(Courtesy Indiana University)
UC announced that they have hired Ty Neal as their new baseball coach. He is replacing Brian Cleary who was fired after 17 years as the Bearcats’ head coach. Neal hails from Indiana University, who paced the Big Ten conference this past season posting an impressive 46 – 14 record. It earned them the #1 seed in the conference tournament and the #21 national ranking. The Hoosers ultimately won the tournament with half of the All-Tournament Team players coming from Indiana.
Neal serves as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for the Hoosers. Without knowing anything else about him, learning that he can recruit is enough to make me pleased with this hire. With UC restoring the baseball team’s scholarships to their maximum allotment the Bearcats could use an infusion of talent. It appears Neal is the right guy to accomplish that goal. Furthermore he seems to have a specialty with the pitching staff. This season Indiana’s pitchers have a collective ERA of 2.56. No wonder they won so many games. As the old adage goes, pitching wins championships, and Whit Babcock seems to be going this route in an attempt to bring titles to Cincinnati.