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By Rick Cassano, Staff Writer 11:38 PM Monday, April 13, 2009

CINCINNATI — Dan Simonds is watching the pieces come together for his Miami University baseball team.

The RedHawks clearly still have work to do, but they’ve won their last three Mid-American Conference series after opening the MAC with a trio of losses at Toledo.

“We’re feeling pretty good,” Simonds said. “We’re playing a lot better in conference. We’ve got to tighten a few things up pitching wise, but I think we’re starting to figure some things out. Some guys are starting to step up their game a little bit, and our overall play has been more consistent.”

MU is 16-14 overall and 7-5 in the MAC, good for fourth place in the East Division behind Kent State (9-2), Ohio (9-3) and Bowling Green (7-4).

The RedHawks have won eight of their last 12 games, going 7-2 in conference series against Eastern, Western and Central Michigan.

Miami will play in the Joe Nuxhall Classic at Cincinnati’s Marge Schott Stadium today, April 14, and Wednesday, opening against Wright State.

MU lost to the Raiders 6-3 in Fairborn on March 17, and while Simonds said he’d love to beat WSU and win the Nuxhall Classic, midweek games are primarily experimental tune-ups for MAC play.

“We’re in a situation where we’re not going to get an at-large bid (to the NCAA tournament),” Simonds said. “It might be a little different for UC in the Big East, but certainly in the Atlantic 10, Horizon and our conference, you’ve got to win your conference tournament.”

Four RedHawks have separated themselves from the rest of the squad in terms of batting average — Chris Nadeau (.387), Tommy Nurre (.366), Jordan Petraitis (.359) and Adam Eaton (.354).

Zak Hatfield has banged 10 home runs and plated 37 runs to pace MU in each category.

Miami’s top two starting pitchers are Matt Erwood (4-2, 2.66 ERA) and Tyler Melling (4-0, 3.02).

Dan Simonds

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