TicketsApril 3, 2007
DAYTON, Ohio---Josh Harrison had three hits, including a home run and Kyle Rapp delivered a key pinch-hit, leading Cincinnati to a 5-2 win over in-state rival Dayton on Tuesday at Time Warner Cable Stadium. The win improves the Bearcats' record to 15-13 heading into a weekend visit from Notre Dame.
Harrison had another big day at the plate, hitting his team-best eighth home run and adding three runs scored. With UC clutching a slim 3-2 lead in the eighth, Rapp laced a two-run bases loaded double to left to give the Bearcats some final breathing room.
Rapp's late hit helped protect an outstanding job by the Bearcats' bullpen. Three relievers combined to throw 5.1 shutout innings, while allowing the Flyers just one hit during the span. A key strikeout by Evan Sanford helped give him his first-ever win, while Jake Geglein hurled two scoreless frame for his first career save.
Cincinnati went right to work in the first against Dayton starter and losing pitcher Sean Finn (1-2). With one out, Harrison poked a single to right, stole second and scored when Michael Earley ripped a single up the middle. The Flyers matched the Bearcats' run and added a second in their half of the first against UC starter John Baird. With no one out and a man on second, Scott Dunwoody stroked a double to left and eventually scored on a Jeff Mercer sacrifice fly.
After going scoreless in the second, UC tied the game when Harrison lifted his blast to left with one out in the third.
Dayton threatened to go back in front in the fourth as Baird yielded a walk to pinch-hitter Shawn Gizynski to load the bases with two outs. With Michael Massa, Dayton's fourth leading hitter due to bat, UC skipper Brian Cleary summoned Sanford to the mound and the sophomore delivered, striking Massa out on four pitched to squelch the Flyers' last serious threat.
Cameron Satterwhite then put the visitors in front for good just after Sanford's big K, as he led the fifth inning off with his fourth home run of the season.
With the score still at a tight 3-2 count, a one out walk to Neall French in the eighth loaded the bases. Alex Dye bounced back to strike out Adam Yeager and was set to face Brian Szarmach. At that point, Cleary elected to go to Rapp and the senior come up big, yanking a 0-1 Dye offering into right to score Tony Campana and Harrison.
From there, Geglein worked a perfect eighth and then benefited from a Bearcat double play in the ninth to seal the victory.
Campana, Earley and Satterwhite each added a pair of hits for UC who finished with 12 hits and has reached double figure hits in five straight games. The performance was especially important for Satterwhite who had gone hitless in his last 10 at-bats entering the day.
Bobby Getty led the Dayton (10-16) offense with two hits, including a double, while Myles Swartzel added a pair of knocks. Finn took the loss after allowing three runs on seven hits in six innings with eight strikeouts.
UC is back in action later this week, hosting Notre Dame in a three-game set. The series gets underway on Thursday night with first pitch at 6:30 p.m.