TicketsSANTA CLARA, Calif. - The University of Cincinnati baseball team fell 8-4 in the series finale against Santa Clara University on Saturday night at Stephen Schott Stadium. The game was the third of the weekend and the second of the day for the Bearcats.
Junior Ian Happ (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mt. Lebanon) recorded three hits and was on base in four of his plate appearances for Cincinnati. The outfielder finished the three-game series against the Broncos with 10 hits and three runs scored.
// Notables
- The Bearcats drop to 1-6 with the loss while Santa Clara improves to 4-3 on the season.
- Freshman Doug Lowe II (Marysville, Ohio/Triad) (0-1) was handed the loss and SCU's Peter Hendron (1-0) earned the victory.
- Happ tallied three hits in the game and has recorded at least two hits in all but one game this season.
- Lowe went a career-high 5.0 innings on the mound for the Bearcats.
- Head coach Ty Neal penciled six freshmen into the starting lineup and has started at least four freshman in each game this season. Freshmen Ryan Noda (Volo, Ill./Grant) and Manny Rodriguez (Brooklyn, N.Y./Calvert Hall) have started all seven games for UC.
// Key Innings
Top of the First
Back-to-back doubles by Happ and Noda led to an early 1-0 lead for the Bearcats three batters in.
Bottom of the First
Santa Clara's Jose Vizcaino, Jr., and Ryan Budnick connected on back-to-back homeruns in the inning to put the Broncos ahead 3-1.
Top of the Fifth
Cincinnati got a run back in the top of the fifth on a wild pitch. Freshman Chris Klenk (Portage, Ind./Portage) was walked, stole second and advanced to third on a groundout by Freshman J.J. Carr (Coto de Caza, Calif./Santa Margarita Catholic). After an intentional walk to Happ, Noda was walked on the wild pitch that scored Klenk.
Bottom of the Fifth
The Broncos extended the lead to 6-2 in the fifth, scoring three runs on four hits.
Bottom of the Sixth
Santa Clara recorded a pair of two-out hits and used a walk and a wild pitch to score two more runs and go ahead of the Bearcats 8-2.
Top of the Ninth
Cincinnati attempted a comeback in the top of the ninth when Carr hit a bases-loaded single that scored both Klenk and Rodriguez, but it was not enough to overcome the deficit.
// Up Next
Cincinnati will travel to Cary, North Carolina to the USA Baseball complex to participate in the USA Baseball-Irish Classic Feb. 27-March 1. The Bearcats will play Iowa at 1 p.m. on Friday, Penn State at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday and Seattle at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday.
// Follow the Bearcats
For all of the latest information on Cincinnati baseball, please visit GoBEARCATS.com. For up to the minute updates, follow Cincinnati baseball (@UCincyBaseball) and Coach Neal (@Ty_Neal_UC) on twitter. You can also find the Bearcats on Facebook.
// Ticket Information
Season tickets for all 23 home matches can be purchased for as little $10. For more information, visit GoBEARCATS.com/tickets or call 1-877-CATS-TIX.
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