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STORRS, Conn. -- The University of Cincinnati baseball team had the go-ahead run at the plate in the top of the ninth inning but could not complete the comeback, falling 10-8 to UConn in Storrs, Connecticut, on Saturday afternoon.
Junior Ian Happ (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mt. Lebanon) led the Bearcats with three hits, three runs scored and a pair of RBIs while adding a walk and a stolen base.
// NOTABLES
- With the loss, Cincinnati falls to 15-34 on the year and 6-14 in the American Athletic Conference while UConn moves to 31-20 and 10-10.
-Starting pitcher Andrew Zellner (Farmersville, Ohio/Valley View) (2-3) took the loss while UConn starter Anthony Kay (7-5) earned the win.
- Happ was walked in the third inning and now has 124 career free bases to sit at 3rd on the all-time UC list.
- Happ stole second base in the first inning for his 53rd-career stolen base. The mark is good for fifth all-time and the junior needs eight more to tie Troy Muckerheide (1992-95) for fourth in the UC record book.
- 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 Manny Rodriguez (Brooklyn, N.Y./Calvert Hall) have started every game for UC.
- Junior Woody Wallace (Lewis Center, Ohio/Olentangy) hit his second homerun of the season in the fourth inning. It was just the second long ball allowed by UConn pitcher Anthony Kay this season.
- Freshman Treg Haberkorn (Leo, Ind./Leo) was on base five times in the game with two hits and a career-high two hit by pitches. He also scored a career-high three runs and is now 4-for-8 with five runs scored in the series.
- Sophomore R.J. Thomson (Mason, Ohio/Mason) finished with three hits for the third time this season.
- Noda was walked a career-high four times, setting a new season high for any UC batter.
// KEY INNINGS
Top of the First
For the second consecutive game against the Huskies, the Bearcats took an early lead, scoring two runs before UConn even got a chance to bat. Back-to-back singles by Haberkorn and Happ put runners on the corners with one out. Happ got caught between first and second and stayed in the run down long enough for Haberkorn to score the first run on a double steal. Thompson followed with a single to right field to score Happ and put the visitors ahead 2-0.
Bottom of the Third
The Huskies opened the flood gates in the third scoring five runs to take a 5-2 lead. Bobby Melley got things started with an RBI-double that scored Jon Testani for the first run. Zellner issued an intentional walk to Blake Davey before a botched play in the outfield on a ball hit by Max McDowell allowed two more runs to score on what should have been the second out of the inning. A bases-loaded hit by pitch scored the fourth run while a walk brought home another for a 5-2 UConn lead. Zellner finally got a strikeout and a flyout to end the inning but the damage was done for UConn.
Top of the Fouth
Cincinnati immediately cut into the UConn lead when the leadoff hitter Wallace shot a ball deep over the left field fence to get UC within 5-3.
Bottom of the Fifth
UConn put up a 4-spot in the fifth inning, including a solo homerun by Joe Deroche-Duffin, to put the game seemingly out of reach for the Bearcats at 9-4.
Top of the Ninth
Facing a 10-6 deficit, Cincinnati attempted a comeback in the ninth, scoring two runs on two hits and taking advantage of two free passes from UConn. Haberkorn led off the inning with his second hit by pitch of the game scored on a double off the wall by Happ. After a Huskies' pitching change, Noda was walked and a bloop single by Thompson loaded the bases with no outs. After a strikeout, junior Devin Wenzel brought home another run with a sacrifice fly but the team's 11th strikeout of the day ended the rally and the game with a 10-8 final score.
// UP NEXT
Cincinnati and UConn will finish the three-game series on Sunday, May 10, with a Noon first pitch from J.O. Christian Field.
// 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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