TicketsApril 28, 2012
CINCINNATI — The University of Cincinnati baseball team was defeated by Rutgers University 13-1 Saturday afternoon at Marge Schott Stadium.
Rutgers (25-17, 10-7 BIG EAST) scored in each of the first six innings as the Scarlet Knights recorded 17 hits off Cincinnati pitching.
Cincinnati (13-31, 2-15 BIG EAST) managed just six hits off RU starting pitcher, lefty Rob Smorol, who allowed just one run while striking out five in seven innings pitched.
Sophomore outfielder Justin Glass (Fort Wayne, Ind./Carroll) recorded his team-leading 21st multi-hit game of the season after batting 2 for 4 with a double, which extended his hitting streak to eight ballgames.
UC freshman left-hander Zach Morris (Edgewater, Md./DeMatha Catholic) allowed seven runs (six earned) on seven hits with no walks and four strikeouts in five innings pitched.
Cincinnati's lone run occurred in the bottom of the second inning. Junior shortstop J.P. Jackson (Bowling Green, Ky./Bowling Green/Western Kentucky) doubled down the left-field line with one out. Senior outfielder T.J. Jones (Cincinnati, Ohio/La Salle) singled to right field to put runners on the corners. Senior catcher Braden Kline (Warsaw, Ind./Warsaw Community) singled to center field to drive in Jackson. The Bearcats had bases loaded with just one out after senior second baseman Sam Vandenheuvel (Chandler, Ariz./Hamilton/Mesa CC) walked; however, senior first baseman Nic Spence (Victoria, Australia/St. Josephs/Central Arizona CC) fouled out to third base and redshirt freshman outfielder Ethan McAlpine (Cincinnati, Ohio/Moeller) flied out to end inning.
Freshman right-hander Grant Walker (Brookeville, Ohio/Northmont) gave the Bearcats pitching staff a spark by tossing 3 2-3 scoreless frames with four strikeouts.
Scarlet Knights designated hitter Charlie Law hit the first of three Rutgers home runs with a two-run bomb in the third inning that made the score 4-1.
Rutgers catcher Jeff Melillo and third baseman Patrick Kivlehan led off the fifth inning with back-to-back homer to go up 7-1.
The Scarlet Knights ran away with the game after scoring six times on five hits in the sixth inning.
The Bearcats will try to salvage a win in the series finale, which is set to begin 1 p.m. Sunday. Redshirt sophomore right-hander Christian McElroy (Middletown, Ohio/Monroe/Sinclair CC) will get the start for Cincinnati.