TicketsApril 30, 2011
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - The University of Cincinnati baseball team recorded a season-high 19 hits, but it was not enough after dropping Game 1 of a Saturday doubleheader 9-8 to University of Pittsburgh at Charles L. Cost Field at the Petersen Sports Complex.
Senior shortstop Chris Peters (Tippy, City, Ohio/Tipp City) and freshman DH Justin Glass (Fort Wayne, Ind./Carroll) each recorded two RBI and four hits, which set a career high for Peters while tying Glass', to pace the Bearcat offense.
Cincinnati (22-17, 8-8 BIG EAST) fell behind early after Pittsburgh batted around the lineup in the first inning to take a 4-0 lead. The Panthers recorded six hits in the first, highlighted by RBI singles from catcher Kevan Smith, DH Rick Devereaux and 2B Travis Whitmore. Two of Pitt's runs were unearned after a throwing error on Devereaux's base hit extended the inning.
The Bearcats cut the deficit in half in the second inning. Freshman third baseman Matt Williams (Mason, Ohio/Cincinnati Hills Christian) led off the with a single and was driven home on junior catcher Jake Saylor's (Chandler, Ariz./Hamilton) double off the left-center field wall. Saylor, who later scored on Glass' RBI single to left field that made the score 4-2, finished the game 3-for-5.
Pittsburgh extended its lead in the bottom half of the second when Whitmore hit a two-out RBI single that was nearly caught on UC center fielder Jake Proctor's (Cincinnati, Ohio/Oak Hills) dive attempt.
UC scored two runs in the fourth inning that decreased Pitt's lead to 5-4. Junior first baseman Nic Spence (Victoria, Australia/St. Joseph's) reached on a fielder's choice and scored on Peter's double down the left-field line. With two outs in the fourth, senior right fielder Justin Riddell (Lexington, Ky./Lexington Catholic) drove in Peters on a single through the right side of the infield.
The Panthers added a run in the fifth inning when Pitt right fielder Casey Roche hit a leadoff single, advance to second on a passed ball and scored an unearned run on a groundball out, making the score 6-4.
Senior right-handed pitcher Dan Jensen (Centerville, Ohio/Centerville) was relieved by junior lefty Cory Hough (Springboro, Ohio/Springboro) with two outs in the fifth. Jensen's day ended after pitching 4.2 innings, allowing six runs (three earned), with two strikeouts.
In the top of the sixth inning, Cincinnati finally tied the game 6-6 after scoring two runs. Peters and Proctor led off with a double and a single to put runners on second. Proctor then stole second to give UC runners on second and third with no outs. The third batter of the inning, Glass, singled through the left side of the infield to drive in Peters. In the next at-bat, Riddell drove in Proctor on a fielder's choice groundball out to the shortstop.
The Bearcats claimed their first lead of the game in the seventh when Spence led off the inning with a double to left-center field and was driven home on a two-out triple to right field by Peters, putting UC ahead 7-6.
With runners on first and third and one out in the eighth, second baseman Sam Vandenheuval (Chandler, Ariz./Hamilton) laid down a perfect bunt on a suicide-squeeze play that allowed Glass to score and extended UC's lead to 8-6.
Pittsburgh reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the eighth with runners on first and second with one out when Smith belted a three-run home run over the left-field scoreboard to put the Panthers up 9-8. Prior to the Smith home run, Hough, who was credited with the loss, pitched 2.2 scoreless innings.
Cincinnati and Pittsburgh will play Game 2 of a doubleheader at approximately 3:30 p.m. ET. Sophomore RHP Andrew Strenge will take the mound for the Bearcats.
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