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RENO, Nev.- The University of Cincinnati baseball team held a 7-1 lead heading into the eighth inning, but the University of Nevada scored five runs in both the eighth and ninth innings to walk off with an 11-10 victory in Reno, Nev.
Sophomore R.J. Thompson (Mason, Ohio/Mason) hit his first-career homerun and triple in the game and finished with career bests in hits (three), RBIs (three) and runs scored (three). Freshman Kyle Mottice (Canal Fulton, Ohio/Jackson) and junior Woody Wallace (Lewis Center, Ohio/Olentangy) also had three hits on the day for the Bearcats.
//NOTABLES
- With the loss, Cincinnati falls to 6-13 while the 29th ranked Nevada improves to 18-4.
- Freshman reliever Jarod Yoakam (Marysville, Ohio/Marysville) (1-3) was handed the loss for Cincinnati while Nevada's Sam Held (4-0) earned the victory in the late-game heroics.
- Head coach Ty Neal penciled five freshmen into the starting lineup and has started at least four youngsters in each game this season. Freshmen Ryan Noda (Volo, Ill./Grant) and Manny Rodriguez Rodriguez (Brooklyn, N.Y./Calvert Hall) have started all 17 games for UC.
- Thompson launched his first-career homerun in the fourth inning to extend the UC lead to 4-1. He added his first-career triple in the ninth inning to bring in two more runs.
- Thompson finished the game with new career highs in hits (three), RBIs (three) and runs scored (three).
- Sophomore starting pitcher Andrew Zellner (Farmersville, Ohio/Farmersville) recorded his first-career hit when he singled through the right side in the second inning to move a runner from first to third.
- Mottice had a career day with three hits and two RBIs.
- After his RBI-single in the seventh inning, junior Ian Happ (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mt. Lebanon) has now recorded a hit in nine straight games and has reached safely in 17 straight.
- Wallace had three hits and has knocked 12 hits in the last five games.
- Cincinnati set a new season high with 13 hits.
- Nevada is ranked No. 29 in the Collegiate Baseball national poll and is receiving votes in both the NCBWA and the USA Today Coaches' Poll.
// KEY INNINGS
Top of the Second
Back-to-back singles by Thompson and Zellner and a walk to Wallace loaded the bases with no outs for Cincinnati. Rodriguez stepped to bat and blooped a double into left field to score both Thompson and Zellner for the game's first runs. The next batter, Mottice, hit a sacrifice fly to center field to bring home Wallace and put the Bearcats ahead 3-0.
Top of the Seventh
The Bearcats tacked on two additional runs in the top of the seventh inning. Mottice legged out an infield single and Noda reached on a Nevada error to put two runners on base. Happ then singled to left field to score Mottice before a fielder's choice by Wenzel scored Noda to increase the Bearcats' lead to 6-1.
Bottom of the Eighth
The Wolf Pack offense jumped all over Atkinson in the eighth, scoring five runs off five hits. A bases-loaded double down the right field line by Trenton Brooks scored two runs to get Nevada within a run at 7-6. Redshirt sophomore Colton Cleary (Nicholasville, Ky./Lexington Catholic) entered the game with two outs and got a groundout to first base on his first pitch to end the damage.
Top of the Ninth
Holding onto a one-run lead, Cincinnati fought back with three runs in the top of the ninth to re-extend the lead back to four runs at 10-6. Thompson highlighted the inning with a 2-RBI triple that scored Happ and Wenzel. Two batters later, a single by Wallace scored Thompson for the 10-6 margin.
Bottom of the Ninth
A Nevada single and a ball lost in the lights that went for a double put two runners on. Two batters later, a bases-loaded single by Kyle Hunt scored two runs and closed the UC margin to 10-8. A sacrifice fly by Ryan Howell brought the score to 10-9 and the next batter, Brooks, doubled down the right field line to score two and give the Wolf Pack the win.
//UP NEXT
Game three of the four-game series between Cincinnati and Nevada will take place on Friday, March 20, in Reno Nevada. The game is scheduled for a 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT first pitch and freshman Dalton Lehnen (Lakeville, Minn./Lakeville) will get the start for the Bearcats.
//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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