TicketsFeb. 18, 2012
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The University of Cincinnati baseball team opened the 2012 season with a 7-4 loss to Indiana University Saturday at Al Lang Field.
Cincinnati (0-1) rallied from a 4-0 deficit in the seventh inning, only to see the Hoosiers (1-1) add three runs in the ninth. UC could not take advantage of multiple scoring opportunities as the Bearcats left eight runners on base.
The Bearcats were led offensively by junior outfielder Jake Proctor (Cincinnati, Ohio/Oak Hills), who batted 2 for 4 with 2 RBI.
Trailing 4-0 in the bottom of the seventh, Cincinnati rallied to get to within one after scoring three two-out runs.
Freshman 3B Joey Bielek (Scottsdale, Ariz./Chapparal) walked and advanced to second base after senior 2B Sam Vandenheuvel (Chandler, Ariz./Hamilton/Mesa CC) reached on an error. Sophomore Matt Williams (Mason, Ohio/Cincinnati Hills Christian) then put UC on the board with an RBI groundout to the second baseman. Proctor then scored Vandenheuvel with an RBI single to right field. The following batter, sophomore DH Justin Glass (Fort Wayne, Ind./Carroll), drove in Proctor with a two-out RBI double to left-center field, making the score 4-3 Indiana.
After a scoreless eighth inning from each team, Indiana produced three runs, with the help of an infield error, a wild pitch and a passed ball from UC, to make the score 7-3.
Cincinnati attempted to make a final rally in the bottom of the ninth, but came up short. Williams walked with two outs and stole second base. Proctor then hit a two-out RBI single to right center to bring UC to within three runs, at 7-4. But Glass flew out to left field in the next at-bat to end the ballgame.
UC RHP Andrew Strenge (Yardley, Pa./Holy Ghost Prep) had a quality start after allowing just three runs and two hits in six innings with three punchouts.
Strenge's lone mistake came in the top of the second inning. After retiring the first two batters, Strenge walked the next two Hoosiers before allowing a home run to IU freshman outfielder Chris Sujka that put Indiana ahead 3-0.
Senior left-hander Brad Mergen (Albany, Minn./Albany/Indian Hills CC) pitched 2.1 innings of relief for the Bearcats, but allowed four runs before freshman RHP Bryan Chenoweth (Lafayette, Ind./McCutcheon) recorded the final two outs in the top of the ninth.
Sophomore RHP Matt Ring (Muncie, Ind./Yorktown) will make his first collegiate start when UC plays Purdue University at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Al Lang Field. Live audio of the game will be streamed on PurdueSports.com.