TicketsMarch 16, 2007
CINCINNATI, Ohio---Cincinnati got seven strong innings from reigning BIG EAST Pitcher of the Week Steve Blevins and mustered enough offense to run its win streak to four with a 4-3 win over Chicago State on a frigid afternoon at Marge Schott Stadium. The triumph pushes the Bearcats' 2007 record to 9-7.
Blevins (3-3) who hadn't allowed an earned run in his previous 18 innings, allowed the Cougars two, but still won his third straight start. Billy Welsh worked the final two frames for his BIG EAST leading third save.
The Bearcats couldn't take advantage of nine walks issued by Chicago State (0-16) pitching as the hosts finished with 12 men left on base. The offense did generate eight hits, including three by Tony Campana. The junior also stole four bases, giving him 24 for the year and a share of fifth place on the UC single season list.
It wouldn't take the Bearcats long to put their first marker on the board as UC took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second. Brian Szarmach led the inning off with a scorching single back up the middle and went to second on a wild pitch. Cameron Satterwhite then hit a high fly to right that caused a collision between Luke Grow and Jonathon Wilson and resulted in a double. Szarmach took third on the play and scored on a Michael Earley sacrifice fly.
UC extended its lead to 3-0 in the third, first getting an RBI double off the bat of Kyle Rapp. Rapp would then come in to score when Adam Yeager beat out an infield hit with two outs.
Chicago State finally broke through against Blevins in the sixth, taking advantage of a wild pitch that set up Wilson for an RBI single. He would eventually score on a run-scoring knock by Alex Hall.
Earley gave the Bearcats some much needed breathing room as he hit a two-out, solo home run in the seventh. The extra run proved important as a groundout by Sean Murphy in the top of the eighth scored Grow and made it 4-3.
For the Cougars, Grow and Hall collected two hits apiece. Losing pitcher Robert Vargas (0-5) hung tough, allowing just three runs and five hits in 5.1 innings, but walking seven.
Blevins' final line showed two runs yielded and six hits. The sophomore did not walk a batter and struck out three.
The two teams will get back together for game two of the series at 4 p.m. tomorrow. UC invites all fans to come out and celebrate St. Patrick's Day with the Bearcats as special holiday plans are in the works. The pitching match-up should feature Cincinnati lefty Dan Osterbrock taking on Chicago State right-hander Mike Weida.