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CONWAY, S.C. - The University of Cincinnati baseball team scored a season-high 10 runs en route to topping No. 18 Coastal Carolina 10-7 on Friday night in Conway, S.C. Junior pitcher Andrew Zellner (Farmersville, Ohio/Valley View) tossed a quality outing, going 6.0 innings with five strikeouts, four hits and three runs allowed. Additionally, the Cincinnati offense saw balanced production throughout the lineup, including a career-high three hits from freshman A.J. Bumpass (Rougemont, N.C./Northern) and three RBIs from sophomore Ryan Noda (Volo, Ill./Grant).
Cincinnati held a seven-run lead in the seventh inning but saw that slip to two runs after the Chanticleers scored five runs in the seventh. The Bearcats responded with an insurance run in the top of the eighth and CCU never got closer to secure the Bearcats victory.
// Notables
- Cincinnati picked up its first win of the season to move to 1-7 on the year while Coastal Carolina drops to 5-4.
-Zellner (1-1) earned his first victory of the season while Coastal Carolina starter Jason Bilous (0-1) took the loss. Redshirt freshman Doug Lowe II earned his first-career save after pitching the final 2.0 innings of the game, allowing only one hit and no runs.
- Coastal Carolina is ranked No. 18 in the D1Basseball.com poll, No. 19 in the Baseball America poll, No. 20 in the PerfectGame.com poll and No. 23 in the NCBWA poll while receiving votes in the USA Today/Coaches poll.
- Bumpass hit singles in the fourth, sixth and eighth innings for his first-career multi-hit game. He also added a run and an RBI.
- Senior Woody Wallace (Lewis Center, Ohio/Olentangy) recorded his first multi-hit game of the season with singles in the second and third inning. The catcher almost had a third consecutive hit in the fifth inning but a great defensive play by the CCU shortstop resulted in an out.
- Sophomore Ryan Noda (Volo, Ill./Grant) cleared the bases with a double in the sixth inning to open a 9-2 UC lead. His three RBIs tie a season high for the Bearcats, matching sophomore Manny Rodriguez (Brooklyn, N.Y./Calvert Hall) who brought home three runs against Georgia on Feb. 27.
- In addition to Noda's three RBIs, sophomores Kyle Mottice (Canal Fulton, Ohio/Jackson) and Rodriguez each added a pair of RBIs, which they recorded in consecutive at bats in the second inning to tie the score and give UC a 4-2 lead.
- Mottice and junior R.J. Thompson (Mason, Ohio/Mason) each scored two runs for the Bearcats.
- The Bearcats set season highs in runs (10), hits (nine) and RBIs (10).
- The Cincinnati pitchers only walked five batter throughout the game while the UC batters drew a season-high nine walks.
- The game was the first of four games at the Chanticleer Classic on the campus of Coastal Carolina. UC also will face Ball State (twice) and No. 13 Ole Miss in the tournament.
- UC's four runs scored in the top of the second inning match a season high for runs in a single inning for the team. The Bearcats also scored four runs in the sixth inning during a 7-6 10th-inning loss at Georgia on Feb. 27.
// Key Innings
Bottom of the First
Zellner recorded two quick outs before G.K. Young and Zach Remillard teed off for back-to-back solo homeruns into the Bearcats bullpen in right field. The next batter grounded out to Zellner, but the Bearcats were in an early 2-0 hole against the Chanticleers.
Top of the Second
The Bearcats immediately answered the Chants with a four spot in the top of the second inning. Noda led off with a walk, Wallace singled and senior Devin Wenzel (Blandon, Pa./Fleetwood Area) drew another walk to load the bases for Cincinnati. With two outs, Mottice connected for his second hit of the season, a single up the middle, to a pair of runs and the tie game at 2-2. Rodriguez continued his hot hitting with a double to the right centerfield gap to bring home two more and give the Bearcats a 4-2 lead.
Top of the Fourth
Cincinnati added a pair of runs in the fourth thanks to back-to-back two-out singles by Bumpass and redshirt sophomore Connor McVey (Mason, Ohio/Mason). Bumpass brought home Thompson while McVey scored Mottice to extend the UC lead.
Top of the Sixth
Noda gave the Bearcats a commanding 9-2 lead when his two-out double into left field scored Thompson, Bumpass and McVey.
Bottom of the Seventh
The Chanticleers closed the scoring gap with five runs in the seventh inning. The first came home on a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch before a two-out grand slam by Kieton Rivers cut the Bearcats' lead to 9-7.
// Up Next
The Bearcats continue play at the Chanticleer Classic on the campus of Coastal Carolina University with two games against Ball Stare University on Saturday, March 5. The first game will begin at 11 a.m. and the second is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Springs Brooks 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.