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CINCINNATI -- Freshman Tristan Hammans (Bakersfield, Calif./GarcesMemorial) tossed a complete game shutout with a career-high seven strikeouts, leading the University of Cincinnati baseball team to a 4-0 win over crosstown rival Xavier on Tuesday night in the opening game of the Joe Nuxhall Classic at Marge Schott Stadium.
Hammans, making the first start of his young career, struggled through the first four innings, allowing four walks and three hits in the span. But the freshman settled down in the fifth and began a torrid streak, retiring 15 of the last 16 batters he faced, walking just one batter with no hits allowed and six strikeouts to finish the game.
// NOTABLES
- With the win, Cincinnati improves to 12-22 on the season and has won six of its last seven games. Xavier moves to 8-27 with the loss.
- Hammans recorded his first-career victory in his first-career start with the complete game effort. Xavier's Greg Jacknewitz (2-4) took the loss.
- Hammans went a career-high 9.0 innings with a career-best seven strikeouts.
- It was Cincinnati's first complete game shutout since the finale of last season's Joe Nuxhall Classic when Grant Walker kept Miami (Ohio) scoreless to give Cincinnati the championship title.
- The complete game was the second of the season for Cincinnati after freshman Dalton Lehnen (Lakeville, Minn./Lakeville North) completed the feat in a 2-1 loss to No. 6 UCF on April 4.
- Sophomore R.J. Thompson (Mason, Ohio/Mason) led off the game with a single to extend his on base streak to 14 straight games.
- Junior catcher Woody Wallace (Lewis Center, Ohio/Olentangy) singled in the seventh inning and has recorded a hit in his last five games.
- Freshman Manny Rodriguez (Brooklyn, N.Y./Calvert Hall) recorded a hit, an RBI and scored a run in the winning effort for the Bearcats.
- Freshman Treg Haberkorn (Leo, Ind./Leo) notched his first-career sacrifice fly in the fifth for what would prove to be the winning run.
- Wallace caught two XU runners attempting to steal and did not allow a stolen base in the game. The junior has thrown out 10 base runners this season.
- Junior Ian Happ (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mt. Lebanon) finished the game 0-for-1 but was on base three times after a pair of walks and a hit by pitch. He has 111 career walks, good for 6th on the all-time list, and needs just six more to move into 5th place.
- Head coach Ty Neal penciled six 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 every game for UC.
- The official attendance at Marge Schott Stadium was 1,315, the largest of the season.
// KEY INNINGS
Bottom of the Fifth
The Bearcats finally broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the fifth when junior Devin Wenzel (Blandon, Pa./Fleetwood Area) led off the inning with a triple to deep center field. After an out, Wallace was intentionally walked before Haberkorn sent a long fly ball to the warning track in left field, scoring Wenzel for the game's first run.
Bottom of the 7th
The Bearcats tacked on three runs in the bottom of the seventh to give Hammans a four-run cushion. Back-to-back singles by freshman Kyle Mottice (Canal Fulton, Ohio/Jackson) and Wallace put two on before a fielder's choice by Haberkorn moved a runner to third base. Rodriguez brought home Mottice with a fielder's choice then stole second and moved to third on a walk to Noda. With the bases loaded and two outs, Happ was hit by a pitch to score Rodriguez and a wild pitch brought home Thompson to put the Bearcats ahead 4-0.
// UP NEXT
The Bearcats will play Wright State University in the championship game of the Joe Nuxhall Classic at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 15, at Marge Schott Stadium. The Raiders beat the Bearcats 5-3 on March 31 in Dayton, Ohio, but Cincinnati has won 6-of-8 games since then.
Wright State beat Miami (Ohio) 7-3 earlier in the day to advance to the title game. A trophy presentation for the winning team and an MVP will immediately follow Wednesday's game.
// 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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