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NEW ORLEANS - The University of Cincinnati baseball team solidified its spot atop the American Athletic Conference standings with a 2-1 victory over No. 22 Tulane on Friday night in New Orleans, Louisiana.
The pitching tandem of junior Andrew Zellner (Farmersville, Ohio/Valley View) and freshman A.J. Kullman (Powell, Ohio/Olentangy Liberty) held the Green Wave to just five hits and no earned runs in the game. Zellner struck out four Tulane batters in 5.2 innings of work while Kullman closed out the final 3.1 innings with three strikeouts.
A game after tying a career high with three hits, sophomore Kyle Mottice (Canal Fulton, Ohio/Jackson) again led the UC offense with a pair of hits and a run scored from the leadoff position. It is the second time this season he has collected multiple hits in back-to-back games.
// Notables
- Cincinnati improves to 17-18 overall and 5-2 in The American while Tulane falls to 21-12 and 3-3.
- Zellner (4-2) earned the victory while reigning American Pitcher of the Week Emerson Gibbs (3-2) took the loss). Kullman earned the first save of his career after closing out the game.
- Freshman Cole Murphy (Cincinnati, Ohio/Walnut Hills) hit his second-career homerun in the third inning to give the Bearcats a 1-0 lead.
- It was the sixth game versus a ranked team for the Bearcats who are now 2-4 in those games after beating No. 18 Coastal Carolina and losing to No. 5 LSU three times and No. 13 Ole Miss.
// Key Innings
Top of the Third
Murphy send the first pitch of the inning over the wall in right field against the win to give UC a 1-0 lead. Two outs later, Mottice singled and sophomore Treg Haberkorn (Leo, Ind./Leo) reached on an error to put two runners on for the Bearcats. Redshirt sophomore Connor McVey (Mason, Ohio/Mason) then singled through the right side to score Mottice and give the visitors a 2-0 lead.
Bottom of the Fourth
A dropped foul popup by the UC defense came back to haunt the Bearcats when Jeremy Montalbano hit a solo homerun in his prolonged at bat to get Tulane within 2-1.
Bottom of the Sixth
After walking two batters, Zellner was lifted for Kullman with two outs in the bottom of the sixth. The Freshman faced Tulane's power hitter, Hunter Hope, and got him swinging to end the Tulane scoring threat.
Bottom of the Ninth
After allowing a single to the leadoff batter, Kullman responded with a lineout, a strikeout and foul out to hold on for the 2-1 win and earn the save.
// Up Next
The Bearcats and the Green Wave continue their three-game series with game No. 2 on Saturday. The first pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m. ET/4 p.m. CT from Greer Field in New Orleans.
// 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.