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UC vs. Indiana Sights and Sounds (video)
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Freshman Jarod Yoakam (Marysville, Ohio/Marysville) hit a single to left field in the seventh inning to break a 4-4 tie and give the University of Cincinnati baseball team a 5-4 victory on the road at Indiana University on Wednesday night in Bloomington, Indiana. Yoakam also pitched two thirds of an inning to earn the win for the Bearcats.
Head coach Ty Neal, a former member of the IU coaching staff, returned to Bart Kaufman Field for the first time since serving as pitching coach and recruiting coordinator for the Hoosiers from 2006-2013. Neal was named the head coach at Cincinnati on June 7, 2013.
// NOTABLES
- Cincinnati improves to 9-21 on the year with the victory while Indiana falls to 18-11.
- Yoakam earned the victory to go to 2-4 this year and IU relief pitcher Austin Foote took the loss and fell to 1-1.
- The game featured one tie and three lead changes.
- 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 Manny Rodriguez (Brooklyn, N.Y./Calvert Hall) have started every game for UC.
- Eight Bearcats recorded at least one hit in the game. Cincinnati finished with 12 hits, one shy of its season-high.
- Junior Ian Happ (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mt. Lebanon) singled in the first inning to extend his on base streak to 28 consecutive games. Sophomore R.J. Thompson (Mason, Ohio/Mason) also singled in the first and has been on base in 10 consecutive games.
- Thompson recorded his seventh multi-hit game of the season with singles in both the first and third innings and a double in the seventh. Freshman Kyle Mottice (Canal Fulton, Ohio/Jackson) notched his fourth multi-hit game of the year while Rodriguez had multiple hits for the first time in his career.
- Noda notched his sixth multi-RBI game of the year when his third-inning double off the wall scored both Rodriguez and Thompson to give UC a 2-1 lead.
- The victory was the first win on the road for the Bearcats in 16 tries this season.
- Indiana had been ranked as high as No. 19 in the polls on March 23 but is not currently ranked in any poll.
// KEY INNINGS
Bottom of the First
Indiana took a quick 1-0 lead following a leadoff triple that Craig Dedelow hit down the right field line on the first pitch he saw. After a walk to Brad Hartong, Scott Donley grounded into a double play but Dedelow scampered home for the game's first run.
Top of the Third
Cincinnati got its offense going in the third inning when back-to-back singles by Rodriguez and Thompson put two runners on base for Noda. The freshman launched the second pitch of the at bat off the wall in left field to score both runners and give Cincinnati a 2-1 lead.
Bottom of the Third
Indiana immediately tied the score at 2-2 with a leadoff homerun by Isaiah Pasteur.
Top of the Seventh
With Indiana holding a 4-3 lead in the seventh, the Cincinnati put its first three runners on to tie the score at 4-4. Freshman Treg Haberkorn (Leo, Ind./Leo) was hit to lead off the inning before Rodriguez singled to the shortstop. Thompson followed with his third hit of the day, an RBI-double to the right center field gap, to score Haberkorn. Noda was hit to load the bases before Yoakam's breakthrough single put the Bearcats ahead for good.
// UP NEXT
The Bearcats return to Marge Schott Stadium for a three-game American Athletic Conference series against Memphis April 10-12. Games will be played at 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 1 p.m. on Sunday.
// 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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