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EMERSON, Ga.- The University of Cincinnati baseball team battled for 13 innings before finally falling to Iowa 5-0 on Sunday afternoon at the Perfect Game Lakepoint South complex in Emerson, Georgia.
Freshman starting pitcher Doug Lowe II (Marysville, Ohio/Triad) pitched a gem, going a career-best 7.0 innings with two strikeouts, two walks and two hits, but the Bearcats could not support him offensively. Out of the bullpen, freshmen J.T. Perez (Orrville, Ohio/Orrville), Jarod Yoakam (Marysville, Ohio/Marysville) and A.J. Olasz (West Mifflin, Pa./West Mifflin Area) also pitched effectively for Cincinnati, holding the Hawkeyes scoreless until a 13th-inning rally put Iowa on the board.
//Notables
- The Bearcats drop to 1-9 with the loss while Iowa improves to 7-1 on the season.
- Freshman reliever A.J. Olasz (West Mifflin, Pa./West Mifflin Area) (0-2) was handed the loss and Iowa's Tyler Radtke (2-0) earned the victory.
- Today's game was the first extra-inning game for Cincinnati this season. It was the longest game since going 15 innings against Chicago State on March 10, 2012.
- Head coach Ty Neal penciled nine 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 10 games for UC. Cincinnati is the only team in the country to have started seven or more freshmen in a game this season.
- Lowe II pitched a career-high 7.0 innings with a career-best two strikeouts while only allowing two hits and two walks.
- Perez went a career-high 1.2 innings and tied a career best with two strikeouts.
- Olasz went a career-high 4.1 innings on the mound and recorded a career-high four strikeouts with no walks.
- Cincinnati batters struck out 12 and have struck out at least 10 times in eight of the nine games this season.
- Cincinnati pitchers threw a season-high eight strikeouts and issued a season-low two walks in the game.
- Freshman first baseman Ryan Noda (Volo, Ill./Grant) recorded 15 putouts in the game, the most for UC since Jake Richmond tallied 15 against Akron on March 15, 2014.
- Freshman second baseman Kyle Mottice had eight assists, the most for a UC player since Forrest Perron (Strongsville, Ohio/Strongsville) had eight against Houston on April 28, 2014.
// Key Innings
Bottom of the First
Noda and freshman third baseman J.J. Carr (Coto de Caza, Calif./Santa Magarita Catholic) notched back-to-back two-out singles, but the Bearcats could not capitalize.
Top of the Third
Lowe worked out of a jam with runners on first and second by picking off the lead runner at second base and inducing a fly out.
Top of the Seventh
Lowe recorded his fifth 1-2-3 inning with a double play and a strikeout to finish his stellar outing on the mound.
Bottom of the Ninth
Junior Ian Happ (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mt. Lebanon) was walked to lead off the inning and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Freshman Treg Haberkorn (Leo, Ind./Leo) was intentionally walked to put two runners on before a flyout ended the threat for the Bearcats.
Bottom of the 11th
Noda singled through the right side and advanced to second on a groundout from Carr. Haberkorn was again intentionally walked and sophomore Connor McVey (Mason, Ohio/Mason) was hit by a pitch to load the bases. With the winning run 90 feet away, freshman Kyle Mottice (Canal Fulton, Ohio/Jackson) flied out to left field to send the game into the 12th inning.
Top of the 13th
With two outs, Iowa's Joel Booker homered to left field to give the Hawkeyes the lead on the first run of the game. Three additional hits and a pair of hit batsmen led to four more Iowa runs and a 5-0 lead for the visitors.
//Up Next
Cincinnati will go back to Marge Schott Stadium to open its home slate on Tuesday, March 3, against crosstown rival Xavier. The first pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. The Bearcats had a 13-9 record at MSS during the 2014 season.
//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.
-GoBEARCATS.com-