TicketsBearcats Clinch Series With Win Over Charlotte
UC goes for sweep Sunday
Contact: Shawn Sell
5/8/2004
Jack Nelson had three hits, including his sixth homer in Saturday's 11-4 win. |
CHARLOTTE, N.C.---Cincinnati used a 17-hit offensive attack as the Bearcats rolled to their third straight win, an 11-3 decision over Charlotte in Conference USA baseball action. The win secures the Bearcats their first series win since May 16-18, 2002, when UC toppled Saint Louis at Johnny Bench Field.
Every starter in the Bearcat line-up picked up at least one hit as UC came within one hit of its season-high. On the mound, Aaron Moll limited the 49ers to just five hits in his six innings of work to improve to 3-5 on the season. Jack Nelson and Steve Pickerell were the leaders of the assault for the Bearcats with three hits apiece, including Nelson?s sixth home run of the season. Cincinnati improves to 12-34 overall and 5-18 in C-USA with the win, while the 49ers are now 19-26 and 8-15 in league play.
The Bearcats opened the scoring gates early as Nelson doubled home Muscenti in the first inning to give UC an early 1-0 advantage. Cincinnati blew the game open with a five-run fourth inning that ultimately chased Charlotte starting pitcher and losing pitcher Matt Landphair (4-4). UC sent 10 batters to the plate and scored all five runs with two outs, accounting for seven hits in the inning. Drew Saylor and Erik Eitel brought the first run home with back-to-back doubles, with Eitel?s coming after a classic 13-pitch at-bat. Mark Muscenti then reached on an infield single that moved Eitel to third. On the next pitch, Landphair made an pickoff attempt to first, but both runners were in motion executing a perfect double steal, with Eitel swiping home and Muscenti taking second. Pat LeMasters followed with an infield single and then the trio of Nelson, Pickerell and Jon DeLuca registered three straight RBI singles to stake the Bearcats to a 6-0 lead.
Charlotte got one of the runs back in the bottom of the fourth as Cory Lane hit his first homer to right. But the Bearcats responded with five runs over the next two innings to pull to a 10-run advantage. In the fifth, Brian Beltz led off with a triple and one batter later scored on an Eitel sacrifice fly. Charlotte head coach Loren Hibbs argued the call at the plate and was promptly ejected by the home plate umpire. Saylor, who was hit by a pitch just after Beltz?s triple moved to second on a throwing error on the sacrifice fly and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Muscenti brought Saylor home with a second sacrifice fly.
The sixth inning saw the Bearcats put three more on the board, coming against reliever Lee Skaggs. Nelson led the inning off with a homer to right. Saylor brought the last two runs of the day for the Bearcats home with a two-run single that plated DeLuca and Moll.
Moll left after six innings, allowing just one run on five hits, with a walk and two strikeouts. He turned the game over to a pair of Bearcat relievers that the 49ers touched for a total of three runs in the final two innings. In the eighth, Jamie Rusco appeared to have a three-run homer, but Adam Willard, the runner on first held up as Beltz made a leaping attempt for the long ball. Rusco, however, ran past Willard and was called out on the play, but both runners were allowed to score. The 49ers rounded out the day?s scoring when Tommy Bowker hit a home to left off of Mike Foley in the ninth inning.
In addition to Nelson and Pickerell?s three hits each, four other UC players picked up two hits apiece. Saylor had two hits, including a double, while Beltz, Moll and DeLuca each added two apiece.
Charlotte was led at the plate by two hits each by Bowker, Rusco and Michael Roane. Landphair took the loss, getting tagged for six runs and 11 hits in 3.2 innings of work. Skaggs was charged with five runs (four earned) on six hits in 3.1 innings of relief.
The Bearcats will go for their first three-game series sweep since March 8-10, 2002 over Cleveland State. Jim Olds will get the start for the Bearcats, taking on Charlotte?s Zachary Treadway.