RedHawks Take Their Talents to South Carolina

After a long off-season restricted to indoor practicing due to the frigid Oxford weather, Miami’s baseball team finally gets a chance to play outside this weekend as they take part in the annual College of Charleston Invitational in South Carolina.

In a telephone interview Thursday afternoon, head Coach Dan Simonds said the team left Oxford Friday afternoon, drove 9 hours, and finished the trip Thursday morning.  Although they capitalized on the warm southwest Ohio weather this week by practicing outside on Miami’s turf football field at Yager Stadium, an early departure allowed the team to practice outdoors on an actual diamond for the first time all year. 

RedHawk ballplayers spent much of the offseason in the weight room, with a rigorous three-day a week lifting schedule, but has recently turned to a six-day a week practice routine with hitting, fielding, and throwing on a daily basis and have since cut down their lifting to two days a week. During the early parts of the season when the weather is too snowy or icy to go outdoors, the team will continue to practice out of Withrow Court. 

The team was excited to get outside for the first time and are even more thrilled to step across that white line for a real game.  “It’s almost like letting out a bunch of kids for the first time to play,” noted Red-Shirt Junior outfielder, Bryce Redeker.  “I know it’s not the best for us to never be able to go outside and see fly balls or get real groundballs, but when we get outside it’s go-time.”

Last year’s team finished the year a disappointing one game below the .500 mark, with a 28-29 record, but nearly the entire roster has since returned.  Everyone except Miami’s best player from 2010, Adam Eaton, who left the team last May after his junior year when the Arizona Diamondbacks drafted him. 

Eaton tore up the competition in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) last spring, boasting an astounding .368 batting average accompanied by team-highs in at bats (220), runs (64), hits (81), doubles (18), triples (9), and homers (13).  Those 9 triples represented the most of any MAC player and the 7^th most of all the NCAA players in the nation.  Both the current team and the former RedHawk star feel weird that a new Miami baseball season is beginning without Eaton on the roster.  “I would love to have another season at Miami but at the same time I’m leaving for Spring Training in Arizona on March 7^th and that’s something I won’t ever regret,” said Eaton via telephone. 

Life goes on and the RedHawks aren’t looking in the rearview mirror even for a second.  “Guys have been filling in and they’ll be able to step it up where we’re missing him,” said senior second baseman, Jon Edgington, who was chosen based on team vote to serve as one of the four captains for the RedHawks this season.  The other three are seniors Adam Weisenburger, Sam Dawes and Kyle Weldon. 

Weekend Lineup

Play kicks off for the RedHawks on Friday afternoon against Marshall, followed by a Saturday encounter with the host Cougars, and a Sunday matchup against Kentucky.   Sophomore RHP Mac Thoreson will be on the bump Friday for the RedHawks, with Red-Shirt Junior LHP Shawn Marquardt going Saturday and Senior LHP Tyler Melling starting on Sunday.  All three will be kept on a strict pitch count of 80-85 pitches and freshmen lefties Seth Varner and Alex Brown will both be available out of the bullpen in addition to the regular set of relievers. 

2010 Stats                                    ERA            W-L            APP            IP

Mac Thoreson                              5.08              5-6               16              72.2           

Shawn Marquardt                        Missed 2010 with Tommy John Surgery

Tyler Melling                               5.90               4-7               15             90.0           

Friday’s probable starters:

1.     Ryan Brenner – CF

2.     Jon Edgington – 2B

3.     Bryce Redeker – LF

4.     Kyle Weldon – 1B

5.     Adam Weisenburger – C

6.     Kevin Bower – DH

7.     Ryan Kaup – SS

8.     Brad Gschwind – 3B

9.     Ryan Curl – RF

Miami will benefit greatly from the return of outfielder Bryce Redeker who missed nearly all of last season due to a wrist injury.  Shawn Marquardt’s RedHawk debut should also prove interesting for the RedHawks on Saturday. 

Miami seems excited to get things going after spending a long off-season practicing indoors and are poised for a good weekend of baseball against some tough competition.  “We focus on the process and take care of the little things,” said Coach Simonds.  “Focus on the process and the results will take care of themselves.”