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CINCINNATI- Freshman shortstop Manny Rodriguez (Brooklyn, N.Y./Calvert Hall) hit a walk off single with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 10th inning to give the University of Cincinnati baseball team a 2-1 victory over Niagara University on Monday afternoon at Marge Schott Stadium. The win clinched the series sweep for the Bearcats over the Purple Eagles.
Cincinnati left 13 runners on base during the game, but Rodriguez came through when it mattered most. Freshman Kyle Mottice (Canal Fulton, Ohio/Jackson) and sophomore Jake Richmond (Cincinnati, Ohio/Oak Hills) were both hit to lead off the inning. Then freshman Joey Thomas reached safely on a fielder's choice that saw Mottice beat out a throw at third. With the bases loaded, Rodriguez lined a ball through the right side of the infield on a 2-1 count to score Mottice and play hero for the Bearcats.
//Notables
- With the win, the Bearcats improve their record to 4-9 while Niagara falls to 0-7 on the season.
- Freshman Jarod Yoakam (Marysville, Ohio/Marysville) (1-1) pitched 4.2 innings from the bullpen to earn the victory, the first of his career. Niagara's Michael Bucci (0-2) took the loss.
- Rodriguez's walk off was the first for UC since a walk off homerun by junior Ian Happ (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mt. Lebanon) on April 1, 2014, over Miami (Ohio).
- The series sweep was the first for UC since going 3-0 at Army May 2-4 of last season.
- 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 Rodriguez have started all 13 games for UC.
- The UC hitters tied a season-low with only six strikeouts. No player struck out more than once for the first time this season.
- Freshman pitcher A.J. Olasz (West Mifflin, Pa./West Mifflin Area) earned the start for Cincinnati and went a career-high 5.1 innings. He gave up just three hits with one run allowed, two walks and three strikeouts.
- Yoakam's 4.2 innings set a new career mark for the freshman. He also set a new career high with four strikeouts, doubling his previous single game high.
- Cincinnati did not commit an error for the sixth time this season.
- Mottice swiped his first and second-career stolen bases in the game.
- Richmond notched a season-high two hits in the game.
// Key Innings
Top of the Third
Niagara got on the board first in the bottom of the third inning when Joel Brophy singled, moved to second on a groundout and scored on a double by Tanner Kirwer.
Bottom of the Fifth
Freshman Treg Haberkorn (Leo, Ind./Leo) scored a run in the fifth to tie the game at 1-1. The outfielder singled, moved to second on a walk to junior Woody Wallace (Lewis Center, Ohio/Olentangy) and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Rodriguez. With one out, sophomore Connor McVey (Mason, Ohio/Mason) hit a perfectly placed ground ball to bring home Haberkorn and tie the game up.
Top of the 10th
Niagara threatened with two outs in the top of the 10th, using a walk and a single to put two men on. Yoakam shut the Purple Eagles down, however, getting Kirwer swinging to end the inning.
Bottom of the 10th
Two UC batters were hit and another reached on a fielder's choice which saw all three runners safe before Rodriguez's heroic walk off to clinch the victory for the Bearcats.
//Up Next
The Bearcats waste no time jumping into their midweek schedule, traveling to Lexington, Kentucky, on Tuesday for a matchup against the Kentucky Wildcats at 7 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on the SEC Network.
//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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