TicketsMarch 31, 2007
BETHSEDA, Md.---Behind three hits and five RBI from Neall French, Cincinnati ran to an 11-0 lead and never looked back, pummeling Georgetown, 11-3 on Saturday afternoon at Shirley Povich Field. The win moves the Bearcats' record to 14-12, 2-3 in BIG EAST play.
French had a remarkable game, missing the cycle by just a single in his third three-hit game of the year. On the mound, Cincinnati got seven strong innings from starting pitcher Dan Osterbrock, who improved to 4-1 on the season.
The Bearcats scored in each of the first five innings, including a lead-off home run by Tony Campana. Campana's long ball marked the first time since March 30, 2005 that a Bearcat had led off the game with a homer. UC continued its work in the second as a clutch two-out, two-run single by Josh Harrison pushed the Bearcats in front by a 3-0 count.
In the third, French led the inning off with a deep home run over the scoreboard in left center field. The Bearcats would go on to bat around in both of the next two frames, scoring four and three runs, respectively. With runners on first and second in the fourth, Michael Earley worked Georgetown starter Michael Gaggioli to a full count before yanking the 10th pitch of the at-bat off the left field wall for an RBI double. French then greeted reliever Grady McConnell with his first career triple off the scoreboard in left center, clearing the bases for a 7-0 lead. One out later, Adam Yeager beat out an infield single to plate French for the eighth run of the day.
The Bearcats would continue the onslaught in the fifth with their final three runs of the day. With two outs and runners again on first and second, French again visited the left centerfield gap, this time for a two-run double and a 10-0 Bearcats' lead. French then scored the final marker of the day on an RBI single up the middle by Szarmach.
Meanwhile, Osterbrock was cruising on the hill, yielding just an infield single in the first and three walks through five innings. From the end of the second through the beginning of the fourth, Osterbrock recorded five consecutive strikeouts, before finishing the game with eight K's. The sophomore lefty ran into trouble in the sixth, when Brandon Davis ripped his second home run of the series to deep left with two men aboard.
Campana added three hits and two runs to French's outburst, while Harrison and Yeager each had two hits. Following Osterbrock on the mound, A.J. Upton and Brian Garman each threw scoreless innings.
Davis was the leader for Georgetown (11-16, 1-4 BIG EAST) with his three-run homer. The Hoyas were held to just five hits on the afternoon, with no player getting more than one. Gaggioli (1-3) took the loss, surrendering seven runs and six hits in 3.1 innings of work.
The rubber game of the three-game series is set for Noon tomorrow at Shirley Povich Field. Michael Hill will get the start on the mound for UC, taking on Georgetown's Jimmy Saris.