TicketsMay 20, 2006
CINCINNATI, Ohio---Cincinnati erased a 5-1 deficit, then escaped a ninth inning St. John's comeback attempt as the Bearcats earned a hard fought 7-5 over the Red Storm on Friday night at the UC Baseball Stadium. The win clinches the final BIG EAST series of the year for the Bearcats, giving them four series wins in the program's first year in the league.
The Bearcats pushed three runs across in the bottom of the seventh, capped by Jack Nelson's game-winning sacrifice fly. UC's versatile senior then took the hill for the final inning and two-thirds to nail down his fourth save. It wasn't easy in the ninth, as St. John's loaded the bases with one out, only to see Josh Harrison and Adam Yeager combine for an extraordinary 4-6-3 double play. The play was one of two great one's by the UC freshman who also robbed Gil Zayas with an incredible diving stop in the fifth inning.
The win was another important one for the Bearcats (32-23, 13-13 BIG EAST) who have clinched no lower than the No. 7 seed for next week's BIG EAST Tournament. With a win on Saturday and a Rutgers loss to Connecticut, the Bearcats would be seeded sixth for the championship. St. John's falls to 36-17 overall and 15-10 in the BIG EAST with the defeat. The Red Storm needs a win on Saturday to stay in the running for the tournament's number three seed.
"Our guys showed up very focused and ready to play and I am extremely proud of their effort," UC head coach Brian Cleary stated. "I think we have pitched pretty well over the last two days and really strung together some good performances today. I am most pleased with the way we hung in and found a way to win."
Nelson and Logan Parker led the Bearcat offense with two hits and two RBI apiece. Parker notched a pair of doubles in the contest, while also scoring once. Harrison also drove in a pair for UC. Matt Heber was the winning pitcher out of the Bearcat bullpen, turning in 1.2 shutout innings of relief.
St. John's got a big game from Anthony Smith, who went 3 for 5 with three RBI, including a home run. Sam DeLuca chipped in a pair of hits for the Red Storm. Reliever Justin Gutsie (1-1) was hit with the loss, after allowing three runs in 1.1 innings.
Cincinnati struck first against St. John's starter Rob Delaney, getting a first inning run courtesy of a Nelson RBI single. Parker scored on the play, after ripping a two-out double to left. The visitors matched the run in the second as a Chris Anninos sacrifice fly plated Chris Joachim.
Thing took a turn for the worse for UC in the fifth, as St. John's hit Nick Buscemi for four runs. Will Vogl drew a one out walk, stole second and went to third when Nick Maragas' throw went into center field. Buscemi bounced back to fan Gino Matias, but then yielded a run-scoring single to DeLuca. After hitting Joachim with a pitch, Buscemi watched Smith hit his seventh home run of the year to put St. John's up 5-1.
Cincinnati hopped on the comeback trail in the bottom of the inning as the Bearcats put runners on second and third with just one out. Harrison hit a screamer that Zayas was able to glove, forcing the runners to hold. The runners didn't have to stay one batter later, as Parker clubbed a two-run double to deep right center to cut the Red Storm advantage to 5-3.
The Bearcats went ahead to stay in the seventh, doing so against Gutsie and Rich Armento, two of the top arms out of the St. John's bullpen. Adam Calez and Adam Yeager started the inning off with consecutive singles and both crossed home plate when Harrison pulled a double just inside the left field line. Parker was then walked intentionally and Gutsie was lifted in favor of Armento. UC pulled off a perfect double steal, setting up Nelson for the game-winning sacrifice fly.
UC added an insurance run in the eighth when Maragas ran home courtesy of a Calez fielder's choice that happened due to an Armento throwing error.
In the ninth, Jeff Grantham reached on a one out single and went to third when DeLuca doubled into the right field corner. UC then took a chance, intentionally walking Joachim to load the bases for the hot hitting Smith. But the move worked, as Nelson took advantage of the lefty-lefty match-up to induce the game-ending double play.
The two teams will wrap up the 2006 regular season tomorrow on Senior Day at the UC Baseball Stadium. Senior Bryan Wood will make the start on the hill for Cincinnati, taking on St. John's freshman lefty Scott Barnes. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.