Head coach Dan Simonds has put Miami University back on the college baseball map, and this time they are there to stay. The Red and White (14-13) own one of the most prolific offenses in the Mid-American Conference, and they will look to break loose against the Central Michigan University Chippewas (13-17) this weekend.

As of late, the 'Hawks have utilized the bat of senior Tommy Nurre. Since earning conference player of the week honors in early April, the Cincinnati product has terrorized opposing pitchers for seven home runs, 29 RBI's and holds a .697 slugging percentage. Nurre constantly lit up the scoreboard early for the 'Hawks last weekend. He blasted a two run shot in the first inning in the first game, had a sacrifice fly in the first of the bridge game and then obliterated a pitch for a solo bomb in the second inning of the final contest.

"Tommy is one of the better hitters on the team, one of the better hitters in the conference," Simonds said. "He really does a great job of making adjustments. Every time he steps to the plate he's got the potential to do damage, to do something special. Recently he's really even stepped up his game a little bit more. He's taking some quality pitches that opposing pitchers are making and executing and taking what they give him. He's driving the ball the other way, the right side of the field, when he's doing that you know that he's seeing the ball well and not trying to do too much. When Tommy doesn't try to do too much and stays within himself he's one of the better ones that have come through this program."

If the 'Hawks want to win this weekend it will certainly help if they score early. Statistics indicate the Red and White have outscored their opponents 32-15 in the first inning this season. They are undefeated at home (3-0), and they are 5-0 when holding their opponent to five or less runs.

"Most important is our pitching," Simonds said. "We need guys to step up. Our starting pitching can continue to get us a little deeper into the game, and those guys in the bullpen need to fill their roles. They come in to pitch a solid inning. Our lefties to get left-handed hitters out and the guys at the end of the game to have shutdown innings."

Simonds will hand the ball to senior southpaw Matt Erwood Friday with hopes of pulling off a victory and gaining a game in the competitive MAC. Erwood will be followed by Tyler Melling for Saturday's bridge game and steady junior arm Reece Asbury will head out for the finale.

The Chippewas are led by a strike out heavy pitching staff. Ace Steve Teno leads the MAC with 45 strikeouts. He teams up with Dan Taylor who is ranked fifth in the conference with 36 punch-outs. Offensively, CMU is lead by Billy Anderson. He is 14-14 in stolen base attempts and fifth in the MAC in hits.

The 'Hawks offense will try to counter with some of the most respected players in the conference. Super sophomore Adam Eaton ranks above Anderson, swiping 15 bags in as many attempts, scoring 34 times and accounting for a .653 slugging percentage, putting him in the top five with Nurre.

Junior righty Brandon Meister acknowledges the team's success but knows they must remain focused.

"Considering that our game got canceled Tuesday we are just going through a couple days of hard practice to get ready for Central and making sure everybody is completely prepared to do exactly what we need to do get some Ws," Meister said. "Everybody is really happy because we've been getting a lot of guys stepping up and producing. But we've also been able to maintain that discipline to come in every day and get the work in that's needed to be successful. The morale is pretty high; everybody knows that we are a good squad. We are getting ready to take it to somebody this weekend."

Games are scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Sunday's finale will start at 1 p.m.