RedHawk Baseball Travels to Dayton to Meet the Flyers
3/1/2000 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Miami plays its second game in as many days as the RedHawks travel to area-rival Dayton to take on the Flyers at 2 p.m.
This is the 117th meeting between the two schools, dating back to 1921, with Miami leading the series 84-31-1 (.724). However, Dayton won last year's only meeting with a 9-5 triumph in Oxford on March 23.
While the RedHawks are playing their second game of the year, the Flyers already have three games under their belt. Dayton opened the season last weekend facing its' first of five MAC opponents this season, Bowling Green. With head coach Tony Vittorio making his coaching debut at Dayton, the Flyers responded in front of the home crowd and pulled off a three-game series sweep of the Falcons (7-6, 10-7, 8-4). Junior catcher Brooks Vogel connected on three homers over the weekend, while junior outfielder Mark Schulte went 7-for-10 in the lead-off position. Seniors Nick Hahnenberg and John Scott, and junior Brian Lyons picked up the three victories.
Miami vs. IUPU-Fort Wayne recap (Feb. 29):
Miami started its' 2000 campaign on the right foot picking up a 9-2 decision over visiting Indiana University-Purdue University at Fort Wayne Tuesday at Stanley G. McKie field. This was the Hawks fifth season-opening victory in the past six years.
Juniors Clark Mace (London, Ohio/Madison Plains), Jeremy Ison (Hudson, Ohio/Hudson) and John Lackaff (Downers Grove, Ill./North), and freshman Andi Scheidt (Cincinnati, Ohio/LaSalle) all registered two hits on the afternoon.
Mace doubled in the sixth inning and came back with a towering shot over the right-center field fence in the eighth inning. For the day, Mace collected two runs and one RBI, while getting two free passes. Lackaff doubled, singled and scored two runs for the Red and White.
Ison went 2-for-4, including a double, two runs and an RBI, and Scheidt went a perfect 2-for-2 and knocked in two runs. Senior Joe Spain (Warren, Ohio/Howland) belted a home run, hit two sacrifice fly-outs and drove in a team-high three RBIs.
Sophomore Russ Bayer (Naperville, Ill./North) picked up the win for the RedHawks pitching three innings, giving up one run and three hits while striking out four batters.
MIAMI COACH TRACY SMITH
Head coach Tracy Smith is in his fourth season at Miami. Since returning to his alma mater in 1996, Smith has a 94-81 (.537) overall record while leading the RedHawks to the Mid-American Conference championship game the past two seasons. He guided Miami to one of its best records in school history, a 34-27 overall mark in 1999. Smith also coached the RedHawks to 20 conference wins last season, tying the school record for conference wins in a season. The season included an impressive run in the MAC tournament in which the RedHawks knocked off nationally-ranked Ball State before reaching the finals.
Smith was a four-year letterwinner for the Red and White from 1985-1988 and captained his 1988 team to the third highest total wins in Miami history (37). Before returning to Miami, Smith spent time as a player in the Chicago Cubs organization for three seasons. He then turned to coaching and spent seasons as an assistant coach at Miami-Middletown, Miami and Indiana. Smith will more than likely pick up his 100th career win as a RedHawk this year.
LOOKING AHEAD:
Following Miami's one-game stints versus IUPU-Fort Wayne and at Dayton, the Red and White will pack their bags and head south for a three-game series with the University of Arkansas on March 3-5. As of Tuesday, the Razorbacks had a season record of 5-6. This will be the first meeting between the Hawks and Arkansas. Game times are set for 4 p.m. (March 3), 1 p.m. (March 4) and 2 p.m. (March 5).
TERMI-NATE-R:
In 1999, junior hurler Nate Tekavec (Concord, Ohio/Riverside) harassed batters all season on the mound. This season, Tekavec, who was named first-team academic all-MAC last year, is the number one starter for the RedHawks. In 1999, he finished among the MAC leaders in strikeouts with 88. During the 1999 MAC Tournament, he surrendered just five hits and one earned run in Miami's upset victory over an explosive Ball State squad.
