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MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- The University of Cincinnati baseball team came from two-runs down to take a 3-2 lead in the eighth, but could not hold on, falling 4-3 in walk off fashion to No. 24 Memphis on Sunday afternoon in Memphis, Tennessee.
Junior Ian Happ (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mt. Lebanon) had two hits, including his 13th homerun of the season, to lead the Bearcats offensively.
// NOTABLES
- With the loss, Cincinnati falls to 15-31 and 6-12 in the American Athletic Conference while Memphis moves to 32-15 and 10-8.
- Freshman J.T. Perez (Orrville, Ohio/Orrville) took the loss and moves to 1-3 on the year while Memphis' Nolan Blackwood (2-1) earned the win.
- Happ hit his 13th homerun of the season to tie the score at 2-2 in the sixth inning. It marks the most homeruns hit by a Bearcats player since Jimmy Jacquot hit 13 in 2010. Happ needs just one more to break into the top-10 of the UC record book for homeruns in a season.
- Freshman Ryan Noda (Volo, Ill./Grant) singled in his first at bat to extend his on base streak to 13 straight games.
- Head coach Ty Neal penciled six freshmen into the starting lineup and has started at least four youngsters in each game this season. Freshmen Noda and Manny Rodriguez (Brooklyn, N.Y./Calvert Hall) have started every game for UC.
- Cincinnati won both series against Memphis and is 4-2 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
Bottom of the First
Memphis opened the scoring in the first inning for the second consecutive game, putting the Bearcats in an early 1-0 hole. Darien Tubbs led off the game with a single, moved to second on a groundout and stole third base to get 90 feet away. A sacrifice fly hit to deep centerfield by Kane Barrow scored Tubbs for the game's first run.
Bottom of the Third
The Tigers doubled the lead with two outs in the third when Zach Schritenthal singled, stole second, took third on a wild pitch and scored on a single by Barrow.
Top of the Fifth
The Bearcats got a run back in the fifth inning with a pair of doubles by junior Woody Wallace (Lewis Center, Ohio/Olentangy) and sophomore R.J. Thompson (Mason, Ohio/Mason) to cut the Memphis lead to 2-1.
Top of the Sixth
One day after hitting the game-winning homerun to beat the Tigers 5-4, Happ launched his 13th homerun of the season to lead off the sixth inning and tie the score at 2-2.
Top of the Eighth
Cincinnati grabbed its first lead of the game in the eighth inning after back-to-back singles by freshman Kyle Mottice (Canal Fulton, Ohio/Jackson) and Happ put runners on the corners with 0 outs. Two batters later, Noda grounded out to the pitcher but the effort scored Mottice from third for a 3-2 Cincinnati lead.
Bottom of the Ninth
After scoring a run to tie the game in the bottom of the eighth, Memphis won on a walk off squeeze play in the ninth. With the bases loaded, Darien Tubbs laid down a bunt and the Bearcats were unable to keep the runner from scoring the winning run.
// UP NEXT
Cincinnati returns to Marge Schott Stadium to host in-state rival Ohio State on Wednesday, May 6. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.
// 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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