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MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Sophomore Kyle Mottice (Canal Fulton, Ohio/Jackson) launched a two-run homerun in the top of the 10th inning to give the University of Cincinnati baseball team a 4-2 victory over Memphis on Thursday night in Memphis, Tennessee.
The Bearcats held a 2-1 lead heading into the bottom of the ninth inning but the Tigers scored a run to tie the game at 2-2. In the 10th, Mottice put UC back on top and freshman A.J. Kullman (Powell, Ohio/Olentangy Liberty) finished the game to the save.
// Notables
- With the win, Cincinnati improves to 25-27-1 on the year and 12-9-1 in the American Athletic Conference while Memphis drops to 18-36 and 8-14.
- Junior starting pitcher Andrew Zellner (Farmersville, Ohio/Valley View) (7-4) earned the victory after pitching 9.0 innings for the fifth time this season. Kullman earned his third save of the season after inheriting two runners on base with one out in the ninth inning. UM's Drew Crosby (0-2) took the loss.
- Mottice again led the UC offense with 3 hits, including his third-career homerun, two RBIs and two runs scored. Since April 13, he has recorded a .370 batting average with 30 hits, including a 10-game hitting streak that was snapped in the series finale against Houston on May 15. In the 20 games during that span, he has only failed to record a hit on three occasions.
- Sophomore Ryan Noda (Volo, Ill./Grant) tied a career high with three hits.
- The Bearcats finished the game with three stolen bases, marking the 16th game where UC stole three or more bases this season.
- It was the sixth extra-inning game of the season for UC which improves to 4-2 in those games.
// Key Innings
Bottom of the First
Darien Tubbs led off with an infield single but Zellner did well to defend his position, starting a 1-6-4 double play on a sac bunt attempt to clear the bases with 2 outs. A double by Jake Little set the table for the first-run of the game when Jacob Elliott followed with a single through the right side. Right fielder A.J. Bumpass (Rougemont, N.C./Northern) tossed back a good throw to the plate but Little slid under the tag to give Memphis a 1-0 lead.
Top of the Second
The Bearcats immediately responded with some two-out magic of their own when Bumpass singled, stole second and scored on a bloop single by Manny Rodriguez.
Top of the Third
Mottice singled up the middle to lead off the inning and stole second base to get himself in scoring position. With one out, redshirt sophomore Connor McVey (Mason, Ohio/Mason) singled into left field bring home Mottice for the go-ahead run and a 2-1 UC lead.
Bottom of the Eighth
The Tigers had two runners on with two outs when Little sent a ball to deep left field. Memphis looked to have taken a 4-2 lead with the homerun but left fielder R.J. Thompson (Mason, Ohio/Mason) robbed Little to keep the 2-1 Cincinnati lead.
Bottom of the Ninth
With a runner at second base and one out, Trent Turner singled into left field to score a run for Memphis and tie the score at 2-2. With the Tigers looking for the game-winning run, senior catcher Woody Wallace (Lewis Center, Ohio/Olentangy) threw out his 20th runner attempting to steal this season and Zellner got Chris Carrier to fly out to end the threat and force extra innings.
Top of the 10th
With one out, Wallace was down 1-2 in the count before working a six-pitch walk to put a UC runner on base. Mottice then launched a no-doubter over the fence in right field to give the Bearcats its second lead of the game at 4-2.
Bottom of the 10th
Kullman entered the game with two runners on base and one out and needed just five pitches to get Zach Schritenthal to ground into a 4-6-3 double play and secure the victory for the Bearcats.
// Up Next
Cincinnati and Memphis continue their three-game series on Friday, May 20. The first pitch is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET/6:30 p.m. CT at FedEx Park.
// Follow the Bearcats
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