TicketsMay 17, 2012
CINCINNATI — Seniors Braden Kline (Warsaw, Ind./Warsaw Community) and T.J. Jones (Cincinnati, Ohio/La Salle) each tied their single-game career-high RBI totals to help the University of Cincinnati baseball team slug its way past Georgetown University 11-6 Thursday evening at Marge Schott Stadium.
Kline hit 3 for 5 with five RBIs and Jones went 2 for 5 with three runs driven in as the UC offense tallied season highs in runs scored, hits (11), RBIs (10) and total bases (23) during BIG EAST Conference play.
In addition to Kline and Jones, sophomore outfielder Justin Glass (Fort Wayne, Ind./Carroll) and freshman third baseman Joey Bielek (Scottsdale, Ariz./Chapparal) also produced three hits apiece, with Glass scoring three times. Sophomore center fielder Matt Williams (Mason, Ohio/Cincinnati Hills Christian) rounded out the Bearcats' five multi-hit performance with a 2-for-5 night.
Cincinnati exploded for five runs in the seventh inning to take its third lead of the game at 9-4. Junior shortstop J.P. Jackson (Bowling Green, Ky./Bowling Green/Western Kentucky) led off with a single before senior first baseman Nic Spence (Victoria, Australia/St. Josephs/Central Arizona CC) was hit by a pitch. A fly out from Bielek allowed Jackson to tag and advance to third, putting runners on the corners. Facing a 3-1 count, Jones singled through the right side, driving in his third run of the game when Jackson scored. Glass loaded the bases with a single before Kline crushed a 2-2 pitch over the left-field wall for a grand-slam, his third home run of the season.
The Bearcats added two insurance runs in the eighth when Glass and Kline produced back-to-back two-out RBI hits to give UC an 11-4 advantage.
Georgetown threatened in the ninth, but managed just two runs before the 27th Hoya was called out.
Junior left-handed pitcher Thomas Gentile (Westerville, Ohio/St. Francis DeSales) earned his second win of the season after allowing three runs on five hits with three strikeouts in three innings of relief.
Junior right-hander Zach Isler (Union, Ky./Covington Catholic) started the ballgame for UC and went six innings, allowing three runs on three hits with four walks and four strikeouts.
GU tied the game 4-4 when three Hoyas produced consecutive two-out hits, capped by shortstop Mike Garza RBI single to left-center.
Cincinnati produced the first run of the ballgame in the bottom of the second to go up 1-0. With one out, Williams singled up the middle and then stole second base. Senior catcher Jake Saylor (Chandler, Ariz./Hamilton/Paradise Valley CC) walked before sophomore second baseman Ryan Quinn (Sparta, N.J./Sparta) flew out to right field, which permitted Williams to tag and advance to third. With runners now on the corners, UC executed a double-steal play that saw Georgetown catcher Kevin Johnson sail a throw to center field, allowing Williams to cross home plate.
Georgetown mounted a 3-1 lead in the top of the fourth when Johnson clubbed a three-run home run to left field.
UC climbed back to tie the score at 3-3 with two runs in the bottom of the fifth. Jackson walked with one out. Two batters later, Bielek doubled to right field. Jones singled through the left side of the infield to drive in Jackson and Bielek before getting caught trying to stretch his base hit into a double.
The Bearcats regained the lead at 4-3 in the sixth when Saylor hit a two-out RBI single through the right side of the infield that plated Glass, who led off the frame with a double.
The Bearcats and Hoyas will play Game 2 of their three-game BIG EAST Conference series 6:30 p.m. Friday at Marge Schott Stadium, which will be video streamed live at GoBEARCATS.com.