BY MICHAEL PERRY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
It's funny. Every year, in the days leading up to Xavier-Cincinnati baseball games, the coaches from both schools hear from some students and staff members for the first time, wishing them luck.
"People around here take beating Xavier very seriously," UC coach Brian Cleary said Tuesday.
Said XU's John Morrey: "Any time you play your crosstown rival, it's important. The kids get excited about it."
The Bearcats play a doubleheader at Xavier's Hayden Field at 2 p.m. today. Tickets are $4 adults, $2 children.
Truth be told, Xavier's focus is probably more on the weekend ahead. The Musketeers (23-20), defending Atlantic 10 West Division champs, are 7-5 in league play, behind George Washington (10-2) and Virginia Tech (8-4). GW plays host to XU for three games Saturday and Sunday, and the Musketeers finish league play with winless La Salle (May 2-3).
Only the top two teams from each division get invited to the A-10 tournament.
A problem for Xavier is that the Hokies and Colonials were rained out early this season and won't make up the games. That leaves XU at a disadvantage, probably needing to win at least five of six to have a chance at the postseason tourney.
"This weekend the pressure should be on other people and it's solely on us," Morrey said. "Hopefully we'll overcome it. It'll be a shame if we don't. This is the best team we've had. If we got in the tournament, we're good enough to win it."
UC (10-27), with more than a dozen local players on the roster, has been rebuilding under second-year coach Cleary.
The young Bearcats have won three of their last four games.
They look at Xavier as a good measuring stick. The Musketeers are 55-46 over the past two seasons; UC is 22-73.
"The easiest way to see progress is in wins and losses, but there are a lot of other things that go into it as well," Cleary said. "There are things you can't see unless you're here every day. We're a lot better than we were a year ago. I think we're on the right track."