Tekavec led the RedHawks in wins (9), appearances (21), innings pitched (101.2) and strikeouts (88). Tekavec, who currently has 18 career victories, is on pace to break Miami's career record for wins (30).
Tekavec is on pace to crack into Miami's Top 10 career pitching list in just his third season of action. Within is reach are games, innings pitched, wins, losses and strikeouts.
NO NEED FOR ASPIRIN:
Nicknamed "Extra Strength", sophomore Russ Bayer (Naperville, Ill./Naperville North) caused many headaches to opposing batters last season as he carried the RedHawks into the 1999 MAC championship game. Bayer picked up the victory versus Kent on May 21, working five innings and striking out five Golden Flashes.
Bayer's eight wins and 11 games started both ranked second on the squad. Against Virginia Tech on March 9, he pitched eight and two-thirds scoreless innings rendering only six hits and two walks while striking out four batters, all of which he accomplished on a fractured foot. This season, Bayer will serve as the RedHawks' number-two starter and the only left-handed started for the Red and White.
In Miami's first game of the 2000 season, Bayer picked up the win going three innings, giving up only one run and three hits while striking out four batters.
LEADER BY EXAMPLE:
Following a memorable season, junior Clark Mace (London, Ohio/Madison Plains) will try once again to lead the RedHawks back to the top of the MAC. Named to the all-MAC second team and MAC all-tournament team as a centerfielder, Mace established two Miami single-season records for hits (83) and at-bats (224) in 1999. He also turned in the second-highest Miami single-season runs total with 52 and is on pace to overtake the Miami career hits record.
"He is the total package," said head coach Tracy Smith. "He is our catalyst and he keeps getting better every year. He leads by example." In last season's MAC tournament, he hit .533 (8-for-15) and scored a team-high six runs leading Miami to the championship game for the second straight year.
Coming into the 2000 campaign, Mace is on pace to break into the Top 10 in several categories on Miami's all-time list. His .362 career batting average ranks him fourth overall. He also is within range of career at-bats, RBIs, total bases, hits, runs, doubles and stolen bases.
In Miami's season-opening win over IUPU-Fort Wayne, Mace registered two hits, including a home run, double, two runs and one RBI.
MAKING THE YOST' OF IT:
Junior Tom Yost (London, Ohio/Jonathan Alder) returns for his third campaign as a RedHawk with high expectations put on him after being named to the all-MAC second team in 1999. Starting 35 of the final 42 games at DH, Yost hit an astounding .440 and registered a 21-game hitting streak during that span. He finished the season batting .406, tying him for second in the MAC. Yost also became one of only seven Miami players, with more than 125 at-bats, to hit over .400.
"We hope that Tom will be able to put the same numbers this year as he did last year," said head coach Tracy Smith.
Yost also earned a spot on the GTE Academic All-America University Division baseball team and the academic all-MAC first team finishing last season with an impressive 3.66 GPA, including a 3.93 during the season.
ISON ON TOP:
Junior Jeremy Ison (Hudson, Ohio/Hudson) will once again be the RedHawks workhorse shortstop. Starting 60 of 61 games in 1999, Ison was named to the all-MAC tournament team after he went 5-for-11, with a team-high seven RBIs and four runs over five games. In Game Four, he accounted for a RBI-single and RBI-double in Miami's 12-2 victory over Bowling Green.
In the Hawks pivotal final regular-season series sweep against Akron, Ison smacked two HRs, two doubles and accounted for 12 RBIs. Over the last nine games of 1999, he averaged 2.1 RBIs per game and went 12-for-27.
Ison went 2-for-4 in the Miami's opening game of the 2000 campaign versus IUPU-Fort Wayne, tallying a double, two runs and an RBI.
LAY OFF lACKAFF:
Miami's infield is centered around junior third baseman John Lackaff (Downers Grove, Ill./North). Another academic all-MAC selection for the RedHawks, Lackaff was hit-by-a-pitch a team-high 13 times in 1999. He also posted impressive offensive numbers as he was fourth on the team in doubles (11) and stolen bases (6), and he finished among the team leaders in at-bats, RBIs and hits while starting 60 of 61 games. "I truly believe he is as good as anyone in the Midwest because he has a ton of ability and is very consistent on offense," said Smith.
