TicketsMay 15, 2010
CINCINNATI - Trailing for the entire game, the University of Cincinnati baseball brought the tying run to plate in both the seventh and ninth innings but was unable to strike in the late innings as the No. 22 University of Pittsburgh Panthers defeated Cincinnati, 8-5, Saturday afternoon at Marge Schott Stadium.
For the first time this season, the Bearcats lost a game when scoring five or more runs in a game and fell to 25-27 overall and 9-14 in BIG EAST Conference play. Pittsburgh improved to 36-13 overall and 17-5 in league play.
For the second day in a row, the Panthers jumped on the Bearcats in the first inning scoring three runs before UC got its first set of at-bats.
After the first inning, senior Tyler Smith settled down on the mound and gave up just one run in the next three innings while getting some run support from his teammates.
Sophomore Braden Kline plated Cincinnati's first run of the day on a two-out, RBI single to right field that score junior Justin Riddell, who had reached base earlier in the inning on an infield single.
Trailing 4-1 in the fourth inning, the Bearcats had the first two batters reach base and it started when senior Jimmy Jacquot walked on four pitches to start the inning. After Jacquot stole second base, a Riddell single put runners on the corners with nobody out. Jacquot scored on a double play ball that cut the score to 4-2, but UC continued to score with two outs. Kline singled to start the two-out rally and then scored all the way from first on a triple to right-center field from sophomore Kendal Coleman, cutting the Bearcats deficit to one run, 4-3.
Just as Cincinnati closed within one run, Pittsburgh put a four-spot on the board in its half of the fifth to lengthen its advantage to 8-3, its largest lead of the day.
UC continued to claw back as Riddell drilled a ball over the fence in left-center field to lead off the sixth inning, before Jacquot brought in another run on a two-out, RBI single to left field in the seventh shrinking Cincinnati's deficit to three runs, 8-5.
Junior Josh Godfrey gave up just two hits in the final four innings of relief for UC without relinquishing a run to give Cincinnati a chance and the Bearcats brought the tying run to the plate on two occasions, with the last coming in the bottom of the ninth in the form of Jacquot. However, Jacquot flew out to right field giving the Panthers the 8-5 triumph.
Riddell led all players with three hits in the game, while Kline and Peters registered two base knocks apiece.
Cincinnati and Pittsburgh conclude their three-game series on Sunday, May 16, at 1 p.m. at Marge Schott Stadium.