TicketsBearcats Rally Late To Score 5-4 Win
Saylor's drives in game-winning runs with double
Contact: Shawn Sell
4/13/2003
Freshman Drew Saylor hit the game-winning double in Sunday's 5-4 win over Louisville. |
AMELIA, Ohio---Freshman Drew Saylor?s two-run double in the bottom of the eighth inning proved to be the winning runs as the Cincinnati Bearcats snapped a three-game losing streak with a 5-4 win over Louisville on Sunday afternoon at Midland Field. The Bearcats improve to 10-23 on the season, with a 4-11 Conference USA mark, while the Cardinals fall to 21-12, 8-7.
The Bearcats led for much of the game after taking a 3-0 lead in the third inning, but the Cardinals slowly inched their way back into the game, getting a RBI sacrifice fly by Dave Williams, Jr. in the fifth and a Mark Jurich homer in the sixth to get within a run.
Louisville pulled to a 4-3 lead with a pair of runs in the eighth that knocked Cincinnati starter Nate Bouldin out of the game. Boomer Whiting bunted Williams, Jr. to second after a lead-off single and Williams advanced another base on a groundout. Josh Bolen lined a single up the middle that tied the game and Jurich followed with a walk. Ron Braun ripped a single up the middle that scored Bolen and Jurich went to third on a fielding error by Justin Niefer. That brought freshman Nick Buscemi on in Bouldin?s place and he induced a fly out by Morgan Bojorquez that ended the frame.
The Bearcats retook the lead in the bottom of the inning, when Saylor came up big with two out. With one out, Brad Schutz walked and Aaron Moll singled him to second. After Mark Muscenti struck out, Saylor ripped a Mike Eilers offering off the wall in right center to score both runners and put Cincinnati up 5-4.
?I was really pleased with the effort of our players today,? said Bearcat head coach Brian Cleary. ?We lost a difficult game on Friday late and yesterday was tough for us too. It?s been tough on our guys to lose as many close games as we have and that makes it difficult to hang in and give a good effort. But today we got the clutch hitting that we have been missing and got the win.?
Buscemi retired the side in the ninth to pick up the first win of his collegiate career and even his season record at 1-1. Eilers took the loss for UofL giving up two runs and three hits in 3.1 innings of work.
Cincinnati started the scoring off in the fourth plating three runs off Cardinal starter Chase Cruse. Dorrmann lined the first pitch of the inning over the left field wall for his third home run of the year to begin the stanza. After a Schutz walk and a Moll single, both runners stole with Mark Muscenti at the plate. Muscenti took advantage of the opportunity, driving a single just inside the third base line to score both runners.
Bouldin was solid on the mound for Cincinnati, allowing four runs and nine hits, while walking one in 7.2 innings on the hill. He also matched a career-high with six strikeouts. Moll paced the Cincinnati offense with three hits to extend his hitting streak to a season-best seven games. Muscenti added a pair of knocks and has now hit in eight consecutive contests. Jon DeLuca went 0 for 4 at the rack and had his career-best nine-game hit streak come to an end.
The Bearcats begin a busy week that will see them play five games in six days, with a Tuesday visit to Miami (O.) for a 3 p.m. contest. On Wednesday, Cincinnati travels to Purdue before opening a three-game series at South Florida on Friday night.