TicketsMarch 30, 2012
CINCINNATI - Freshman left-hander Zach Morris (Edgewater, Md./DeMatha Catholic) pitched a career-high eight scoreless innings to lead the University of Cincinnati baseball team to a 2-0 win over University of Pittsburgh Friday evening at Marge Schott Stadium.
Morris had the best outing of the season for any Cincinnati (10-14, 1-3 BIG EAST) pitcher as the 6-foot-6 southpaw did not allow a runner to reach third base in the ballgame and scattered eight hits while striking out three with just one walk.
The Bearcats offense was led by centerfielder Jake Proctor (Cincinnati, Ohio/Oak Hills), who hit 3 for 4 with one RBI, and freshman third baseman Joey Bielek (Scottsdale, Ariz./Chapparal), who also went 3 for 4. Senior designated hitter T.J. Jones (Cincinnati, Ohio/La Salle) went 2 for 3, while senior catcher Jake Saylor (Chandler, Ariz./Hamilton/Paradise Valley CC) added an RBI.
The Bearcats scored the first run of the game in the bottom of the fourth inning. Sophomore right fielder Justin Glass (Fort Wayne, Ind./Carroll) led off with a walk and advanced to second on Bielek's single. After Jones executed a sacrifice bunt to advance runners to second and third, Saylor hit a groundball out to the right side of the infield that allowed Glass to score from third base and put UC ahead 1-0.
UC produced an insurance run that extended its lead to 2-0 in the bottom of the seventh inning. Senior left fielder Braden Kline (Warsaw, Ind./Warsaw Community) led off with a single up the middle and advanced to second two batters later on sophomore second baseman Ryan Quinn's (Sparta, N.J./Sparta) sacrifice bunt. The ensuing batter Proctor hit a two-out double down the left-field line to drive in Kline for the second Bearcats run of the game.
UC bullpen ace, junior right-hander Zach Isler (Union, Ky./Covington Catholic) relieved Morris in the ninth inning and closed the door on the Panthers with two strikeouts and a soft grounder to third base for Isler's fourth save of the season.
Cincinnati and Pittsburgh will play Game 2 of the three-game BIG EAST series at 4 p.m. Saturday. The ballgame can be heard live on Real Talk 1160 WQRT-AM, where Steve Jarnicki and Ben Hunterman will call the action.