TicketsCINCINNATI -- The Cincinnati baseball team will conclude its 2026 edition of the Joe Nuxhall Classic when it plays Miami (OH) at 5 p.m. on Wednesday at Mason's Prasco Park.
Admission and concessions are free as well.
The Bearcats enter Wednesday with their first three-game losing streak in nearly a year (April 15-22, 2025). They responded from that slump with wins in seven of the next eight games, staying firm in the NCAA at-large picture.
It was a tough weekend for the Bearcats in Stillwater, starting with a 9-2 lead in the fifth inning on Friday that led to a 12-9 loss. That opener saw Jack Natili homer in the third, with Enzo Inferlise and Charlie Niehaus also going yard in the fifth. Nate Taylor pitched into the seventh inning for the third-straight week as well.
Walks were a story of the weekend. Cincinnati issued 26, uncharacteristic of a team that is still ranked fifth in the Big 12 for fewest per nine innings. Miami is also seventh nationally with 77 HBPs. Offensively, the Bearcats drew a season-high 11 on Friday.
Cincinnati swiped five bases over the weekend, moving into third among all Power 4 schools with 77 on the year (Duke and Kentucky lead). Jackson Smith, Cincinnati's leader with 13 swipes on as many attempts, is also eighth in school history with 17 HBPs.
Quinton Coats was kept in the ballpark, but he still leads the nation with 20 homers while ranking second in total bases (118) and 10th in slugging percentage (.831). He in sole possession of third for homers in school history, trailing only Mike Spina (21 in 2008, 23 in 2009).
The Bearcats have three starters with an OPS over 1.000, which includes the leadoff Smith in addition to Coats and Jack Natili. Freshman Enzo Infelise leads the Bearcats in batting at .355.
As has been with prior midweek games, the whole pitching staff has been available at moment's notice. Cincinnati used 14 relievers over the OSU weekend, including seven on Saturday. This also includes Alex Gonzalez, a potential redshirt who made his collegiate debut against Wright State last week.
Cincinnati is 17-5 when scoring six or more runs, with two of those losses coming in the last two weekends.
ABOUT MIAMI (OH)
Miami, which joined Cincinnati at last year's Knoxville Regional, is coming off an emphatic sweep of Ball State, outscoring the Cardinals 41-14 with 10 home runs.
Cincinnati defeated the RedHawks, 12-3 and 6-4, in both meetings last year. The first also saw Charlie Niehaus hit a grand slam. Cincinnati utilized 14 pitchers over the two contests.