TicketsMarch 21, 2013
CINCINNATI at USF
USF Baseball Stadium - Tampa, Fla.
Friday, March 22 - 7 p.m. ET
Saturday, March 23 - 6 p.m. ET
Sunday, March 24 - 11:30 a.m. ET
SETTING THE SCENE
-BIG EAST Conference play opens this weekend for the University of Cincinnati baseball team as it visits USF for a three-game series.
-Game 1 of the series begins 7 p.m. Friday with redshirt freshman right-handed pitcher Connor Walsh slated to start for the Bearcats.
-The second game of the series will begin 6 p.m. Saturday and feature true freshman righty Mitch Patishall.
-Sunday's series finale is set for an 11:30 a.m. start, with Cincinnati's starting pitcher to be determined.
-The Bearcats are winners in three of their last four ballgames after defeating Northern Kentucky 4-3 on Wednesday and coming off a series win vs. Western Michigan, in which UC won two of three contests and outscored the Broncos 18-10.
-Prior to the WMU series, UC had lost four straight after suffering a midweek defeat to reigning Big Ten Conference champion Purdue, 7-4, on March 12 and getting swept in a three-game series at home versus Eastern Michigan. UC had won four consecutive ballgames prior to the EMU series.
-Freshman third baseman Devin Wenzel has reached base safely in all 17 games this season and is in the midst of a 13-game hit streak.
-A live video stream, as well as live stats, of all three UC-USF games will be available at GoUSFBulls.com.
-Follow the Bearcats baseball program on Twitter @UCincyBaseball and @CoachClearyUC.
NOW PITCHING FOR UC ...
-Game 1 of the USF series will feature redshirt freshman RHP Connor Walsh, who made his collegiate debut on Sunday, Feb. 17 at FAU after sitting out the entire 2012 season due to arm surgery. Walsh allowed three earned runs on four hits with one strikeout and three walks in 3 2-3 innings at FAU.
-On March 9 vs. Eastern Michigan, Walsh pitched just 6 1-3 innings, allowing just one earned run on five hits with five strikeouts.
-In his most recent start on March 16 vs. Western Michigan, Walsh got his first career win, going 7 1-3 innings, allowing five hits, just one earned and a career-high seven strikeouts.
-On the season, Walsh owns a 4.01 ERA in 24.2 innings with 12 walks and 22 strikeouts.
-Cincinnati's starter in Game 2 of the series will be freshman right-hander Mitch Patishall, who will be making his third start of the season.
-Patishall, who was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the 36th round of the 2012 MLB First-Year Player Draft, owns a 3.00 ERA in four games this season, holding opponents to a .214 batting average while striking out nine batters in 12 innings.
-Sunday's starting pitcher for the Bearcats is to be determined.
OPPONENT BREAKDOWN
-USF went 36-22 overall in 2012, including a 17-10 mark in BIG EAST Conference play, which was good for a third-place tie in the league.
-The Bulls were picked to finish fifth in the 2013 BIG EAST Preseason Coaches' Poll.
-Jr. OF James Ramsay was named a 2013 first-team all-BIG EAST preseason selection.
-With a 10-11 record, USF ranks fourth in the BIG EAST in team batting average (.281) and eighth in team ERA (4.64).
THE SERIES VERSUS USF
-Cincinnati and South Florida have played 56 ballgames all time.
-The Bulls own a 31-15 advantage in the all-time series.
-The first meeting took place on April 12, 1996 in Clifton, with USF winning 14-6.
-Last year, USF swept UC in a three-game series April 5-7 at Marge Schott Stadium.
SMASHING GLASS
-In four ballgames last weekend, Jr. OF Justin Glass hit .400 (6 for 15) with four runs, one home run and seven RBIs while slugging .733 and reaching base at .500 rate.
-On March 15, Glass tied his career high with five RBIs after hitting 2 of 5, which included his second home run of the season.
KEEP ON ROLLING
-Fr. 3B Devin Wenzel has reached base safely in all 17 games played in 2013.
He is also currently on a 13-game hitting streak.
-During his hitting streak, Wenzel is batting .352 with 10 runs, two home runs and 13 RBIs.
-Fr. INF Ian Happ has reached base in 12 straight ballgames and leads the BIG EAST Conference in walks.
-Fr. C Woody Wallace saw his nine-game hit streak and 12-game on-base streak end Wednesday vs. NKU. Wallace hit .406 with two runs and six RBIs while reaching base at a .441 clip during the hit streak.