junior right fielder Cameron Satterwhite has overtaken the team lead with his .354 batting average and shares the lead in doubles with nine. Senior center fielder Tony Campana is batting .341 and owns three triples. As a team, the Bearcats are hitting .291 with 20 home runs, 44 doubles and seven triples. Cincinnati's three weekend starting pitchers are a combined 9-6 with 96 strikeouts and only 25 free passes in 118 innings of work. Dan Osterbrock is 3-2 with a 3.07 ERA, while Tyler Smith is also 3-2, with a 3.46 earned run average, to go with 42 punch outs and 10 walks in 39 innings. Michael Hill owns the lowest earned run average of the group, at 2.39.
SATTERWHITE SEEING THE BALL ALRIGHT: Over the last 10 games, no one is hitting better for the Bearcats than Cameron Satterwhite. Leading the team with his .354 average, Satterwhite is hitting .475 (19-of-40) over the stretch. The Bearcats' right fielder earned BIG EAST Conference Honor Roll acclaim last week after hitting .533 (8-for-15), with a pair of doubles and a .667 slugging percentage.
WELSH SAVES THE WEEKEND SERIES 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 WORTHY OF 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.