TicketsThree Run Seventh Pushes Bearcats To 11-7 Win
Dorrmann, Niefer, Nelson homer in win
Contact: Shawn Sell
3/7/2003
Brad Dorrmann's two-run homer Friday at Eastern Kentucky led the Bearcats to an 11-7 win. |
RICHMOND, Ky.---Brad Dorrmann?s two-run homer run in the top of the seventh inning put Cincinnati ahead 6-5 and the Bearcats added five runs an inning later to score an 11-7 win over Eastern Kentucky on Friday at Turkey Hughes Field. The Bearcats improve to 4-8 on the year, while the Colonels fall to 1-2.
Trailing 5-3 entering the sixth frame, the Bearcats got a double from Justin Niefer to start the inning. Brad Schutz followed with a two-bagger down the left field line that plated Niefer and brought Dorrmann to the plate. Dorrmann blasted the first pitch he saw from Nick Adams over the centerfield fence for his first homer of the season.
Cincinnati continued its hot swinging in the seventh, tacking on five more runs. Steve Pickerell started with a double and Mark Muscenti walked. One out later, Schutz reached on a fielder?s choice that forced Pickerell at third. Following a Dorrmann walk, Jon DeLuca stepped to the plate and just missed a grandslam with a double off the left field fence that cleared the bases. Fellow frosh Jack Nelson followed DeLuca to the plate and promptly clubbed a two-run shot to right center that rounded out the UC scoring.
?I think it was important for us to get a win today,? said head coach Brian Cleary. ?I thought the two keys were an incredibly competitive performance by Rob Reel and finally getting some clutch hitting. Rob allowed us to stay in the game until our bats finally got going. We also were able to string together some hits and had guys come through in the clutch. I thought it was good for us to come back after we were down too.?
Nate Bouldin got the start on the mound for Cincinnati, but was pulled in the second inning after surrendering three runs. Reel came out of the Bearcat bullpen and turned in a sparkling performance, allowing just a pair of unearned runs and three hits in 6.1 innings on the hill to earn his first win of the year. Adams (0-1) took the loss for EKU.
The Bearcats got the scoring started early with a pair of tallies in the top of the first inning. For the eighth time this season, Muscenti was hit by a pitch to start the inning. Niefer came to the rack and plastered a Nick Barte offering over the right center field wall for his first roundtripper of the year and a 2-0 Bearcat lead.
Eastern Kentucky refused to stay down though and responded with five of its seven runs over the first three innings of play. Neil Sellers? RBI double in the first brought the first run across and Josh Anderson added a two-run single in the second. An inning later, the Colonels got an RBI groundout from Andy Polzin and a run-scoring fielder?s choice by Brett Bolger.
The Colonels rounded out the day?s scoring on a two-run homer by Chris Clark off Brad Hunt in the ninth.
For the game, the Bearcats totaled a season-high in runs, while pounding out 11 hits, their second highest total of the season. Schutz led the charge with three hits, including a pair of doubles. Niefer and Muscenti each added two hits.
The Bearcats return to action on Sunday traveling to Morehead State for a doubleheader with the Eagles, beginning at 1 p.m. B.J. Borsa and Kyle Markle will be the starting pitchers for Cincinnati.