May 16, 2002

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REDHAWKS DEDICATE NEW BALLPARK THIS WEEKEND DURING FINAL REGULAR SEASON SERIES VERSUS KENT STATE: It's that time of year again and the Miami baseball team finds itself in yet another Mid-American Conference tournament hunt. With four conference games remaining at home against East Division power Kent State, the RedHawks need to split the series to guarantee themselves a spot in the postseason.

However, the Red and White can still get into the tournament with a single win depending on what happens around the league. Only taking one game from the Golden Flashes would give the RedHawks a final league mark of 15-13. Ohio enters the weekend with an 11-12 record at home against Northern Illinois, and Western Michigan is at Ball State with its 11-10 record. The only way Miami would not get into the tournament with a 15-13 record is if Ohio sweeps NIU and/or Western Michigan takes three or more contests away from the Cardinals. Keep in mind that the Cardinals are first in the West Division with a 14-8 record.

RECENT REDHAWK MAC ACTION: The RedHawks took a big step towards the MAC tournament last weekend at Akron by taking three-of-four contests from the Zips. After dropping the Friday contest 5-4 the Red and White went on to outscore Akron 40-7 in the next three games.

Miami got a surprise in the first contest when the Zips tallied a run in the first frame to take an early 1-0 lead. However, a RedHawks' run in the second frame tied the game, and two more in the sixth gave the 'Hawks a 4-2 advantage. The wheels fell off for Miami in the bottom of the eighth when the Zips tagged junior reliever Adam Keel (Fairfield, Ohio/Fairfield) for three runs, enough to give Akron a 5-4 come-from-behind victory.

Saturday yielded different for the Red and White as it played in Akron's AA minor league stadium, Canal Park. Miami put on a hitting exhibition in the first contest belting 15 hits for 13 runs, compared to Akron's three runs. Receiving this solid run support was senior Shawn Landis (Pleasant Hill, Ohio/Dayton) who went the distance for his sixth victory of the season. Junior David Cook (Columbus, Ohio/St. Francis DeSales) used a game-opening triple to extend his hitting streak to 15 games.

The aluminum stayed hot for the RedHawks in the second game of the doubledip as they supplied their starter, senior Russ Bayer (Naperville, Ill./Naperville North), with 14 runs. Bayer took care of the rest, taking a shutout into the seventh inning, by pitching the full nine innings for a 14-1 win and his seventh "W" of the season. Capping off the victory for Miami was freshman Kurt Weigle (West Lafayette, Ind./Benton Central) who hit his first career home run in the top of the ninth inning as a pinch hitter.

After sitting through more than two hours of rain and storms, the RedHawks were able to finish off the Zips on Sunday with a decisive 13-3 victory. Junior Mike Galloway (St. Thomas, Ontario/Central Michigan) went 4-for-4 in the game, while freshman Paul Frietch (Montgomery, Ohio/Moeller) finished off Akron with a grand slam in the ninth inning.

SCOUTING THE GOLDEN FLASHES: Up until last weekend Kent State was the strongest team in the MAC, then it ran into the Bowling Green Falcons and could manage only one win in the four-game set. The Golden Flashes are the only team in the conference with over 30 victories carrying a 31-16 overall mark and 16-6 league tally into this weekend's series. Kent State is battling for the right to host the league tournament.

One year displaced from its championship game victory over the RedHawks and the loss of 2001 MAC Player of the Year John VanBenschoten, the Golden Flashes have yet another power-laden squad. Junior catcher Pat O'Brien paces his team with 50 hits, 16 home runs, 50 RBI and 128 total bases. O'Brien is ranked 20th nationally in doubles per game (0.44) and 28th in home runs per game (0.34). Topping O'Brien with a team-leading .400 (64-160) batting average is senior third baseman Phil LoCascio.

On the mound for Kent State is one of the MAC's premier right-handed pitchers in junior Dirk Hayhurst. With a 2.62 earned run average and 6-2 record Hayhurst already has been named MAC East Division Pitcher of the Week three times in 2002. Also posting solid numbers from the hill is junior southpaw Chris White with a 4.29 ERA in 11 starts. Like his classmate White also has earned Pitcher of the Week accolades. Closing for the Golden Flashes is sophomore righty Gus Hlebovy who is tied for 12th in the nation with nine saves.

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.

Also, this Sunday's contest versus Kent State is the dedication game for Miami's ballpark McKie Field at Hayden Park, and will be aired live on WMOH-AM 1450 in Hamilton, Ohio.

MIAMI IN THE MAC: After an exceptional weekend at Akron going 13-for-18 with nine RBI junior Mike Galloway moves back into the upper echelon of MAC performers. Galloway raised his average 30 points last week to .437 (87-199), and first in the conference. He also leads the league in hits and runs scored with 87 and 63, respectively. Galloway is in the top ten in RBI (2nd), on-base percentage (2nd), total bases (3rd), slugging percentage (4th), home runs (8th) and triples (t-6th).

