TicketsApril 1, 2009
CINCINNATI - After falling behind 5-0 early, the University of Cincinnati baseball battled back within one run, 5-4, but a late flurry of runs gave the Indiana Hoosiers a 16-4 win over Cincinnati Wednesday evening at Marge Schott Stadium. The loss drops the Bearcats to 13-12 on the year, while the Hoosiers improve to 10-15.
Indiana wasted no time scoring five runs in the top of the first inning on five hits, but the Bearcats slowly battled back. Sophomore Chris Peters (Tipp City, Ohio/Tipp City) collected a one-out single in the Bearcat first to get the inning started and moved from first to third on a single through the right side by junior Lance Durham (Forest Park, Ohio/Roger Bacon). A RBI ground out by senior Mike Spina (Newberry, Fla./Newberry) put the Bearcats on the board and cut the deficit to 5-1.
After two fly outs started the UC second inning, the Bearcats were granted an extra out after junior Jimmy Jacquot (Swansea, Ill./Belleville East) reached base on an error by the shortstop. Freshman Kendal Coleman (Hillsboro, Ohio/Hillsboro) kept the inning alive with an infield single that placed runners on first and second with two outs, before Peters delivered a clutch two-out double down the left field line that scored Jacquot and Coleman, making the score 5-3.
UC continued its comeback in the third inning as sophomore Justin Riddell (Lexington, Ky./Lexington Catholic) led off the frame with a walk. During the next at-bat, Riddell scored on a double down the left field line by freshman T.J. Jones (Cincinnati, Ohio/LaSalle), closing the gap to 5-4.
The Hoosiers tacked a run on to their lead in the fourth courtesy of a Tyler Rogers solo home run, pushing the IU lead to two runs, 6-4.
Following two scoreless innings, Indiana pushed across three runs in the seventh, four runs in the eighth, and three runs in the ninth to take a commanding 16-4 advantage, which proved to be the final score.
Peters led UC going 2-for-5 from the plate with two RBI.
Cincinnati returns to BIG EAST action this weekend when the Bearcats play their conference home opening series against Louisville. The series kicks off on Friday, April 3, at 6:30 p.m. The series finale between the Bearcats and Cardinals on Sunday, April 5, will be televised on ESPNU.