TicketsApril 7, 2006
SOUTH ORANGE, N.J.---Steve Blevins worked 6.2 strong innings and Nick Maragas drove in three runs, leading Cincinnati to a 5-1 BIG EAST victory at Seton Hall on Friday afternoon. The victory is the Bearcats' fifth straight and improves UC's record to 18-10 overall and 4-3 in league play.
Blevins turned in an outstanding performance, allowing just four hits and striking out five during his stint on the mound. The freshman was charged with the lone Pirate run of the day, but it scored with Blevins no longer in the game. He improves to 5-3 this season with the win. With the defeat, Seton Hall falls to 8-19, 2-8 BIG EAST.
At the plate, it was Maragas leading the way as his bases clearing, three-run double in the second inning put Cincinnati ahead to stay. UC was limited to just five hits on the afternoon, with no player recording more than one.
Seton Hall's starter and the reigning BIG EAST Pitcher of the Week Dan Merklinger enjoyed a strong start, but falls to 3-5 with the defeat. The Pirates' sophomore lefty struck out 10 in six-plus innings, but allowed all five runs on four hits, while walking six.
In the second inning, Jon DeLuca, Adam Yeager and Brian Szarmach strung together three straight singles against Merklinger to load the bases with no one out. Maragas then lined a double into right center field that rolled all the way to the wall, allowing all three Bearcats to score.
Cincinnati pushed across its last two runs in the seventh, chasing Merklinger after Maragas and LaFringe Hayes drew back-to-back lead-off walks. Luis Fernandez then took the mound and recorded a pair of outs. Jack Nelson followed by bouncing a single up the middle that SHU shortstop Robbie Hine fielded, but bobbled. Maragas scored on the single, while Hayes scampered home as Hine was charged with an error.
Seton Hall finally broke through in the seventh, spelling the end of the day for Blevins. With one out, Greg Miller singled and Chris Affinito followed with a walk. Blevins then got a fly ball out, but was replaced on the mound by A.J. Upton. Dan Lopez then dropped a single into right against the UC reliever, allowing Miller to come home with the only Pirate run of the day. From there, Upton retired seven of the last eight hitters of the game to preserve the win for Cincinnati.
The Bearcats will look to stretch their winning streak to six when they meet the Pirates at 1 p.m. on Saturday. Nick Buscemi will start for the Bearcats, while Corey Young is the scheduled starter for Seton Hall.