Lackaff double, singled and scored two runs in Miami's 2000 opening day win over the Mastadon's of IUPU-Fort Wayne.
BARNES' STORMER:
Miami's senior right-fielder Bobby Barnes (Sarasota, Fla./Sarasota) is coming off a stellar junior campaign as the RedHawks' lead-off hitter. Barnes, who competed his first two collegiate years at the University of South Florida, ended the 1999 season batting .379 as a starter and .323 overall. He had a 17-game hitting-streak in the middle of the season and finished the year with four HRs, 25 RBIs and 39 runs scored.
BILLY THE KID:
Sophomore pitcher Billy Kieninger (Xenia, Ohio/Xenia) is back in the RedHawks' lineup with more to prove this year. After compiling 3-2 record in 1999, Kieninger is being looked at as the fourth starter in Miami's rotation. Showing flashes of dominance all last season, he capped off the year by leading the RedHawks into the MAC Championship game with a 12-2 win over Bowling Green in Game Four of the tournament. He scattered 10 hits over seven innings in getting the win. Kieninger finished the year fourth on the team in innings pitched (52.1).
UP FOR THE CHALLENGE:
Helping Miami ready itself for the stiff competition in the Mid-American Conference, head coach Tracy Smith has scheduled a tough non-conference slate of games that features opponents from many conferences such as the SEC, Big East, Big Ten and Atlantic 10. The RedHawks' opponents also include teams that are either ranked or receiving votes in national polls.
Kentucky (March 7 in Lexington, KY) is ranked #21 in both the USA Today Baseball Weekly/ESPN Coaches' Top 25 Poll and the Collegiate Baseball Rankings. Florida Atlantic (March 15, Boca Raton, FL) is ranked #25 in the Collegiate Baseball Rankings and received 41 points in the USA Today Baseball Weekly/ESPN Coaches' Top 25 Poll. Rutgers (March 16 in Boca Raton, FL) also received five votes in the USA Today Baseball Weekly/ESPN Coaches Top 25 Poll.
THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME:
Last season, the RedHawks enjoyed the atmosphere of Stanley G. McKie Field and hated the thoughts of playing on the road. The Red and White posted an impressive 22-6 record at home, while dropping 21-of-33 away games, including neutral-site games (6-4). This season, the RedHawks host 26 games while traveling for 31 games.
JOHN HANCOCK PLEASE:
The RedHawks first recruiting class of the 21st century is very small in numbers (3), but in terms of talent, Miami's class ranks with the best in the MAC. The three recruits include: Justin Farina, a 6'5- left-handed pitcher/first baseman from Ontario, Canada; Jason Knoedler, a 6'1-, outfielder from Springfield, Ill.; and Jason's twin-brother Justin Knoedler, a 6'1-catcher, who is also from Springfield, Ill. Farina was one of only 24 players selected to compete at the World Youth Baseball Championships in Edmonton, Alberta in August. Jason, who is in his second year at Lincoln Land Community College, will bring tremendous speed to Miami as he was clocked at 6.6 in the 60-yard dash. Justin, voted the Central State 8 Player of the Year his senior year of high school, hit 15 HRs and knocked in 61 RBIs his first season at LLCC.
AND THE WINNER IS...:
Miami's baseball team was tabbed to finish first in the Mid-American Conference East Division announced Feb. 10 by the MAC office. Voting was conducted by the MAC coaches.
Despite receiving fewer first-place votes, the RedHawks edged out Bowling Green, who won last year's MAC Championship, by one point, 63-62. Miami returns seven starters and five pitchers from last year's team that tied a school record with 20 conference wins.
SMITH RE-TOOLS COACHING STAFF:
Head coach Tracy Smith has a whole new coaching staff this year with the departure last year's assistants Don Carson, Tom Kinkelaar and John Sullivan. Dan Simonds, Ty Neal and Dave Hyatt are the assistants for the 2000 squad.
Simonds, a former professional baseball player in the Baltimore Orioles and Chicago Cubs organizations, brings extensive playing and coaching experience to the RedHawks. He was an eighth-round draft pick in 1987 by the Orioles and was acquired by the Cubs as a free agent three years later. Simonds spent the past four years in the San Diego Padres organization, managing the Class A Fort Wayne Wizards and Clinton Lumber Kings.
