RedHawks Baseball Hosts Fourth Annual Joe Nuxhall Classic
4/10/2012 12:00:00 AM | Redzone
April 10, 2012
Miami will host the fourth annual Joe Nuxhall Classic on Tuesday, April 10 as local teams Wright State, Cincinnati, and Xavier battle it out on McKie Field at Hayden Park. The first game will take place at 3 p.m. between Wright State and Cincinnati, followed by the matchup between Miami and Xavier at 6:30 p.m. The championship and third-place games will be played the following day, with the RedHawks once again taking the nightcap.
This event was set four years ago to honor the legacy of the famous Reds left-handed pitcher and beloved broadcaster, who died at the age of 79 on November 15, 2007 after a long battle with cancer. Joe Nuxhall was born in Hamilton, Ohio and stayed in the Cincinnati area for much of his life. For this reason, it was decided that Miami University, the University of Cincinnati, and Xavier would always participate in the tournament, with the fourth team being picked each season.
This year, Miami University's chapter of Autism Speaks will be in attendance at the game on Tuesday night between Miami and Xavier. Autism Speaks is a national organization that was founded in February 2005 by grandparents of a child with autism, Bob and Suzanne Wright. Since its foundation, Autism Speaks has grown into the nation's largest autism science and advocacy association.
Autism Speaks U is a new program on Miami's campus designed for college students to help increase awareness, advocacy, and research funding for autism. The month of April marks Autism Awareness Month, so student representatives will be working to raise awareness at the game through informational material and donations to the Autism Speaks organization.
This year's Joe Nuxhall Classic is sure to be exciting, as Miami Baseball looks to win the tournament outright for the first time since its inauguration. The RedHawks are currently 16-15 overall, with an impressive 7-3 record at home. The Xavier Musketeers are currently 13-19 overall, and split their last series against Miami just a few weeks ago at McKie Field.
The Wright State Raiders boast an overall record of 19-10 on the season as they prepare to take on the University of Cincinnati Bearcats (11-19 overall) on Tuesday afternoon. Wright State comes in with a 10-game winning streak since their second game against Butler on March 24.