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CINCINNATI -- Junior Ian Happ (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mt. Lebanon) had two hits, two RBIs and scored three runs but the University of Cincinnati baseball team fell 15-9 to Wright State University in the championship game of the 2015 Joe Nuxhall Classic on Wednesday night at Marge Schott Stadium.
Happ finished 2-for-4 with a double and his 10th homerun of the season. He also walked once in the ballgame.
// NOTABLES
- Cincinnati falls to 12-23 with the loss while Wright State improves to 24-10.
- Starting pitcher J.T. Perez (Orrville, Ohio/Orrville) took the loss to fall to 0-2 while WSU's E.J. Trapino moves to 4-0 with the win.
- Wright State won its third Joe Nuxhall Championship to tie with Cincinnati for the most tournament victories. The Bearcats won in 2010, 2011 and 2014.
- WSU third baseman John Brodner was named the tournament MVP with four hits, four RBIs and two runs scored in two games.
- Sophomore R.J. Thompson (Mason, Ohio/Mason) led off the game with a single to extend his on base streak to 15 straight games.
- Junior catcher Woody Wallace (Lewis Center, Ohio/Olentangy) hit his first homerun of the season over the left field fence in the second inning to extend his hitting streak to a team-high six straight games.
- Happ launched his 10th homerun of the year in the eighth and is the first UC player to hit 10 long balls in a season since Jimmy Jacquot finished with 13 in 2010.
- Happ drew a walk in the fourth inning and now has 112 career free passes. He currently ranks 6th on the all-time UC list and needs five more to tie for 5th all-time with Matt Primack (1993-96).
- Freshman Joey Thomas (Mason, Ohio/Mason) replaced Wallace as catcher in the eighth inning of the game to end the junior's consecutive innings streak. Wallace had worked 122 straight innings behind the plate dating back to March 25.
- Freshman Manny Rodriguez (Brooklyn, N.Y./Calvert Hall) had two hits in the game and has produced multiple hits in four of the last six 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 Rodriguez have started every game for UC.
// KEY INNINGS
Top of the First
Wright State wasted no time scoring a pair of runs in the top of the first inning. A single and a walk put two runners on with 1 out before a UC throwing error allowed the first run to score. After another walk and strikeout, Andrew McCafferty doubled off the wall in right field to bring home another run and give the Raiders a 2-0 lead.
Bottom of the Second
Wallace hit his first homerun of the season over the left field fence in the bottom of the second inning to cut the WSU lead to 3-1.
Top of the Third
Perez loaded the bases with a walk, a bunt single and a hit by pitch before being lifted for freshman Nick Voss (Cincinnati, Ohio/Colerain). Voss attempted to avoid any damage with a force out at home and a strikeout but a single up the middle by John Brodner scored two more WSU runs for a 5-1 Raider lead.
Top of the Fourth
Wright State used a pair of solo homeruns and an RBI-single by Derreck Garcia to increase its lead to 8-1 in the fourth inning.
Bottom of the Fourth
WSU pitcher Darion Nunn walked four batters to score a run for Cincinnati before a bases-loaded infield single by Rodriguez scored another to cut the Wright State lead to 8-3. A bases loaded hit by pitch to Thompson scored another run and a single by Noda cut the deficit to 8-5 before the third out was recorded.
Bottom of the Eighth
Freshman Treg Haberkorn (Leo, Ind./Leo) was walked to lead off the inning and Rodriguez followed with a double to left center. A sacrifice fly by Thompson put one run on the board before Happ's 10th homerun of the season scored two more to bring the score to 12-9.
// UP NEXT
Cincinnati will continue play in the American Athletic Conference when it travels to Houston, Texas, for a three-game series with the Houston Cougars April 17-19. The opening game of the series will be played on Friday, April 17, at 7:30 p.m. ET/6:30 p.m. CT. The Bearcats and the Cougars are currently tied for fourth in the American with a 4-5 league record.
// 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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