TicketsMay 2, 2012
CINCINNATI — The University of Cincinnati baseball team was defeated by Wright State University 10-1 Wednesday evening at Marge Schott Stadium.
Senior designated hitter Cory Hough (Springboro, Ohio/Springboro), freshman third baseman Joey Bielek (Scottsdale, Ariz./Chapparal), senior second baseman Sam Vandenheuvel (Chandler, Ariz./Hamilton/Mesa CC) senior first baseman Nic Spence (Victoria, Australia/St. Josephs/Central Arizona CC) and redshirt freshman Aaron Oesch (Portsmouth, Ohio/Minford) each produced a single as the Bearcats totaled five base hits.
Senior right-hander Brad Mergen (Albany, Minn./Albany/Indian Hills CC) started the ballgame for UC, but was ran after allowing six runs on seven hits in 4 1-3 innings pitched.
Wright State took a 3-0 lead in the second inning when Raiders designated hitter Justin Kopale hit a two-run triple to center field and later scored on first baseman Kody Krizman's fielder's choice groundball.
Trailing by four runs in the bottom of the fourth inning, the Bearcats executed a successful double-steal play that saw Bielek score from third base after junior shortstop J.P. Jackson (Bowling Green, Ky./Bowling Green/Western Kentucky) purposely got caught in a rundown attempting to steal second, which made the score 4-1 WSU.
The Raiders combined for seven runs in the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh innings to pull away from the Bearcats.
Sophomore outfielder Justin Glass (Fort Wayne, Ind./Carroll) saw his nine-game hitting streak come to end after going hitless in three at-bats with a walk.
Hough, junior right-hander Andrew Strenge (Yardley, Pa./Holy Ghost Prep) and junior left-hander Thomas Gentile (Westerville, Ohio/St. Francis DeSales) combined to allow four runs in for 4 2-3 inning of relief.
Cincinnati resumes BIG EAST Conference action Saturday with a doubleheader at University of Connecticut. Game 1 of the series is set for a 1 p.m. first pitch and can be heard live on Real Talk 1160 WQRT-AM or RealTalk1160.com.