Neal continues his involvement with Miami entering his first season as an assistant coach. A four-year letterwinner for the RedHawks (1996-99), Neal led Miami with eight complete games in 1999 and tallied a 5-6 record. He has a career record of 19-14 and his 231 career innings pitched ranks 10th on Miami's all-time list.
Hyatt joins the RedHawk staff as a volunteer assistant coach. Following his coaching stint at Western Carolina University and Lincoln Memorial University, Hyatt became the head coach at Talawanda High School in Oxford and guided the Braves to the Mid-Miami League championship. He was also named the MML Coach of the Year for his efforts.
A GAME OF STREAKS:
Last season, Miami was full of ups and down on its' roller coaster ride to the MAC Championship game. The RedHawks put together some very impressive winning streaks, while suffering some disappointing losing efforts.
After opening the 1999 season 0-3, Miami won four of their next five games, including two wins over Rollins College. At the beginning of April, the Hawks saw their streak bottom out as they lost six of seven games in a nine-day stretch. However, by the end of April, Miami got back on track and won 12-of-14 games. After dropping six straight games from May 8-May 13, the RedHawks reeled off a four-game sweep of Akron heading into the MAC tournament. Even though Miami could not overcome Bowling Green in the finals, it still heads into the 2000 campaign winning seven of its' last nine games.
SO CLOSE, YET SO FAR AWAY:
Last year's loss in the MAC Championship game marked the second time in as many years that the RedHawks fell victim to the Bowling Green Falcons in the season's last game. In 1998, Miami dropped two games on the last day of the season to the Falcons and fell short of reaching the NCAA Tournament losing 7-6. Last year, after defeating Bowling Green in Game Four of the tournament, the Hawks came up one run short again, falling in eight innings 5-4.
Miami Probable Starters (1-0, 0-0)No. Name Pos. Yr. B/T Hometown/High School25 Joe Spain 1B Sr. L/L Warren, OH/Howland9 Jeremy Ison SS Jr. R/R Hudson, OH/Hudson20 John Lackaff 2B Jr. R/R Downers Grove, IL/North2 Brady Nori DH Jr. R/R Middletown, OH/Middletown24 Clark Mace CF Jr. L/L London, OH/Madison Plains35 Tom Yost LF Jr. L/R London, OH/Jonathan Alder28 Luke Reinhart C Jr. R/R Downers Grove, IL/Montini Catholic12 Andi Scheidt 3B Fr. R/R Cincinnati, OH/LaSalle17 David Cook RF Fr. R/R Columbus, OH/St. Francis De SalesTop Reserves4 Bobby Barnes RF Sr. R/R Sarasota, FL/Sarasota3 Zach Schmidt 2B Fr. R/R Cincinnati, OH/McNicholas11 George Stegmiller C So. R/R Upper Arlington, OH/Upper Arlington8 Dustin Treftz 3B So. R/R Cincinnati, OH/Mariemont5 Scott Walti OF Jr. R/R Libertyville, IL/North Central1 Michael Carlin IF Fr. R/R Pittsburgh, PA/Mt. Lebanon10 Korey Kirkpatrick OF Fr. L/R Aurora, IN/South DearbornPitching Rotation33 Nate Tekavec P Jr. R/R Concord, OH/Riverside23 Russ Bayer P So. L/L Naperville, IL/Naperville North29 Matt Allen P Jr. S/R Carmel, CA/Carmel27 Billy Kieninger P So. R/R Xenia, OH/XeniaIn the Bullpen18 Tim Wagner P Sr. R/R Sylvania, OH/St. Francis De Sales14 Rusty Ventresca P Jr. L/L Westerville, OH/Westerville North19 Shawn Landis P So. R/R Pleasant Hill, OH/Newton30 Adam Keel P Fr. R/R Fairfield, OH/Fairfield26 Judd Richardson P Fr. L/R Caledon, Ontario/Country Day22 Chris Leonard P/IF Fr. L/L Columbus, OH/St. Francis De Sales
