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CINCINNATI -- Junior Devin Wenzel (Blandon, Pa./Fleetwood Area) hit a double to the wall in right center field in the bottom of the 12th inning to score Ian Happ (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mt. Lebanon) and give the Bearcats a walk off 8-7 victory over Memphis on Sunday afternoon at Marge Schott Stadium. The victory gave the Bearcats a 2-1 series win and put the Bearcats in a tie for fourth in the American Athletic Conference standings.
After the teams split the first two games, Cincinnati and Memphis played very evenly in the series finale. The game saw one lead change and three tie scores before the Bearcats finally put the Tigers away in the 12th.
Leading the way for the Bearcats was Happ who recorded his first-career five-hit game with two homeruns and three singles. He is the first UC player to record five hits in a game since Justin Glass did so against UMBC on Feb. 26, 2012.
// NOTABLES
- With the dramatic victory, Cincinnati improves to 11-22 on the season and 4-5 in the American while Memphis falls to 22-10 and 5-4.
- Freshman relief pitcher Tanner Schimmoeller (Ottawa Ohio/Ottawa Glandorff) earned his first-career victory on the mound. He went 2.0 innings from the bullpen and did now allow a hit, keeping a clean sheet and putting Cincinnati in position to get the win.
- Memphis' Nolan Blackwood took the loss and fell to 0-1 on the year.
- The Bearcats were playing in their fifth extra-inning game of the season and are now 2-3 in those games.
- Happ's five hits marked the second time this season that the outfielder has been on base in each of his plate appearances after going 2-for-2 with two walks against Niagara on March 8.
- Happ hit two homeruns in a single game for the second time in his career (vs. Niagara on March 8).
- Freshman Manny Rodriguez (Brooklyn, N.Y./Calvert Hall) had three hits for the Bearcats to set a new career high.
- Sophomore R.J. Thompson (Mason, Ohio/Mason) had two hits and a walk to extend his on base streak to 13 straight games.
- Freshman Treg Haberkorn (Leo, Ind./Leo) hit his second-career homerun, and second of the series, in the eighth inning.
- Freshman starting pitcher Dalton Lehnen (Lakeville, Minn./Lakeville North) went 7.2 innings with four strikeouts and just two walks for the Bearcats.
- Freshman Ryan Noda (Volo, Ill./Grant) had a career-high 21 putouts at first base, the most for a UC player dating back to 2001.
- The Bearcats hit three homeruns in the game for the first time since March 28, 2012.
- Cincinnati set a new season high with 14 hits in the game.
- Head coach Ty Neal penciled six freshmen into the starting lineup and has started at least four youngsters in each game this season. Noda and Rodriguez have started every game for UC.
- There were 11 homeruns hit between the two teams in the three-game series.
// KEY INNINGS
Bottom of the First
After Memphis opened the game with a leadoff homerun, Happ responded in the bottom of the first inning with a 2-run shot over the scoreboard and off the side of Fifth Third Arena to give UC a 2-1 lead.
Bottom of the Fifth
The Bearcats took a 4-2 lead in the bottom of the sixth with Happ's second homerun of the game.
Top of the Sixth
Memphis tied the score in the next half inning when Tucker Tubbs hit his fourth homerun of the series to get even with Cincinnati at 4-4.
Bottom of the Sixth
With Wenzel sitting on second base after a walk, a wild pitch and a groundout by freshman Kyle Mottice (Canal Fulton, Ohio/Jackson), junior Woody Wallace (Lewis Center, Ohio/Olentangy) laid down a sacrifice bunt to score Wenzel and give the Bearcats a 5-4 lead.
Bottom of the Eighth
Memphis tied the score in the top of the inning with an RBI-single by Zach Schritenthal but Cincinnati had an answer. With two outs and Mottice on first, Haberkorn launched his second-career homerun to right field to put the Bearcats ahead 7-5.
Top of the Ninth
The Tigers scored a pair of runs in the top of the ninth inning to tie the score for the third time in the game. Three singles off reliever Jarod Yoakam (Marysville, Ohio/Marysville) scored the first run before Neal inserted sophomore Andrew Zellner (Farmersville, Ohio/Valley View) into the game with two outs to face Memphis' dangerous Tucker Tubbs. Tubbs singled into left center field to score another run for the Tigers and tie the score at 7-7.
Bottom of the 12th
After two scoreless extra innings, the Bearcats made some noise in the bottom of the 12th. Happ led off the inning with his fifth hit of the game and moved to second on a perfectly executed sacrifice bunt by freshman J.J. Carr (Coto de Caza, Calif./Santa Margarita Catholic). With one out, Wenzel took a 1-2 count and lined the ball into center field to score Hap from second and win the game for the Bearcats.
// UP NEXT
Cincinnati will host the seventh annual Joe Nuxhall Classic on April 14 and 15 at Marge Schott Stadium. Cincinnati, Xavier, Miami (Ohio) and Wright State all will participate in the local collegiate baseball showcase. The Bearcats will play at 7 p.m. on both nights, facing the Musketeers on Tuesday and either Miami or Wright State on Wednesday.
// 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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