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JONESBORO, Ark. - After leading by as many as three runs in the early going, the University of Cincinnati baseball team fell victim to a late-inning comeback by Arkansas State, dropping a 5-4 decision to the Red Wolves on Friday night in Jonesboro, Arkansas. Senior R.J. Thompson (Mason, Ohio/Mason) led the way for the Bearcats with two hits, three RBIs and a run scored.
// NOTABLES
- With the loss, Cincinnati moves to 3-5 on the season while Arkansas State goes to 7-4
- Sophomore Relief pitcher A.J. Kullman (Powell, Ohio/Olentangy Liberty) took his first loss of the year to move his record to 2-1 after giving up three runs on two hits in 2.0 innings from the bullpen. A-State's Tanner Kirby earned the win in 3.0 innings of scoreless baseball for the Red Wolves.
- It was the second-ever meeting between the two teams. Arkansas State won the first game 55 years ago, a 2-0 decision on April 20, 1962.
- Thompson homered to right field in the third inning and is one of only four players in the American Athletic Conference to record a hit in each game this season. He later added a single and tied a career high with three RBIs on the night.
- Freshman Jace Mercer (Johns Creek, Ga./Johns Creek) scored a career-high two runs, marking the first time this season a Bearcats player scored multiple runs in a game. He also drew a career-high two walks.
- Senior ace Andrew Zellner (Farmersville, Ohio/Valley View) pitched his best outing of the season, going 6.0 innings with just two hits and two runs allowed while striking out a season-high nine batters.
- Despite the loss, the Bearcats outhit the Red Wolves six to four.
- Four of the team's five losses this season have come by two or fewer runs.
// KEY INNINGS
Top of the Third
The Bearcats broke a scoreless tie with three runs in the top of the third inning. With two outs, redshirt junior Connor McVey (Mason, Ohio/Mason) singled in Mercer before Thompson's homerun scored two more runs to give the Bearcats a commanding three-run lead.
Bottom of the Fourth
A leadoff hit-by-pitch came back to haunt Zellner when Jeremy Brown hit a 2-out, 2-RBI homerun to left field to cut the UC lead to a single run. He responded with a strikeout of the next batter to keep the score at 3-2.
Top of the Fifth
Mercer caused more problems for Arkansas State in the fifth inning when he reached on a walk and moved to second on a wild pitch. Again it was Thompson to bring him home with a 2-out single to give the Bearcats a 4-2 cushion.
Bottom of the Seventh
A 1-out double seemed to rattle relief pitcher Kullman who hit the next two batters to load the bases before issuing a walk to score an A-state run. He recorded a strikeout for the second out, but Joe Schrimpf hit a rocket down the right field line that just managed to stay fair, scoring two runs to give the Red Wolves its first lead of the game at 6-5.
// UP NEXT
Cincinnati and Arkansas State are back on the diamond on Saturday, March 4, at 3 p.m. ET/2 p.m. CT in Jonesboro, Arkansas. Junior lefty J.T. Perez (Orrville, Ohio/Orrville) will toe the rubber for the Bearcats while right-handed pitcher Peyton Culbertson is expected to get the start for the Red Wolves.
// FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
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// 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.