TicketsApril 26, 2010
CINCINNATI - Sitting at 19-19 entering the week, the University of Cincinnati baseball team looks to pick up some momentum before a key BIG EAST Conference series against West Virginia University this weekend when it plays a home-and-home two-game, mid-week series against Xavier University beginning on Tuesday, April 27, at 3 p.m. at Hayden Field on Xavier's campus. The two teams will then reconvene on Wednesday, April 28, at 6:30 p.m. at Marge Schott Stadium.
Tuesday's and Wednesday's match-ups will be the only two meetings between the schools this season. The Musketeers and Bearcats have met 109 times since the 1958 season, the second-longest rivalry of any UC opponent behind the University of Louisville. Cincinnati leads the all-time series 67-41-1.
The Bearcats are coming off a 1-2 weekend at Notre Dame after falling 5-4 in the series finale on a walk-off home run by the Irish's David Mills. UC junior Justin Riddell broke out of a slump in a big way hitting .750 (8-of-12) for the series with two RBI and a stolen base.
Cincinnati senior Brian Garman and junior Brian Sand come into the week as the No. 1 and No. 2 pitchers, respectively, in the BIG EAST in earned run average with a 1.63 ERA and a 2.13 ERA. Those two lead a pitching staff that owns a 3.70 ERA and ranks second in the BIG EAST and in the Top 20 nationally in that category.
After losing the first game of the Joe Nuxhall Classic on April 13, Xavier has rallied to win six of its last eight contests, including its last game at Rhode Island, 7-6.
The Musketeers enter the week with a 14-27 overall mark and they are led offensively by Ben Thomas and Phil Bauer, who are each hitting .335. Thomas leads the team with 37 RBI, while Bobby Freking owns a team-best six home runs. Jon McCambridge has swiped 21 bags on the season in 25 attempts to lead the squad.
On Tuesday, Cincinnati will send freshman Zach Isler (0-0) to the hill, who has 11 strikeouts and five walks in 19.1 innings of work. Xavier will start Zac Richard (1-0). Wednesday's pitching matchup has yet to be determined.
Following UC's home-and-home series against Xavier, Cincinnati welcomes West Virginia University to Marge Schott Stadium for a three-game set beginning on Friday, April 30, at 6:30 p.m. This weekend is Youth Baseball Weekend at Marge Schott Stadium. On Friday, there will be a Fall Sports Autograph session with selected athletes from the football team, the volleyball team, and the men's and women's soccer teams. Saturday, May 2, will feature $1 hot dogs available at the concession stands, and on Sunday after the game, kids will have the opportunity to run the bases and receive autographs from UC baseball players.