UC Baseball Update- March 27

On Tuesday, March 18, Cincinnati snapped Wright State’s six game win streak with a 12-3 victory so the weekly discussion started with that lopsided win at Marge Schott Stadium.

“This isn’t a knock on Wright State, but I look at us as a BCS program, and we should be able to beat a mid-major seven out of eight times,” said Coach Neal. “But I don’t think we really beat them. They did a lot to beat themselves.”

The Bearcats benefitted from eleven bases on balls and three hit batsmen in the win, but the big blow came in the bottom of the 4th inning when Devin Wenzel rifled a double to left-center field scoring two runs and kick starting the UC offense.


“We got a big two run double from Devin Wenzel, which is something we haven’t been getting this year,” said Neal. “We’ve been looking for someone to hit behind Glass and Happ all year, and Devin has probably been putting too much pressure on himself. I don’t think we’ve had a two run double all year so that was good to see. He’s the one guy right now that I feel can potentially drive a ball in the gap.”

Coach Neal continues to lay the groundwork for his program, and the first-year head coach sent a very strong message early in the Wright State game when he pulled his starting shortstop and No. 2 hitter for missing a sign.

“It was in the 1st inning,” stated Neal. “Connor McVey was pulled from the game because he missed the bunt sign. I’m not lowering my expectations with these guys in any capacity. One of the simplest signs they get is the bunt sign. Hitting in the two hole, Conner shouldn’t be surprised that he’d be asked to hit and run or bunt with a runner on. Those kinds of things can cost you games. It’s not okay to miss signs at this level. If you miss signs, you won’t play.”

Coach Neal said he also benched Devin Wenzel over the weekend for the same infraction.

“I’m trying to lay the foundation for what’s expected around here,” said the UC head coach. “Missing signs is not acceptable. I heard the Wichita State basketball coach this weekend talk about ‘championship behavior,’ and missing signs is not championship behavior. If I allow it (missing signs) now, it will still be here three years from now. I’m not afraid to bench my shortstop or my best hitter if they miss signs. We’ll eventually start competing for championships.”

The weekend trip to Orlando to face a UCF club that had just upset No. 25 ranked Miami (FL) earlier in the week got off to a bad start partially because the Bearcats faced one of the league’s best pitchers in Eric Skoglund. The big junior threw his second complete game shutout in as many outings winning the conference’s “Pitcher of the Week” honors for the second straight week. The Bearcats managed only two hits in losing 7-1.

“We faced a Friday night guy that any school in the country would like to have,” said Neal. “You’re going to have to beat him 1-0 or 2-1, and that’s the way a Friday night game should be in the conference. That’s where I hope to get to in this program where we have a Friday night guy that the opponents will have to scratch and claw to score a run or two to beat him.”

Cincinnati’s starting pitcher Ryan Atkinson and reliever Grant Walker did a respectable job and combined to give up only four earned runs, but their defense helped to turn the game into a laugher for USF.

“Ryan Atkinson didn’t throw poorly,” said Neal. “What hurt us was we didn’t get an out on a bunt in the 1st inning. He just wasn’t ready to make the play that led to them having the bases loaded with no outs in the 1st inning. I think Atkinson allowed himself to get caught up in the environment.”

Despite the mistake, the UC starting pitcher wiggled out of that jam giving up only one run, and after six innings, the Bearcats trailed only 3-1. However, Grant Walker also misplayed a bunt in the 7th inning (throwing it down the third base line). That mistake eventually led to three UCF runs and put the game out of reach.

The Bearcats led 2-1 after five innings on Saturday, but a disastrous bottom of the 6th that included two UC errors (one on a bunt) led to five UCF runs again securing a Knights’ victory.

“Connor Walsh pitched well through five (innings) on Saturday, and the same thing happened. They had a seeing-eye base hit. The next hitter took a big swing, and the wind was blowing out to left. Glass took a step back, and the ball dropped in no man’s land. The next guy bunted the ball right back to our pitcher, but Walsh wasn’t ready to play and threw the ball down the right field line. That changed the game, and we ended up losing 7-4.”

Central Florida completed the three game sweep on Sunday with a 5-1 win, but Coach Neal felt his team had its chances.

“We had the tying run at the plate on Saturday in the 9th, and we had the tying run at the plate on Sunday,” he said. “We just gave away too many runs on bunts, and we walked some lead-off guys that ended up scoring. Our margin for error is very small, especially now that we’re facing better pitching. We don’t have enough depth and can’t match-up on the mound or at the plate. I have only one left-handed pitcher right now. I’m still trying to change the culture.”

The sweep put UCF (3-0 in the AAC and 13-12 overall) at the top of the American while UC (0-3 in the AAC and 8-14 overall) is at the bottom. Houston has not yet played a league game.

This weekend the Bearcats host USF (2-1 in the AAC and 15-9 overall) and could have an advantage in the bullpen since the Bulls played two mid-week games (Tuesday and Wednesday) while Cincinnati’s pitching staff has rested after Tuesday’s game at NKU was cancelled. However, Matt Ring and Mike Conrad are still not available due to injury.

If USF stays with the same weekend starting rotation, the Bearcats will face three solid right-handed starters.

Jimmy Herget (3-3) is their ace and should get the baseball on Friday night. The 6-foot-3 sophomore posted a 6-2 record with a 1.72 ERA last season and has lowered that to 1.16 so far this season. Herget pitched 8.1 innings of shutout baseball last Friday night in USF’s win against UConn.

On Saturday, Casey Mulholland (2-0) will likely take the mound. The 6-foot-4 junior has a 2.86 ERA after throwing six shutout innings last weekend against the Huskies, and freshman Michael Farley (1-2) took the Bulls only loss of the weekend when he went five innings giving up 7 hits and 4 earned runs. Farley has a respectable 3.87 ERA for the season.

Coach Neal wasn’t ready to name a weekend rotation for UC but hinted at some changes.

“I’m not pleased with how things are going. I think Bryan Chenoweth is our best guy and even Colton Cleary. I don’t want to hand the ball to these guys when we’re behind. I want them pitching with the lead or a chance for us to win so you might see a little change in the pitching philosophy this weekend. I may hand the ball to these guys and try to get to the 6th or 7th inning with the lead and go from there.”

The weather should be good at Marge Schott Stadium, and the action starts on Friday night at 6:30. Saturday’s first pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m., and Sunday’s finale will get underway at 1 p.m.

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