Junior Michael Carlin (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mt. Lebanon), who hit one dinger over the weekend, is fifth in the MAC with 15 round-trippers. His classmate David Cook is ranked sixth in the league with 71 hits.

Leading the RedHawks on the mound is southpaw Russ Bayer who is ninth in the MAC with a 4.40 ERA. Bayer leads the MAC with 86 innings pitched, and is second in wins with a 7-2 record. Converted reliever Shawn Landis is fourth in the conference with a perfect 6-0 mark.

WHO HIT THE BRAKES?: Junior David Cook entered the Akron's series with a 13-game hitting streak and left Eastern Ohio with a one-game hitting streak. Despite going 6-for-18 in four games Cook was unable to hit safely in the second game of the twinbill on Saturday. After going 0-for-5 in the game, Cook walked on his last plate appearance to see his, and Miami's, longest hitting streak of the season expire at 15.

Cook is creeping up the Miami charts with 213 at-bats, putting him tenth on the list. The single-season record for at-bats is 259 set last season by Brady Nori.

GALLOWAY'S ASSAULT ON THE RECORD BOOKS: In his first season with the RedHawks junior Mike Galloway has not disappointed anyone but Miami opponents. After batting .636 (14-22) last week in five games Galloway is well on his way to breaking several of Miami's single-season records.

His .437 batting clip is the highest average that any player has recorded, and if he keeps it above Chris Sexton's single-season mark of .429 he will hold that record. His 87 hits are third, and with four games remaining the mark of 96 is well within reach. He also has the third-best mark with 63 runs and the third with 61 ribbies. With 14 home runs he has the fifth highest total in a single season, while Michael Carlin is tied for fourth with 15 dingers.

PILING UP THE "W's": Miami hurlers Russ Bayer and Chris Leonard are each setting career records from the hill. Bayer's complete-game victory on Saturday at Akron gave him seven this season and 28 for his career. He has sole possession of second on Miami's all-time win list with 28, and is two away from Ben Burnau's (1985-88) record of 30.

With three years under his belt and battling through injuries this season is Leonard, but with two victories he brings his career win total to 20. Twenty wins ties Leonard with two others on the all-time win list.

WAVING THEIR WAY TO THE TOP: Russ Bayer and Chris Leonard, already climbing the career win list, also are making noise by sending opposing batters back to the dugout. Bayer's 211 career strikeouts put him eighth all-time at Miami while Leonard knocked Scott Sauerbeck, now with the Pittsburgh Pirates, from the top ten with 198 career strikeouts.

ROUGH ROAD AHEAD: Not only do the RedHawks have to deal with a tough Kent State team this weekend to qualify for the MAC tournament, but they also have deal with the absence of their ace, Chris Leonard. After tossing five solid innings at Akron in Friday Leonard left the contest complaining of soreness in his left forearm. Miami plans to rest their southpaw this weekend in preparation for their next week's conference tournament.

GALLOWAY HAS HIS SIGHTS SET HIGHER: Already with several RedHawk single-season marks within his grasp, Mike Galloway his scaling the MAC's single-season list with 87 hits. His 87 knocks puts him in a tie for 11th on the conference's season hit list.

Galloway's career numbers, two seasons with Central Michigan and one with Miami, are fairly impressive as well. His 232 career hits place him 16th all-time in the MAC, while his 170 ribbies are 11th overall. With 380 total bases and counting Galloway is tied for 13th all-time with Miami's D.J. Eckhart (1996-99).

SMOOTH AS SCHMIDT: Junior second baseman Zach Schmidt (Cincinnati, Ohio/McNicholas) is enjoying his best season with Miami in 2002. Through 52 games Schmidt is batting a career high .309 (47-152) from the dish. He already has equaled his career high for RBI with 25, and also is tied for the team lead with three triples.

But it's not Schmidt's bat that keeps him in the lineup day-in and day-out, instead it's his glove. He has been the RedHawks most consistent infielder this season committing only seven errors in 251 chances. His .972 fielding percentage is the best among Miami's everyday infielders, and also is a career best for Schmidt. Schmidt leads Miami with 142 assists.

SPLINTERS AND OTHER TIDBITS FROM THE DIAMOND:

* Junior Mike Galloway is 10-for-12 in his last 15 plate appearances with nine ribbies. He has reached base twice on base on balls and once after being hit by a pitch.

* The RedHawks' pitching staff has given up 31 fewer home runs than last season, despite having a higher earned run average. Opponents have hit 52 dingers in 2002 compared to last year's mark of 83.

* Sophomore Ryan Edginton has five assists this season from right field, the highest total since Clark Mace's four in 2000.

* Both juniors Mike Galloway and Chris Leonard have made it to the second ballot for the voting of the 2002 NCBWA All-America Team.