Baseball Continues Road Trip At Houston

CINCINNATI - The University of Cincinnati baseball team continues an eight-game road swing next weekend at Houston.

The Bearcats (19-18, 8-8 AAC) and Cougars (16-23, 4-12 AAC) are slated for a Friday doubleheader started at 3 p.m. ET and Saturday and Sunday games set for a 3 p.m. first pitch and 1 p.m. start, respectively. 
 
All four games will air on the ESPN+ platform and live stats will also be available on BearcatStats.com.
 
SERIES INFORMATION
Live Stats: BearcatStats.com
Watch: ESPN+
Series Record: UH leads 39-12
Last Meeting: April 2019 (@ UH)
 
CINCINNATI
2021 Record: 19-18, 8-8 AAC
Head Coach: Scott Googins
Record at UC: 87-87 (4th)
Career Record: 428-444 (16th)
 
HOUSTON
2021 Record: 16-23, 4-12 AAC
Head Coach: Todd Whiting
Record at UH: 342-252-1 (11th)
Career Record: Same 
 
FRIDAY, MAY 7 – GAME 1
3 p.m. • ESPN+
LHP Garrett Schoenle vs. LHP Robert Gasser
WATCH • LIVE STATS
 
GAME 2
7 p.m. • ESPN+
RHP Zach Segal vs. RHP Jaycob Deese
WATCH • LIVE STATS
 
SATURDAY, MAY 8
3 p.m. • ESPN+
LHP Evan Shawver vs. RHP Ben Sears
WATCH • LIVE STATS
 
SUNDAY, MAY 9
1 p.m. • ESPN+
RHP Jalen Wade vs. RHP Carter Henry
WATCH • LIVE STATS
 
SERIES BUSINESS

• Houston leads the all-time series 39-12. The teams first met in 1958 and last matched up in 2019 in Houston.

 
ABOUT THE BEARCATS

• UC is 21-19 and 10-10 in AAC play after splitting a four-game series at USF last weekend.
• As a team, UC is hitting at a .278 clip with 65 doubles and 50 home runs with double-digit hits in 22 games.
• On the mound, UC has a team ERA of 6.04 with 356 strikeouts over 215 walks. 
• UC's hurlers have struck out five or more batters combined in all but one game this season (Feb. 20 at Clemson).

 
TURN IT UP!

• The Cincinnati infield has turned an AAC-best 41 doubles places this season and trails only Auburn (47) nationally.

 
GOING, GOING, GONE

• The Bearcats have belted 50 home runs thus far in 2021, leading the AAC and ranking No. 20 nationally.
• Jace Mercer and Cole Harting lead the club with eight home runs apiece.

TRENDING TOPICS

• Jace Mercer (.400), Paul Komistek (.387) and Eric Santiago (.337) lead the offense in AAC play.
• Friday starter Garrett Schoenle has a 1.55 ERA with 35 strikeouts in five starts against league foes.

LAST TIME OUT

• UC split a weekend series at USF, getting a win in the Friday night cap and Sunday's series finale.
• Eric Santiago hit .471 after collecting eight hits, including two doubles, with three runs scored, two RBIs and a stolen base.
• Jace Mercer had six hits, including a double and a triple, two runs scored, two RBIs and two SB.
• Joey Bellini had three RBIs and five hits, including a double.
• Sunday starter Jalen Wade pitched a gem, going 6.0 innings in a no-decision, giving up one run on four hits, striking out three in a 96-pitch outing, his longest since throwing 102 pitches against Xavier on May 8, 2018.

 
YOUNG THUNDERCATS

• CF Cole Harting has put together an impressive freshman campaign in the leadoff spot, making 37 starts.
• Harting has belted eight homers and eight doubles among his 42 hits which have brought in 27 runs.
• He is second on the team with 12 stolen bases.
• Harting tied the school record for hits in a game, going 6-for-6 in the Sunday matchup at Xavier, hitting two homers with five RBIs and a double.
• He is the sixth player to accomplish the feat, the first since Logan Parker had six against West Virginia on May 13, 2006.

 
YOUNG THUNDERCATS

• Ryan Nicholson has overcome a slow start and has his hit .291 in AAC play. His 23 walks are a team best.
• Nicholson had the walk-off hit against No. 5 Louisville in extra innings at UC Baseball Stadium.

 
DUAL ROLES FOR MCCARTHY

• LHP Dean McCarthy has split time as a starter and reliever this season, making 13 appearances in 2021.
• The grad transfer from Elon made seven starts to open the campaign but his last six trips to the rubber have been out of the bullpen.
• He has pitched 51-2 innings, going 3-3 with two saves.

 
SCHOENLE TABBED AS AAC PITCHER OF THE WEEK

• LHP Evan Shawver takes the ball on Saturday, making his first start since an abbreviated outing at ECU on April 3.
• He threw 44 pitches in two innings and left due to soreness.
• He's 2-1 with a 1.74 ERA and 34 strikeouts in 31.0 IP.

 
SANTIAGO HAS BIG WEEK VS. WICHITA STATE

• 3B Eric Santiago earned a spot on the American's weekly honor roll after hitting .571 (8-14) for the series with two runs scored, a double and two runs driven in. 
• He laid down a crucial sacrifice bunt on Sunday which led to the go-ahead-run scoring in the bottom of the seventh. 
• UC's leader this season with 11 doubles made his 200th career start in the WSU series finale, playing in the 209th game at Cincinnati which moved him into eighth place all-time on the career games played chart.

 
MOVE ... GET OUT THE WAY

• UC has hit 72 batters this season, a mark which leads the American and ranks fifth nationally. 
• Georgia State (80) lead the NCAA.