TicketsApril 21, 2006
| Steve Blevins crafted his first complete game on Friday vs. Georgetown. |
On the mound, it was Blevins composing his first career complete game to beat the Hoyas (17-22, 5-8 BIG EAST) and earn a share of the UC record for wins by a freshman hurler (seven). At the plate, it was Yeager with the first three-hit day of his career, spearheading a 13-hit Bearcat attack. The freshman shortstop also connected on the first home run of his short collegiate stint.
Yeager was one of four Bearcats with multiple base hits as Logan Parker, Jack Nelson and Mark Muscenti collected two each. Muscenti drove in a season-high three runs, while Nelson, Yeager and Nick Maragas picked up two apiece.
"Tonight, I thought Steve (Blevins) gave us a tremendous effort, his best of the year," said UC head coach Brian Cleary. "He has really shown a pattern of getting better and I think the best is yet to come for him. I thought we were also good offensively, especially with our execution. Overall, I think this was as good of a game as we have played all year."
Cincinnati wasted little time bursting onto the scoreboard, touching Georgetown starter and Hamilton native Warren Sizemore for a pair of first inning runs. With one out, Josh Harrison was hit by a pitch and went to third on a Parker double. Nelson then made it 2-0 when he dropped a two-run single into left center field.
Georgetown would cut the Bearcat lead in half in the third as Matthew Johnson trotted home on a Derek Degrijs single up the middle.
Clutching a two-run lead, the Bearcats would explode on Sizemore and reliever Kevin Lundquist, recording 11 runs over the next four innings to turn the tight contest into a runaway. The outburst started in the fourth when Maragas legged out an infield single that ultimately turned into a two-run knock for the junior catcher. An inning later, it was Muscenti's turn for a two-run single as his shot into the right center field gap sent Parker and Nelson home for a 6-1 Bearcat lead.
Georgetown would again cut the lead in half in its half of the sixth, as Drew Dargen lifted his second home run of the year, a two-run shot off the top of the wall in left center field.
Not to be outdone, Cincinnati put together a three-run sixth inning, then batted around in scoring four more runs in the seventh. The sixth inning got ugly in the field for the Hoyas, as three errors led to a trio of runs. Muscenti put the exclamation point on the inning with his second run-scoring single of the evening.
In the seventh, the Bearcats sealed the deal as Yeager's bomb to right put UC in front 11-3. With two out, LaFringe Hayes beat out a bunt hit and ultimately scored on a Parker RBI single. Harrison followed Hayes and was hit by a pitch and he later scurried home on a Lundquist wild pitch to end the night's scoring.
The runs were more than enough for Blevins who allowed three runs on six hits in his first complete game. The freshman walked four, but also struck out a career-high six to improve to 7-3 on the year.
Sizemore took the loss for Georgetown, falling to 3-3. The senior was hit for nine runs on nine hits, with four walks and two strikeouts in six innings of action. Degrijs collected two of GU's six hits, while Dargen drove in two of the three runs.
The two teams will square in game two of the series tomorrow as part of the first annual Super Saturday at UC. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. Among the days other activities on campus are the annual spring football game at 1 p.m. and the Southern Ohio Cup track meet which gets underway at 11 a.m. Freshman Dan Osterbrock will start on the hill for the Bearcats, meeting Georgetown senior Stephen Burns.