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EMERSON, Ga.- The University of Cincinnati baseball team scored a run in both the seventh and eighth innings to tie the game, but could not hold off a surging Iowa offense in a 6-2 loss at the Perfect Game Lake Point South complex in Emerson, Georgia.
Facing a 2-0 hole, the Bearcats clawed their way back with a run off a UI error and a run on a passed ball to tie the game. Iowa responded, however, scoring four runs in the bottom of the eighth to regain a 6-2 lead.
//Notables
- The Bearcats drop to 1-7 with the loss while Iowa improves to 5-1 on the season.
- Senior Ryan Atksinson (Cincinnati, Ohio/Colerain) (0-2) was handed the loss and Iowa's Tyler Radtke (1-0) earned the victory.
- Junior Ian Happ (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mt. Lebanon) stole second base in the top of the seventh inning for his 46th-career stolen base, moving him into the top-10 for career stolen bases at Cincinnati. He is just one away from a tie for eighth on the career list. Current MLB player Tony Campana (2007-08) leads UC with 104 career stolen bases.
- Head coach Ty Neal penciled five freshmen into the starting lineup and has started at least four freshmen in each game this season. Freshmen Ryan Noda (Volo, Ill./Grant) and Manny Rodriguez (Brooklyn, N.Y./Calvert Hall) have started all eight games for UC.
- Atkinson tied a season-high with three strikeouts on the night.
- Happ was walked three times in the game, including two of the intentional variety. He is the first UC player to be walked three times in a game since Noda received three free passes in the season-opener against Miami (Ohio) on Feb. 13.
- The game lasted three hours and 44 minutes, the longest game of the season for the Bearcats.
// Key Innings
Bottom of the Fourth
Iowa's Dan Potempa led off the inning with a solo homerun to left field to give the Hawkeyes a 1-0 lead. It was the first homerun allowed by Zellner this season.
Bottom of the Sixth
The Hawkeyes doubled their lead when a leadoff walk was followed with an RBI-double by Potempa.
Top of the Seventh
The Bearcats used a two-out rally to get a run back in the top of the seventh. Happ struck out for what would have been the third out but reached first safely on a passed ball. He stole second before a walk issued to Noda put two on. Sophomore Connor McVey (Mason, Ohio/Mason) then reached on an error that scored Happ to get the Bearcats within 2-1.
Top of the Eighth
After consecutive walks to junior Devin Wenzel (Blandon, Pa./Fleetwood Area) and freshman Treg Haberkorn (Leo, Ind./Leo), a fielder's choice by junior Woody Wallace (Lewis Center, Ohio/Olentangy) and another walk to Rodriguez, Iowa pitcher Tyler Radtke threw a wild pitch to score Haberkorn from third and even the game at 2-2.
Bottom of the Eighth
Iowa loaded the bases with a walk, a single, a fielder's choice and a hit batsman. With one out, pinch hitter Sean Moore roped a bases-clearing double into the right field corner to put the Hawkeyes ahead 5-2. After a ground out moved Moore to third, he came home to score on a passed ball, increasing the lead to 6-2.
//Up Next
Cincinnati and Iowa will continue their series with game No. 2 on Saturday, Feb. 28, at 11 a.m. The game was originally scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. but is being played earlier to take advantage of the sunlight.
//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/ticketsor call 1-877-CATS-TIX.
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