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CINCINNATI – The University of Cincinnati baseball team returned to Marge Schott Stadium for the first time in 2016, scoring two victories over Canisius College in a Friday doubleheader. The Bearcats took the first game in dramatic fashion, winning 8-7 on a 10th-inning walk off homerun from sophomore Ryan Noda (Volo, Ill./Grant) before winning 6-1 in the nightcap behind a complete-game effort from sophomore pitcher J.T. Perez (Orrville, Ohio/Orrville).
The Bearcats totaled six homeruns on the day, four in the opening game and two in the second. Sophomore Treg Haberkorn (Leo, Ind./Leo) hit two homeruns in the first game, including an inside-the-park homerun, while Noda, sophomore Manny Rodriguez (Brooklyn, N.Y./Calvert Hall), redshirt sophomore Connor McVey (Mason, Ohio/Mason) and junior R.J. Thompson (Mason, Ohio/Mason) all added a homerun of their own.
On the mound, the UC received two solid efforts from its starting pitchers. Junior Andrew Zellner (Farmersville, Ohio/Valley View) threw 7.1 innings with four hits, two walks and four strikeouts in the first game, but Perez stole the show in the second game, recording his first-career complete game and tossing a career-high eight strikeouts with just one run and two walks.
// Notables
- Cincinnati improves to 3-11 on the year with the two victories while Canisius falls to 3-10.
- In game one, freshman reliever A.J. Kullman (Powell, Ohio/Olentangy Liberty) (1-1) earned his first-career win while the Golden Griffins' Iannick Remillard (0-1) took the loss. In the second game, Perez (1-1) picked up his first win of the year and Canisius starter Josh Shepley (1-2) picked up the loss.
- McVey collected two hits in the first game and one in the second to extend his hitting streak to 11 games for the Bearcats.
- Freshman Cam Alldred (Batavia, Ohio/Cincinnati Country Day) had a career-high three hits in the second game, the first three hits of his young career.
- The walk off homerun for Noda was the first of his career and the first for a UC players since Ian Happ did so on April 1, 2014, against Miami (Ohio) at Marge Schott Stadium.
- Rodriguez McVey and Haberkorn each tallied a pair of hits in Game No. 1, while Thompson and Haberkorn each had two hits and Alldred had three in the second game. It marks the third straight game that three UC players recorded multiple hits in a game.
- The Bearcats launched four homeruns in the first game, signaling the first time a UC team has hit four homeruns in a game since April 6, 2011, against Morehead State.
- Senior catcher Woody Wallace (Lewis Center, Ohio/Olentangy) caught a runner stealing in each game for a conference-leading eight on the season.
- Thompson tied a career high with three runs scored in the second game while adding two hits and two RBIs.
- Canisius' five runs in the eighth inning of Game No. 1 mark the sixth time this season that an opponent has scored at least five runs in a single inning.
// Key Innings – Game 1
Bottom of the First
Cincinnati wasted no time taking a 2-0 lead, scoring the first run just two batters into the game. Rodriguez opened the inning with a single and scored on the first-career triple by freshman A.J. Bumpass (Rougemont, N.C./Northern). Two outs later, a well-orchestrated double steal had McVey take off for second and Bumpass scamper home for a 2-0 UC lead.
Top of the Eighth
The Bearcats held a 4-2 lead before Canisius managed to score five in the top of the eighth inning. The first two runs scored on a wild pitch and an error before a single up the middle by Liam Wilson drove in two more to give the Golden Griffins the lead.
Bottom of the Eighth
Facing a 7-4 deficit, Bumpass drew a walk to lead off the inning and stole second base to put himself in a position to score when McVey followed with a double. A double by Wallace brought home McVey and the Bearcats cut the Canisius lead down to 7-6.
Bottom of the Ninth
Down to the team's final out of the game, Rodriguez launched his first-career homerun over the wall in left field to tie the game at 7-7 and keep the Bearcats alive.
Bottom of the 10th
Noda finished off the game with one swing in the 10th inning, giving Cincinnati an 8-7 victory. It was the first walk off homerun of his career.
// Key Innings – Game 2
Bottom of the Fourth
McVey led off the inning with a solo shot to give UC a 2-0 lead. Two batters later, Thompson reached on an error, advanced to second on a single by Alldred and scored on a single by Haberkorn to increase the Bearcats' advantage to 3-0.
Bottom of the Eighth
After Canisius scored a run in the top of the frame, Thompson hit the team's sixth homerun of the day, bring home McVey for the 6-1 final score.
// Up Next
Cincinnati and Canisius will continue its four-game series with another doubleheader on Saturday, March 12. The first game is slated for 1 p.m. while the second will follow 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first at Marge Schott Stadium.
// 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 (@GoBearcatsBASE) and Coach Neal (@Ty_Neal_UC) on twitter. You can also find the Bearcats on Facebook.
// Ticket Information
Season tickets for all 25 home matches can be purchased for as little $15. For more information, visit GoBEARCATS.com/tickets or call 1-877-CATS-TIX.