TicketsMarch 4, 2006
CINCINNATI, Ohio---Niagara's Mike Radanovic spun a five-hit shutout, leading the Purple Eagles to a 1-0 win over Cincinnati in non-conference college baseball action on Saturday afternoon at the UC Baseball Stadium.
Radanovic needed nearly 140 pitches to complete the shutout that saw the senior strikeout eight and walk three. Cincinnati hurlers Kyle Rapp and Sean Munninghoff combined for a two-hitter in the hard luck defeat for the Bearcats. Niagara stands at 3-5 with the win, while UC's record is evened at 6-6.
Niagara got all the offense it would need in the fifth inning, making its first of two hits on the afternoon pay off. Rapp hit Andrew MacNevin to start the inning and he was quickly bunted over to second, before moving to third on a ground ball out. Matt Schaefer came up big for the Eagles, ripping an 0-1 Rapp pitch down the left field line for the game-winning RBI double.
The Bearcats, who would leave eight runners on base in the game, had only two serious scoring threats against Radanovic. Jack Nelson led off the second with a single and went to third when Mark Muscenti ripped a double to right field. Radanovic would retire the next two Bearcat hitters, but then hit Nick Maragas to load the bases. Niagara's lefty then got Adam Yeager to fly out to center to end the threat.
UC also put together a threat in the ninth as Nelson again led off with a single. This time, Muscenti bunted him to second, but DeLuca was retired on a fly ball for the second out. Cory Hodskins kept the inning alive with a walk, but pinch-hitter Adam Calez became Radanovic's eighth strikeout victim of the afternoon, sealing the win for Niagara and improving his record to 2-0 on the year. "I am disappointed that our offense couldn't find a way to score some runs," UC head coach Brian Cleary stated. "I am also dissapointed for Kyle (Rapp) who gave us a second straight really strong performance also to come up short."
Rapp was the tough luck loser for UC, as he allowed just one hit and one walk in seven innings, while striking out three. After his second straight 1-0 loss, Rapp is 1-3 on the year.
Muscenti and Nelson combined for four of Cincinnati's five hits with the former adding his fourth double of the year.
The rubber game of the three-game set is scheduled for Sunday at 1 p.m. Freshman Steve Blevins will make the start for Cincinnati, taking on Niagara sophomore Mark Wilson.