April 25, 2002

Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader

REDHAWKS HEAD TO WEST VIRGINIA TO BATTLE CONFERENCE FOE MARSHALL: The Miami baseball team was riding high after sweeping its Mid-American Conference series last weekend against Buffalo, but was brought down to earth this week by Wright State and Cincinnati. The RedHawks, however, are confident going into this weekend's series carrying a 7-5 MAC record and 58-21 all-time record against the Thundering Herd.

Last season the Red and White took three-of-four games at home against Marshall. In its three victories Miami outscored Marshall by a 31-9 count. The lone loss, however, was a 15-0 drubbing by the Thundering Herd. Head Coach Tracy Smith has had success in his six-year tenure against Marshall, winning 11 contests while only dropping five. This could be an opportunity for the RedHawks to move up in the conference standings, as Marshall is 4-7 in the East Division, and next week's opponent Ohio is 2-9.

RECENT REDHAWK ACTION: The RedHawks were dealt two crushing blows this week by Wright State and Cincinnati. Miami lost its first extra-inning contest of the season when Wright State hit a three-run home run in the top of the 11th inning to win 10-7 on Tuesday. One day later at UC's Johnny Bench Field, where the RedHawks won 11-5 earlier this season, the Bearcats drilled Miami for 18 runs and a dominating victory.

Prior to this week's two losses the Red and White swept its first conference series since last year at home against Akron (May 5-7). The RedHawks used wins of 9-8, 9-3, 11-3 and 14-3 to send the Buffalo Bulls home packing with four losses. The four victories not only launched the RedHawks into third place in the MAC East Division, but also ended a six-of-seven game losing streak.

SCOUTING THE THUNDERING HERD: After opening their 2002 campaign with five losses the Thundering Herd proceeded to win 13 of their next 25 contests. Trouble has struck Marshall for a second time this season in the form of another five-game losing streak. Last weekend the Thundering Herd were swept in a four-game MAC series by Bowling Green, getting outscored 40-25. Their most recent losing streak was extended to five games when Dayton blasted Marshall 14-4 on Wednesday, April 24 in Dayton, Ohio.

The road hasn't yielded much fun for the Thundering Herd who maintain a 1-14 record away from Huntington, W.Va. Things at home have been different though for Marshall, which has won 10 contests at its friendly confines while losing six.

With a 9.13 team earned run average the Thundering Herd have been forced to put up major runs on the scoreboard in order to win, and that is just what they have done in their 13 victories. Marshall is averaging 10.1 runs per game when it wins and a paltry 5.2 runs per game in its 22 losses.

Providing much of this offense are five individuals who are all batting above the .300 mark. Senior Matt White boasts the teams best average at .341, and also paces the Thundering Herd with 11 doubles and 30 RBI. Four batters are clustered together in between .313-.317. Senior Ryan Kobbe (.317), senior David Colangelo (.317), freshman Greg Hiller (.314) and sophomore Mike Koitsopoulos (.313) are Marshall's next four batting leaders. Hiller is tied for the team lead with seven dingers.

Even with its high ERA Marshall has one hurler who has been getting plenty of work, 21 appearances, in sophomore righthander Chris Meadows. Meadows leads the MAC in appearances and is Marshall's most reliable pitcher with a 5.85 ERA. The MAC's East Division Pitcher of the Week on Feb. 25, Meadows posts a perfect 2-0 record.

LIVESTATS NOW AVAILABLE: All home Miami baseball games are available now on the internet via www.MURedHawks.com. The gamecast is very similar to what ESPN.com and CBS.Sportsline.com run on their websites. The Red and White play home next on May 3-5 when intrastate rival Ohio comes to McKie Field at Hayden Park.

HOW THEY STACK UP AGAINST EACH OTHER: Miami junior Mike Galloway (St. Thomas, Ontario/Central Michigan) fell into sixth in the conference in batting average (.400) after a recent slump. He does, however, retain the conference lead in runs scored (43). He also is ranked in the MAC's top ten for home runs (t-6th), hits (3rd), triples (t-5th), RBI (4th), total bases (5th), on-base percentage (5th) and slugging percentage (9th).

