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TAMPA, Fla. -- The University of Cincinnati baseball team twice came from behind to tie the score but could not complete the comeback, falling 4-3 in walk off fashion to USF in the 11th inning on Saturday evening in Tampa, Florida.
Sophomore R.J. Thompson (Mason, Ohio/Mason) tallied two RBIs for the Bearcats while junior Ian Happ (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mt. Lebanon) and freshmen Ryan Noda (Volo, Ill./Grant) and Jarod Yoakam (Marysville, Ohio/Marysville) each scored a run.
On the mound, sophomore Andrew Zellner (Farmersville, Ohio/Farmersville) and Yoakam each put up good outings, combining for three walks with five strikeouts and just two earned runs.
// NOTABLES
- With the loss, Cincinnati falls to 6-18 and 0-2 in the American while USF improves to 19-8-1 and 2-0.
- Yoakam (1-4) pitched 5.0 innings, a new career best for the freshman, but took the look with the walk off victory. USF's Tommy Peterson (3-1) earned the win.
- Cincinnati played in its fifth extra-inning game of the season and is now 1-4 in long games.
- 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 every game for UC.
- Junior Ian Happ (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mt. Lebanon) was walked in his first at bat extend his on-base streak to 22 consecutive games.
- Sophomore R.J. Thompson (Mason, Ohio/Mason) batted in both runs for Cincinnati in the game. It was his third multi-RBI game of the season.
- Yoakam was hit by a pitch twice in the game, the first two of his career, and scored his first-career run.
- For the second straight game against the Bulls, Cincinnati recorded 14 strikeouts, tying a season high.
// KEY INNINGS
Bottom of the Second
Thompson and Devin Wenzel (Blandon, Pa./Fleetwood Area) recorded back-to-back defensive web gems for the first two outs of the inning but a fielding error on Zellner kept the inning alive. The next batter, Austin Lueck, doubled to right center to bring home two runs and give the Bulls a 2-0 lead.
Top of the Fourth
Cincinnati got a run back in the fourth with some small ball. Happ singled to lead off the inning, Yoakam was hit and freshman Chris Klenk (Portage, Ind./Portage) executed a sac bunt to put both runners in scoring position. Thompson then grounded out to the third baseman to score Happ and get the Bearcats within a run at 2-1.
Top of the Sixth
Thompson tied the score at 2-2 with a 2-out single up the middle to score Yoakam from second base. It was the sophomore's second RBI of the game.
Bottom of the Sixth
USF wasted no time reclaiming the lead when a Luke Maglich double scored Luke Borders from first base to put the Bulls ahead 3-2. Yoakam became the pitcher for Cincinnati got two groundouts to end the frame.
Top of the Seventh
Noda and Happ teamed to bring home a Cincinnati run in the seventh and tie the score again at 3-3. Noda led off the inning with a double to right field and moved to third on a wild pitch. With the tying run 90-feet away, Happ hit a sacrifice fly to deep center field to bring home the run.
Bottom of the 11th
Yoakam allowed back-to-back singles to put two runners on before Andres Leal sent a ball just fair down the right field line to score Maglich and win the game for the Bulls.
// UP NEXT
Cincinnati and USF will play the final game of the three-game series on Sunday, March 29, with a 1 p.m. first pitch from USF Baseball Stadium in Tampa, Florida.
// 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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