Brendan Nearing, LHP, Saline HS, Class of 2015

PBR: Why did you choose Cincinnati?

Nearing: I Chose Cincinnati because the moment I stepped on campus it felt different from anywhere else I had been before. The atmosphere is unreal and I feel like the all the programs are on the rise.

PBR: What other schools were you considering?

Nearing: Toledo and ball State 

PBR:  Coach Neal was a big part of the success at why Indiana went to the College World Series.  How quickly do you think that success can transfer to Bearcat baseball?

Nearing: I feel like you will see a major difference during this coming season. Coach Neal just implemented his first recruiting class and you can really tell that all the guys are buying into his philosophy.

PBR:  Where did the Coach Neal first see you compete and how did your relationship develop with the rest of the coaching staff?

Nearing: Coach Neal first saw me at the Wright State Best of The Midwest Tournament. And he really liked how I threw and invited me down for a visit the next day. And after that I had just been keeping contact with him and the staff decided to go on another visit where I ended up committing on the visit  

PBR: Was the recruiting process what you expected?

Nearing: The recruitment process is like nothing I have ever gone through before. It's a very stressful time but my advice for young kids is to relax and don't rush to make a decision it's going to be rough but it's worth it in the end.

PBR: Who do you play for in the summer and what was your most exciting experience playing summer ball?

Nearing: I play for A. Green under Stan Eldridge. The best part of summer ball was traveling around and getting to bond with the guys and making lifelong friends.

PBR: What were your stats last season?

Nearing: last season I was 7-0 with a 0.45 ERA with 35 IP with 45K and 13 BB

PBR: Who is the toughest hitter you have faced?

Nearing: The toughest hitter I have faced was probably Nick Deeg when he was at Lake Orion. He's barely struck out and could use both sides of the field.