TicketsApril 25, 2010
NOTRE DAME, Ind. - The University of Cincinnati baseball team overcame a four-run deficit by scoring two runs in the ninth inning to knot the score at four, but a solo home run down the left field line by David Mills in the bottom of the ninth inning gave the University of Notre Dame a 5-4 walk-off win in the BIG EAST Conference series finale between the two schools Sunday afternoon at Frank Eck Stadium.
The home run off the bat of Mills looked to be a routine fly ball, but the wind carried the ball over the left field fence, which improved Notre Dame's record to 17-22 overall and 7-8 in conference play. Cincinnati dropped back to .500 at 19-19 overall and 5-10 in league action.
Junior Justin Riddell led the team with three hits and finished the three-game series against the Irish hitting .750 (8-of-12).
Before the suspension of Game 2 of Saturday's doubleheader, Notre Dame used a RBI single by Mills in the first inning and RBI singles by Greg Sherry and Frank DeSico in the second inning to take a 3-0 lead through two innings.
Cincinnati had a runner in scoring position in three of the first five innings, but was unable to cross the plate and when inclement weather approached the Notre Dame, Ind., area on Saturday, the game was suspended with the Irish leading 3-0 heading to the bottom of the fifth inning.
When play resumed on Sunday afternoon, the Irish were the first to bat in the bottom of the fifth and Notre Dame quickly added a run to its lead. Brayden Ashdown led the inning off with a walk and then moved to second base on a sacrifice bunt. After advancing to third base on a ground out, Ashdown scored on a wild pitch, upping the ND advantage to 4-0.
In UC's first opportunity at the plate on Sunday in the top of the sixth inning, the Bearcats loaded the bases on a walk to sophomore Kendal Coleman and infield singles by senior Jimmy Jacquot and junior Justin Riddell. With the bases loaded and one out, junior Chris Peters singled through the right side to score UC's first run of the game, while keeping the bases loaded. During the next at-bat, senior Beach Brooks got the job done with a sacrifice fly to left field that scored Jacquot and cut the UC deficit in half, 4-2.
In the ninth inning, the Bearcats took advantage of a dropped fly ball to start the inning, which placed Peters on second base. After a fly out, sophomore Braden Kline walked to put the tying run on first base. Another error by the Notre Dame center fielder allowed Peters to score and moved senior Brian Garman, who pinch-ran for Kline, to third base. Following a strike out, a wild pitch allowed Garman to score and tied the game at four.
However, in the first at-bat of the ninth inning, Mills delivered the walk-off home run giving the Irish the 5-4 win.
The Bearcats return to the field on Tuesday, April 27, when they travel down the road to Xavier University for a 3 p.m. start.