TicketsMarch 12, 2008
CINCINNATI-- For the second time in as many days, Cincinnati took an early lead but let it slip away, falling 9-3 to Bowling Green. Cincinnati allowed an eight-run second inning, including a grand slam by Marty Baird to allow Bowling Green to claim its fourth-straight victory.
Cincinnati's (4-5) speed at the top of the order manufactured the first run of the afternoon. Leadoff batter Tony Campana walked and moved to second via a stolen base. A fielding error put runners on the corners and a ground out allowed Campana to score the first run of the day.
The Falcons (5-6) started the second inning with a walk by Baird and Brian Hangbers being hit by pitch. Chris Gacom's single to center field knotted the score at 1. With Gacom at first and Hangbers at third, Ryan Schlater's ground out moved both runners forward one station and gave the Falcons a 2-1 advantage. Ryan Shay's single scored Gacom to boost the margin to 3-1. Later in the inning Frank Berry, II helped his own cause with a bases-loaded infield single that made it a 4-1 game. Baird, who led off the frame, capped it with a grand slam home run to extend the Falcons' lead to 8-1.
Bearcats starting pitcher Brian Garman came out of the game after one and two-thirds innings of work. The left handed sophomore yielded eight runs on six hits before Justin Schulteiss quieted the Falcons' bats.
Schulteiss struck out two and walked one in two and a thirds innings of relief. Adam Calez, Michael Hill, Brian Sand, and A.J. Upton combined to throw the final five innings of relief for Cincinnati.
In the eighth inning, Campana singled and stole his third base of the afternoon before Kevin Johnson's two-out single made it an 8-2 game. Current BIG EAST Player of the Week Mike Spina knocked a double down the right field line to plate Johnson and narrow the gap to 8-3.
Cincinnati's first four hitters in the order collected five hits, but the remaining five spots in the order collected one hit in the loss. Campana ended the day 2-for-4 and scored a pair of runs. Spina went 2-for-3 and Johnson notched two RBIs, one hit and a run scored.
Serving as the designated hitter and starting pitcher, Berry settled in on the mound to yield one hit to Cincinnati over the next five innings. Berry, who struck out five and walked a UC batter, gave way to relief pitcher Charles Wooten in the seventh inning. Wooten allowed two runs in the eighth inning and Kevin Leady worked a scoreless ninth inning to secure the victory.
At the plate, Berry finished 3-of-5 with two RBIs. Shays was 2-of-4 and scored twice at the top of the BGSU order.
The Falcons padded their lead in the ninth inning when Shay singled, advanced on a sacrifice and stolen third before Berry's two-out single set the final count at 9-3.
Cincinnati returns to Marge Schott Stadium for the first game of a four-game series against Niagara, on Friday. First pitch is set for 4 p.m.
--GoBEARCATS.com--