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MT. PLEASANT, S.C. - The University of Cincinnati baseball team had the tying run on third base in the top of the ninth inning but could not bring him home, falling to the College of Charleston 4-3 on Friday evening in Mt. Pleasant, S.C.
Sophomore A.J. Bumpass (Rougemont, N.C./Northern) had a career day at the plate, knocking four hits and adding a pair of RBIs to the Bearcats' effort.
On the mound, senior Andrew Zellner (Farmersville, Ohio/Valley View) tossed 6.0 innings for the second-straight game, but allowed four runs on six hits.
// NOTABLES
- With the loss, Cincinnati moves to 1-3 on the season while College of Charleston improves to 3-2.
- The Cougars' Bailey Ober (2-0) earned the win in the start while Zellner (0-1) took the loss. Nathan Ocker picked up the save after pitching 1.2 innings and striking out the final two UC batters to secure the win.
- The game was the first-ever meeting between Cincinnati and College of Charleston.
- Bumpass finished the game one double shy of the cycle, recording a homerun, a triple and two singles.
- Sophomore Cole Murphy (Cincinnati, Ohio/Walnut Hills) notched a career-high three hits with a double and knocked in an RBI for the Bearcats.
- Senior R.J. Thompson (Mason, Ohio/Mason) also recorded multiple hits for UC, registering a single and a double to go with one walk in four plate appearances.
- The Bearcats recorded a season-high 12 hits but left 10 runners stranded in the game.
- Freshmen Eric Santiago (Bethlehem, Pa./Notre Dame Green Pond) and Jace Mercer (Johns Creek, Ga./Johns Creek) each made their collegiate debuts in the game. Santiago earned the start at shortstop while Mercer entered the game at centerfield in the seventh inning and notched his first-career hit in the top of the ninth.
- Both teams placed at least one runner on base in each of the first seven and a half innings. Cincinnati sophomore pitcher Cam Alldred (Batavia, Ohio/Cincinnati Country Day) recorded a strikeout, a flyout and a groundout in the bottom of the eighth inning for the game's first 1-2-3 frame.
// KEY INNINGS
Bottom of the Third
The Cougars broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the third inning when Bradley Dixon doubled to left field with a pair of runners in scoring position for a 2-0 lead.
Top of the Fifth
After the Bearcats scored one in the fourth inning, Bumpass tied the score at 2-2 with a one-out opposite-field solo homerun, his first of the season.
Bottom of the Fifth
College of Charleston wasted no time regaining the lead, hitting a homerun of its own in the home half of the fifth inning for a 4-2 advantage.
Top of the Seventh
With junior Kyle Mottice (Canal Fulton, Ohio/Jaskcon) on first, Bumpass came back from a 0-2 count and fought off four straight foul balls before hitting a triple to center field to get UC within 4-3. The ball flew over the centerfielder and off the wall while Mottice's head-first slide into home plate just beat the throw to make it a one-run ballgame.
Top of the Ninth
Mercer led off the frame with his first-career hit to put the tying run on board for the Bearcats. A sacrifice bunt my Mottice moved Mercer over before Bumpass' fourth hit of the game put runners on the corners with one out. Cincinnati could not score the tying run in two chances, however, as Ocker struck out the final two batters to end the game.
// UP NEXT
Cincinnati and College of Charleston continue their series with a 2:30 p.m. first pitch on Saturday, Feb. 25, from the Ballpark at Patriot's Point.
// 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 24 home matches can be purchased for as little $15. For more information, visit GoBEARCATS.com/tickets or call 1-877-CATS-TIX.