Junior Chris Leonard (Columbus, Ohio/St. Francis DeSales) is one of two RedHawk hurlers in the league's leaders with a 3.67 ERA, putting him sixth in the MAC. Ranked 14th in the conference with a 4.95 ERA is senior Russ Bayer (Naperville, Ill./Naperville North).

Miami's defense also has been a surprise as the infield is tied for second in the league with 35 double plays. Kent State has turned 39 DPs.

COOK-IE CRUNCH: Junior David Cook (Columbus, Ohio/St. Francis DeSales) has been on a tear for the RedHawks in the last six games hitting at a .440 clip (11-25). During this stretch he has hit two doubles and had a career day at Cincinnati with two home runs. It was his first career multi-homer game. His two home runs at UC move him into a tie for the RedHawk lead with Galloway, each with eight dingers.

EDGINTON FINDS HIS SWING: Posting even better numbers that Cook over the last six games has been sophomore Ryan Edginton (Chester Springs, Pa./Arizona State). In 21 at-bats Edginton has connected 11 times for a .524 batting average. Five of his 11 hits have been doubles while two have been triples. He has been perfect on the basepaths swiping two bags, and has not committed an error in 11 chances at his right field position. His six-game hitting streak is the RedHawk's longest entering this weekend's trip to Marshall.

TOO MUCH TO BAYER FOR OPPONENTS: Senior hurler Russ Bayer has been a stud on the hill for Miami this season. With a 6-1 record Bayer brings his career total to 27 victories. His 27 wins place him in a tie for second all-time at Miami with Nate Tekavec (1998-00). Bayer also ranks in the top ten of several other categories in Miami's history including innings pitched (7th), strikeouts (9th) and games (8th). Even more impressive is that his 27 victories put him in a tie for ninth all-time in the MAC.

KIENINGER MAKING AN APPEARANCE: Senior Billy Kieninger (Xenia, Ohio/Xenia) has appeared in 14 out of 38 games for the RedHawks, the most of any Miami pitcher. He has posted a 3-3 record in these 14 games, but more importantly has accumulated 63 career appearances to move into a tie for fourth all time at Miami.

BAD CONNECTION AT THE DISH: Through 38 games the RedHawks have made that long walk back to the dugout 290 times. At their current pace of 7.63 strikeouts per game the RedHawks will surpass last season's mark of 398 by 60 (458).

Miami also has not been very good at avoiding the double play, hitting into 29 of them compared to last year's mark of 25.

HOMEWARD BOUND: Juniors Mike Galloway and David Cook, and sophomore Josh Widlansky (Coral Springs, Fla./Travella) have hit the ball when it counts this season, leading the RedHawks with .442, .404 and .421 batting averages with runners in scoring position, respectively. Galloway has plated 30 of his team-leading 40 RBI with runners in scoring position, while Cook has accounted for 29 of his 35 RBI with RISP.

Widlansky made noise early in the season with a game-winning walk-off grand slam against Georgia State, but has been even more important as Miami's best pinch hitter. In 12 pinch-hit at-bats Widlansky has connected four times (.333).

LUCKY SEVEN NOT SO LUCKY FOR SLONE: Freshman John Slone went two-for-three at Indiana on April 9 to extend his hitting streak to seven games, but the streak came at a cost. In his fourth plate appearance Slone drew a base on balls but was hit on the hand during the at-bat. The result was an unfavorable one for the RedHawks as Slone's left-hand pinky was broken. His time out of the lineup is undisclosed, but he could see time in the designated hitter slot.

ARMED AND READY BEHIND THE PLATE: Miami's trio of catchers have been stingy on would-be basestealers this season, throwing out one runner for every 1.4 successful swipes (19-45). Freshman Nolan McCue (Chicago, Ill./De La Salle) has gunned down 83.3 percent (10-12) of runners that have attempted to steal against his arm to lead the RedHawk backstops. John Slone has allowed 15 thefts on 18 attempts, while freshman Kurt Weigle (West Lafayette, Ind./Benton Central) has thrown out 40.0 percent (4-10) of basestealers against him.