TicketsCINCINNATI - The University of Cincinnati baseball team returns to action this weekend, facing Western Kentucky in a three-game series at at Nick Denes Field.
The Bearcats and Hilltoppers will square on at 4 p.m. ET on Friday and 2 p.m. ET on Saturday and Sunday.
SERIES BUSINESS
The teams have met six times previously, dating back to 1937. The Hilltoppers own a 5-1 edge in the series and 4-0 in Bowling Green. The squads have only played once in the last 21 seasons, a neutral-site matchup in 2016.
HOW TO FOLLOW
This weekend's games will not be live streamed. An audio stream and live stats are available.
ABOUT THE BEARCATS
• UC 0-3 after dropping a three-game set at No. 25 Clemson last weekend.
• Head Coach Scott Googins is in his fourth season with a 66-70 mark at UC and a career mark of 407-427.
• The Bearcats offense improved throughout last weekend with UC totaling 19 hits against a strong pitching staff.
ABOUT THE HILLTOPPERS
• WKU is 1-3 on the season, knocking off North Dakota State 10-4 in the season opener on Feb. 21 before dropping three-straight, two to the Bison and a Wednesday matchup at No. 3 Vanderbilt.
• Head Coach John Pawlowski is in his sixth year at WKU after previous head coaching stops at College of Charleston and Auburn.
• Jackson Gray (.429) has six hits, including two doubles and five runs scored through four games.
STARTING PITCHERS
• Friday – LHP Evan Shawver (CIN) vs. RHP Jake Kates (WKU)
• Saturday – LHP Dean McCarthy (CIN) vs. RHP Sean Bergeron (WKU)
• Sunday – LHP Garrett Schoenle (CIN) vs. TBA (WKU)
STREAKS, STORYLINES, SIDEBARS ...
FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
For all the latest information on Cincinnati baseball, please visit GoBEARCATS.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow UC baseball (@GoBearcatsBase) and Coach Googins (@CoachGoogs) on Twitter. You can also find the Bearcats on Instagram and Facebook.
The Bearcats and Hilltoppers will square on at 4 p.m. ET on Friday and 2 p.m. ET on Saturday and Sunday.
SERIES BUSINESS
The teams have met six times previously, dating back to 1937. The Hilltoppers own a 5-1 edge in the series and 4-0 in Bowling Green. The squads have only played once in the last 21 seasons, a neutral-site matchup in 2016.
HOW TO FOLLOW
This weekend's games will not be live streamed. An audio stream and live stats are available.
ABOUT THE BEARCATS
• UC 0-3 after dropping a three-game set at No. 25 Clemson last weekend.
• Head Coach Scott Googins is in his fourth season with a 66-70 mark at UC and a career mark of 407-427.
• The Bearcats offense improved throughout last weekend with UC totaling 19 hits against a strong pitching staff.
ABOUT THE HILLTOPPERS
• WKU is 1-3 on the season, knocking off North Dakota State 10-4 in the season opener on Feb. 21 before dropping three-straight, two to the Bison and a Wednesday matchup at No. 3 Vanderbilt.
• Head Coach John Pawlowski is in his sixth year at WKU after previous head coaching stops at College of Charleston and Auburn.
• Jackson Gray (.429) has six hits, including two doubles and five runs scored through four games.
STARTING PITCHERS
• Friday – LHP Evan Shawver (CIN) vs. RHP Jake Kates (WKU)
• Saturday – LHP Dean McCarthy (CIN) vs. RHP Sean Bergeron (WKU)
• Sunday – LHP Garrett Schoenle (CIN) vs. TBA (WKU)
STREAKS, STORYLINES, SIDEBARS ...
- LHP Evan Shawver has been named one of the Top 100 prospects in the 2021 Major League Baseball Draft according to D1 Baseball. Listed at No. 45, the Amherst, Ohio, native ranks as the AAC's top pitcher. Shawver posted a 1.59 ERA in four starts during 2020, recording 35 strikeouts in 22.2 innings.
- Shawver, 3B Eric Santiago and DH Wyatt Stapp were preseason All-American Athletic Conference selections, the first time in UC history three players earned preseason honors. Stapp is a two-time preseason all-conference honoree while Santiago and Shawver were tabbed for the first time.
- Shawver went four scoreless innings in his 2021 debut at Clemson last weekend with two strikeouts.
- Reliever Beau Keathley scattered three scoreless innings of 1-hit ball against the Tigers, putting up two strikeouts.
- Santiago had three hits, including a double and two runs scored last weekend.
- OF Jake Murray had a strong debut weekend in the red and black as the NKU transfer finished with three hits and an RBI.
- Joey Bellini and Jace Mercer also share the team lead with three hits.
- Head Coach Scott Googins led the Bearcats to one of the most successful seasons in program history in 2019. The Bearcats won the Anerican Athletic Conference Tournament title and advanced to the NCAA Baseball Tournament for the first time in 45 years.
- The AAC's preseason poll, released on Dec. 30, 2020, tabbed the Bearcats to finish sixth. The conference will feature four-game home series this year with one day featuring a twin bill DH.
- UC will open the home schedule at UC Baseball Stadium set for Friday, March 12 against Western Michigan.
- Baseball earned a 3.345 team GPA in the fall of 202 with six players, Joey Bellini, Deondrae Bremner, Wyat Geesaman, Tanner Holen, Griffin Merritt and Zach Segalnamed TOP CATS for 4.0 GPAs.
FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
For all the latest information on Cincinnati baseball, please visit GoBEARCATS.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow UC baseball (@GoBearcatsBase) and Coach Googins (@CoachGoogs) on Twitter. You can also find the Bearcats on Instagram and Facebook.