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RENO, Nev.- Despite a career day on the mound for freshman pitcher Dalton Lehnen (Lakeville, Minn./Lakeville North) the University of Cincinnati baseball team fell 7-4 to No. 29 Nevada on Friday afternoon in Reno, Nevada.
Lehnen went a career-high 7.0 innings while striking out a career-best six batters in the game. He also produced at the pate, lining his second-career hit into right field for a single in the sixth inning.
//NOTABLES
- With the loss, Cincinnati falls to 6-14 while the 29th ranked Nevada improves to 19-4.
- Lehnen (1-4) took the loss for Cincinnati while Nevada's Jason Deitrich (3-1) earned the victory and Jojo Romero picked up a three-inning save.
- Head coach Ty Neal penciled four 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.
- Lehnen produced a quality start on the mound for Cincinnati, going a career-high 7.0 innings with a career-best six strikeouts to just two walks.
- Junior Ian Happ (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mt. Lebanon) went 0-for-2 to end his nine-game hitting streak but extended his on-base streak to 17 games with a pair of walks in the game.
- Noda hit his fifth homerun of the season in the fifth inning. He is one of only two freshman to appear in the top-10 of the American Athletic Conference homerun list, ranking fourth.
- Junior Woody Wallace (Lewis Center, Ohio/Olentangy) had two hits and has knocked 14 hits in the last six games.
- Happ was walked twice in the game to bring his total to 19 on the season. The junior is currently ranked second in the American for bases on balls.
- 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
Bottom of the First
Nevada scored the game's first run in the opening inning when Bryce Greager singled into left field to send home leadoff hitter Austin Byler from second base.
Top of the Third
Trailing 2-0, the Bearcats got a run back in the third on a hustle play from Kyle Mottice (Canal Fulton, Ohio/Jackson) who was sitting on second base. Junior Devin Wenzel (Blandon, Pa./Fleetwood Area) dribbled a ball up the right side of the infield for a groundout but Mottice never stopped running, rounding third and scoring on the play.
Bottom of the Fourth
The Wolf Pack showed hustle of its own in the fourth with an infield single that scored two runs on some crafty base running.
Top of the Fifth
Noda displayed his power in the fifth, launching a two-run homerun over the fence in right field to get Cincinnati within 4-3. Rodriguez was on base following an infield single to lead off the inning.
Bottom of the Eighth
Nevada pounced for three runs in the eighth to take a 7-3 lead. A wild pitch brought home the first run while a single and a groundout scored the additional two.
//UP NEXT
Cincinnati and Nevada will play the finale of a four-game series at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT on Saturday, March 21 at Peccole Park in Reno, Nevada. Freshman A.J. Olasz is scheduled to pitch 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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