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MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Senior Ryan Atkinson (Cincinnati, Ohio/Colerain) pitched seven innings of scoreless baseball to lead the University of Cincinnati baseball team to an 11-4 victory over No. 24 Memphis in Memphis, Tennessee, on Friday night. Atkinson finished with 8.0 innings pitched, two earned runs and four strikeouts to earn his fourth win of the season.
Offensively, the Bearcats were led by freshman Treg Haberkorn (Leo, Ind./Leo) who produced his first-career three-hit game to go along with two RBIs, a run scored and a career-high two stolen bases.
//NOTABLES
- With the win, Cincinnati improves to 14-30 and 5-11 in the American Athletic Conference while Memphis falls to 31-14 and 9-7.
- With the win, Atkinson improves to 4-5 on the season while Memphis' Colton Hathcock (2-4) took the loss.
- Haberkorn recorded three hits for the first time in his career. It was his fourth multi-hit game of the season.
- Junior Ian Happ (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mt. Lebanon) had two hits for his team-leading 15th multi-hit game of the season. Junior Devin Wenzel (Blandon, Pa./Fleetwood Area) had a pair of doubles for his seventh multi-hit game.
- Junior catcher Woody Wallace (Lewis Center, Ohio/Olentangy) threw out two Memphis runners on the night for his 16th and 17th of the season.
- Freshman Ryan Noda (Volo, Ill./Grant) was walked in the eighth inning to extend his on base streak to 11 straight games.
- Happ was walked for the 120th time of his career. He currently sits in fourth on the all-time UC walks list and needs just two more to tie for third.
- All nine batters in the UC lineup appeared on base at least once in the game. Additionally, all nine recorded at least one hit, one run or one RBI.
- Head coach Ty Neal penciled five freshmen into the starting lineup and has started at least four youngsters in each game this season. Freshmen and Manny Rodriguez (Brooklyn, N.Y./Calvert Hall) have started every game for UC.
- Cincinnati improves to 4-1 against the Tigers this season.
- Memphis is currently ranked No. 24 in the Baseball America poll, marking the first time the Tigers have been ranked since 1994. The team also is receiving votes in both the NCBWA and USA Today Coaches' polls. The Tigers entered the game ranked first in the American Athletic Conference.
// KEY INNINGS
Top of the Fourt
The Bearcats finally broke through in the fourth inning, scoring four runs on four hits. Freshman Kyle Mottice (Canal Fulton, Ohio/Jackson) singled down the left field line for the first UC hit of the game and back-to-back doubles by juniors Ian Happ (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mt. Lebanon) and Devin Wenzel (Blandon, Pa./Fleetwood Area) gave Cincinnati a 2-0 lead. Freshman Treg Haberkorn (Leo, Ind./Leo) singled to bring home another run before stealing both second and third bases and scoring on a Memphis throwing error.
Top of the Eighth
Cincinnati capitalized on two walks, two hit batsmen and an error to score a pair of runs without recording a hit in the eighth inning. Happ and Noda were walked and freshman Jarod Yoakam (Marysville, Ohio/Marysville) was hit to load the bases. Haberkorn hit a grounder to the shortstop but a fielding error allowed both Happ and Noda to score to increase the lead to 6-0.
Top of the Ninth
The Bearcats scored five runs in the top of the ninth inning to extend the lead to 11-1. Mottice, Happ, Wenzel, Haberkorn and Wallace all recorded an RBI in the frame as UC jumped all over Memphis' Trey McNickle for five hits.
Bottom of the Ninth
Memphis scored two runs on a Cincinnati fielding error and added two more on a single and a sacrifice fly before a strikeout for UC pitcher Tanner Schimmoeller (Ottawa, Ohio/Ottawa-Glandorf) ended the game.
//UP NEXT
Cincinnati and Memphis will play game two of the series on Saturday, May 2, from Fed Ex Park in Memphis. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET/2 p.m. CT.
//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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