TicketsCINCINNATI – The University of Cincinnati baseball team will travel to Bloomington, Ind to take on the Indiana Hoosiers on Tuesday. First pitch is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. ET. This will be one of two matchups between the two teams this season. The Hoosiers will travel to UC on Wednesday, April 20.
All four games will air on B1G+. Live stats will be available at BearcatStats.com. An audio broadcast will be available on iuhoosiers.com.
CINCINNATI
2022 Record: 6-4, 0-0 AAC
Head Coach: Scott Googins
Record at UC: 101-97 (5th)
Career Record: 442-454 (17th)
INDIANA
2022 Record: 4-6, 0-0 Big 10
Head Coach: Jeff Mercer
School Record: 76-53 (4th)
Career Record: 153-91 (6th)
PITCHING MATCHUP
TUESDAY, MARCH 8
4 p.m. • B1G+
LHP Alex Shea vs. RHP Luke Hayden
SERIES BUSINESS
UC has a 12-17 all-time record against Indiana. The two teams have split the last eight matchups, going 4-4 each. The last time they met up, Indiana beat UC, 6-2.
SETTING THE STAGE
- The Bearcats are coming off of a big week at home, going 4-1 and taking three out of four against Northwestern and beating Ohio State in Wednesday's home opener.
- Indiana is fresh off of a series win against Missouri State. The Hoosiers took two of three and have won three of four.
ABOUT THE BEARCATS
- UC's offense had another big week, averaging 7.6 runs over the five games, including a 16-run effort in the last game of the Northwestern series. Despite playing the fewest games in the conference, UC ranks first in total bases and home runs, third in runs scored and second in hits.
- Redshirt sophomore JP Sponseller had a huge game against Northwestern Saturday, hitting three homers and driving in seven runs. He was named one of Collegiate Baseball's national players of the week and to the AAC Honor Roll. Redshirt junior Griffin Merritt retook possession of the home run lead in the AAC, launching two more homers this week.
- On the mound, senior Beau Keathley threw 6.1 innings of shutuout ball against Ohio State, grad transfer Tristan Weaver threw a complete game, freshman Garrett Harker gave up two runs over 6.2 innings and sophomore Conner Linn's first career start ended with a quality start and a win.
ELITE OFFENSE
- The Bearcats rank 12th in the nation in homers (20) and seventh in homers per game (2.00), both of which are tops in the AAC.
- In the conference, UC now ranks first in slugging % (.528), second in runs scored per game (7.7), and first in home runs (20) despite playing the least amount of games in the conference.
- Paul Komistek, Ryan Nicholson, JP Sponseller and Griffin Merritt are leading the charge at the plate. All four are in the top-eight in slugging percentage and top-five in home runs in the AAC.
- Merritt is the AAC leader in homers and slugging percentage (.925). His five home runs rank 18th in the nation.
CARDIAC 'CATS
- The Bearcats have already ended two games this year with walk-off homers.
- On March 2, Cam Scheler hit a pinch-hit walk-off homer to right field to beat Ohio State.
- Just three days later on March 5, Cole Harting hit his first homer of the year at the perfect time, driving one to right to beat Northwestern, 4-2.
- Five of UC's 10 games have been decided by two or less runs. Cincinnati's record is 4-1 in those games.
HOME COOKING
- UC won its first home game against Ohio State, 5-4. That marks the sixth-straight year it has won its home opener.
- Cincinnati followed that up by winning three of four against Northwestern. starting the year 4-1 at home.
- The Bearcats have a 288-181 (.614) all-time record at UC Baseball Stadium and have only had three seasons with a .500 winning percentage or lower at home.
- Since 2016, the team's home record is 96-50 (.658).
GOING, GOING, GONE
- After the first weekend of college baseball this year, Cincinnati led the nation in home runs with nine. They now rank first in the conference and 12th in the country with 20.
- Nicholson and Sponseller have four each, which is tied for second-most in the AAC. Komistek has three while Merritt is the leader with five long balls. Catcher Cam Scheler has two, including a walk-off against Ohio State.
- The Bearcats launched 67 homers during the 2021 season, which ranked third in the conference.
BIG TEN MATCHUPS
- UC is currently in the middle of a seven-game stretch against Big Ten opponents.
- The Bearcats beat Ohio State in their home opener before taking three of four against Northwestern.
- Cincinnati will now travel to Indiana, followed by a trip to Greenville, S.C. to face off against Michigan State, Kansas and Western Carolina.
SHUT 'EM DOWN
- The Bearcats' pitching staff had a big week in five games against Ohio State and Northwestern.
- Tristan Weaver threw a seven-inning complete game against Northwestern on March 4, striking out six.
- Beau Keathley threw 6.1 scoreless innings in relief against Ohio State, striking out eight and securing the win.
- In his first career home start, Garrett Harker was one out shy from throwing a seven-inning complete game.
- Conner Linn pitched a quality start in his first-ever start, going 6.1 innings while only giving up three runs.
Season tickets for the 2022 season are now on sale! To purchase season tickets, visit cpaw.me/SeasonTickets or call 1-877-CATS-TIX (1-877-228-7849).
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NOTE: All dates and times are subject to change due to weather. All schedule changes will be announced on Twitter at @GoBearcatsBASE.