TicketsApril 14, 2011
CINCINNATI at RUTGERS
Friday, April 15 | 3 p.m. ET | Bainton Field | Live Stats: Saturday, April 15 | 1 p.m. ET | Bainton Field | Live Stats:
Sunday, April 15 | Noon ET | Bainton Field | Live Stats:
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - The University of Cincinnati baseball team resumes its BIG EAST Conference schedule when it begins a three-game series against Rutgers University at 3 p.m. ET Friday at Bainton Field.
The series will be a crucial stretch for both teams, which are tied with Seton Hall University and University of Notre Dame for seventh place in the BIG EAST standings with 4-5 league records.
Cincinnati (17-14, 4-5 BIG EAST) will start senior right-handed pitcher Dan Jensen (Centerville, Ohio/Centerville) on Friday, who leads the Bearcats in earned run average (2.62), innings pitched (48.0) and strikeouts (44). His counterpart will be RU sophomore RHP Tyler Gebler, who owns a 2-3 record with a 2.83 ERA and 32 strikeouts in 57.1 innings pitched.
Game 2 of the series will start at 1 p.m. ET Saturday and will feature a pair of sophomores on the mound; UC RHP Andrew Strenge (Yardley, Pa./Holy Ghost Prep) and Rutgers LHP pitcher Rob Smorol. Strenge is 1-3 on the season with a 3.50 ERA with 38 strikeouts in 43.2 innings pitched. Smorol owns a 2-4 record, 4.79 ERA and 32 punch outs in 47.0 innings pitched. Opponents are hitting .298 against Smorol.
Coming off his second BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll selection, Cincinnati senior right-handed pitcher Nick Johnson (Delphos, Ohio/St. John's) will pitch the series finale, which begins at noon ET Sunday. In his last start, Johnson threw a complete game with eight strikeouts to lead the Bearcats to a 5-2 win over University of Louisville on April 10. Johnson is 4-1 on the season with a 3.14 earned run average and 38 strikeouts in 43 innings. Rutgers will throw Jr. RHP Nathaniel Roe (3-5, 5.04 ERA) who is allowing opponents to hit .307 against him.
The Bearcats are riding a three-game win streak after defeating Louisville on Sunday, followed by victories over Xavier University and Wright State University to defend their Joe Nuxhall Classic Championship. Freshman OF/DH Justin Glass earned Nuxhall Most Valuable Player honors after batting 3-for-6 with 4 RBI in UC's two Nuxhall games.
The Scarlet Knights are 12-18 overall after taking one of three down in Tampa, Fla. at University of South Florida last weekend. RU's midweek contests against Fordham and Temple were rained out. Offensively, senior outfielder Michael Lang paces the Scarlet Knights with a .319 batting average, 21 runs scored and a .451 slugging percentage.
The Bearcats look to improve their record against, Rutgers who owns a 9-4 advantage in the all-time series. The two schools did not meet on the diamond last season due to BIG EAST Conference scheduling. RU and UC last met March 27-28, 2009 at Bainton Field where the Scarlet Knights took two of three games from the Bearcats.
Live stats off all three games will be available at GoBEARCATS.com.