TicketsMarch 28, 2010
PLYMOUTH MEETING, Pa. - A three-run seventh inning for the University of Cincinnati baseball team broke open a 1-1 tie, helping Cincinnati take the final game of a three-game BIG EAST Conference series against Villanova University, 4-3, Sunday afternoon at Villanova Ballpark at Plymouth.
The win snapped a three-game losing streak for the Bearcats and upped their record to 12-9 overall and 1-2 in the BIG EAST, while the Wildcats fell to 17-4 overall and 2-1 in the conference.
During the first two games of the series, UC struggled to get its lead-off batter on base, but senior Jamel Scott singled to left field to start the game before moving up to second base on a walk to junior Mikel Huston. After a sacrifice bunt moved both Scott and Huston into scoring position, Scott scored on a sacrifice fly to right field off the bat of senior Jimmy Jacquot, placing Cincinnati in front 1-0.
The Wildcats had opportunities to score early and often with runners in scoring position and less than two outs in innings one through four, but senior Brian Garman got out of each of those jams without giving up a run keeping UC on top.
However, Villanova finally struck in the fifth inning as a lead-off triple by Villanova's Justin Bencsko led to a run for the Wildcats, tying the game at one.
In the seventh inning, the Bearcats registered back-to-back singles by Jacquot and sophomore Kendal Coleman to put runners on the corners with no outs. Sophomore Cory Hough came through with a clutch single through the right side to score Jacquot and put UC back on top, 2-1, while keeping runners on first and second with nobody out. Following two strikeouts, sophomore Kiley Jones walked to load the bases, and during the next at bat, a throwing error by the Villanova third baseman on a ground ball from Scott allowed two runs to score, moving UC's lead to three runs, 4-1.
In the ninth, the Wildcats used a two-out, two-RBI single from Tyler Sciacca to cut its deficit to 4-3, but senior Andrew Burkett forced a ground out to capture his fourth save of the season and close out a 4-3 victory for the Bearcats.
Scott, Jacquot, and Coleman all chipped in with two hits apiece, while Jacquot and Hough recorded RBI.
Garman went 5.0 innings in his first start of the season, gave up seven hits and one unearned run but earned the no-decision. In relief, junior Brian Sand picked up his third win of the season after relinquishing just one hit and striking out four in 2.2 innings.
Cincinnati returns home on Tuesday, March 30, when the Bearcats welcome No. 24 Kentucky to Marge Schott Stadium. The game is set to begin at 6:30 p.m.