TicketsMarch 29, 2010
Following a five-game road trip, the University of Cincinnati baseball team returns to Marge Schott Stadium on Tuesday, March 30, to kick off a five-game homestand of its own beginning with the University of Kentucky at 6:30 p.m. The Bearcats went 2-3 on their road trip and look to continue their solid play at home, where they are 7-3 on the season. Kentucky, who has been ranked for most of the season, was swept last weekend by No. 20 Vanderbilt and enters the week with a 16-8 overall mark. UC will send senior Kevin Johnson to the hill.
LEADING THE CHARGE
· All season long, senior Jimmy Jacquot has ranked among the team leaders in batting average, home runs, and RBI.
· Jacquot currently ranks second on the team with a .347 batting average and he is also tied for the team lead with three home runs and 17 RBI.
· Over Cincinnati's last 15 games, Jacquot is hitting a team-best .411, with six doubles, a triple, three home runs and 14 RBI. During that stretch, Jacquot has eight multi-hit games and five multi-RBI games.
· Also during that stretch, opponents have tried to steal 18 bases on Jacquot, and the senior has thrown out 10 runners. Of the eight that have stolen a bag, Jacquot did not attempt a throw on three occassions.
· On the season, Jacquot has thrown out 13 of 24 runners attempting to steal.
EXPERIENCE IN THE PEN
· Senior Brian Garman, junior Brian Sand, and senior Andrew Burkett have been spectacular out of the bullpen for Cincinnati this season.
· Garman has posted a 1.66 ERA in six appearances out of the bullpen and one start, and has struck out 26 batters, while walking eight in 21.2 innings.
· Sand owns an ERA of 3.09 and has struck out 16 and given up six walks in 23.1 innings of work.
· Garman got the start against Villanova on March 28, and in the first four innings had at least one runner on second base with less than two outs. In each situation, Garman got out of the inning without giving up a run.
· In relief, Sand shut down Ohio State on Feb. 28 and did not surrender a hit in 5.0 innings of work to pick up his first win of the season.
· Sand has pitched at least two innings in six of his eight relief appearances and on the season has struck out 16, while giving up six walks, three of which were intentional walks.
· Burkett has posted four saves for Cincinnati this season and has struck out 12 in 7.2 innings en route to a 2.35 ERA.
· Burkett is one save away from tying for 10th on UC's single-season saves list.
COLEMAN MAKES DEBUT
· Sophomore Kendal Coleman saw his first action of the season against Dayton on Wednesday, March 24.
· Coleman was a solid reserve for UC in 2009, making 34 appearances, including 21 starts. He hit .256 with 12 RBI on the season.
· In Coleman's season-debut against Dayton, he was the designated hitter and went 2-for-3 against the Flyers.
· In his three starts this season, Coleman is 5-for-11 (.455) and has an on-base percentage of .538.
SENIOR LEADERSHIP
· One of the reasons for Cincinnati's early season success has been the play of its seniors; Jamel Scott, Kevin Johnson, Jimmy Jacquot, Beach Brooks, Tyler Smith, Brian Garman, and Andrew Burkett.
· As a lead-off man, Scott has reached base safely in every game but one this season. Scott is hitting .253 and leads the team and ranks second in the BIG EAST in stolen bases with 12.
· Johnson has been a steady force at first base and made only one error on the season, while coming on of late at the plate. Over the last 10 games, Johnson is hitting .278 (10-of-36).
· Jacquot leads the team in home runs (3), is hitting .347, and has driven in 17 runs and scored 15 runs. Through 21 games last season, Jacquot was hitting .100 and had one home run and four RBI. Over the last 15 games, Jacquot is hitting a team-best .411.
· In a reserve role, Brooks has come off the bench and delivered two game-winning RBI for UC against Purdue and Youngstown State.
· Smith has been steady on the mound as UC's Saturday starter and owns an ERA of 3.19. In his latest start against Villanova, Smith went 6.0 innings, gave up four hits and one unearned run but took the loss.
· Garman has been terrific out of the bullpen this season, and he has an ERA of 1.66 in 21.2 innings of work. Garman has a team-best 26 strikeouts.
· Finally, Burkett has been UC's closer this season and has four saves for the Bearcats. Burkett owns an ERA of 2.35 and has struck out 12, while walking four batters. Opponents are hitting .172 off Burkett.
NEW YEAR, NEW RESULTS
· The Cincinnati pitching staff has 10 returners from last year's staff, giving the Bearcats an experienced group of hurlers.
· Last season, the UC pitching staff struggled with an ERA of 6.56, which ranked last in the BIG EAST.
· In the first 21 games of the 2009 season, the Cincinnati's ERA was at 5.85.
· Through 21 games this season, the Bearcats pitching staff has been much improved as Cincinnati has an ERA of 3.95.
· Two of UC's starters, senior Tyler Smith and junior Dan Jensen have ERA's of 3.19 and 3.73, respectively.
· Senior Brian Garman and junior Brian Sand have both pitched 20-plus innings in relief this season and own ERA's of 1.66 and 3.09, respectively.
· The pitching staff has given up 62 walks on the season, the third fewest in the BIG EAST Conference, while striking out 148, which ranks fifth in the conference.
FEB. 26-28 BIG TEN/BIG EAST BASEBALL CHALLENGE
· In the inaugural BIG EAST/Big Ten Challenge in 2009, Cincinnati went 0-3, which included an 11-10 loss to Purdue and a 6-5 loss to Ohio State.
· The Bearcats responded in the 2010 edition of the Big Ten/BIG EAST Baseball Challenge with a 2-1 record.
· Cincinnati lost a heartbreaker in its first game of the challenge to Penn State when the Nittany Lions rallied for two runs in the ninth to tie the game, before winning in the 12th inning.
· In game two, UC trailed 6-0 to Purdue heading into the ninth inning, before the Bearcats rallied for seven runs in the ninth inning to defeat the Boilermakers, 7-6.
· In the finale of the event, Cincinnati jumped in front early and never looked back as it defeated No. 13 Ohio State, 12-4.
· The win over the Buckeyes was the highest-ranked opponent the Bearcats have beaten since beating No. 11 Tulane, 12-4, on April 4, 2004.