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CINCINNATI – J.T. Perez (Orrville, Ohio/Orrville) had a season-high eight strikeouts and Treg Haberkorn (Leo, Ind./Leo) finished 2-for-3 with three runs batted in as the University of Cincinnati baseball team opened a weekend series with an 8-2 win over American Athletic Conference foe East Carolina, Friday at Marge Schott Stadium.
Perez had his best outing of the year, going 7.0 scoreless innings giving up seven hits and a walk while striking out eight. He moved his record to 2-5 on the season. ECU starter Trey Burton got the loss and falls to 3-2.
Haberkorn hit a bases-clearing triple down the right-field line with one out in the sixth inning to pad a three-run lead. Haberkorn also scored twice on the night. Haberkorn singled up the middle in the third to score Joey Thomas (Mason, Ohio/Mason) and put the Bearcats on the board first. UC's second run in the inning came when Ryan Noda (Volo, Ill./Grant) was hit by a pitch to score R.J. Thompson (Mason, Ohio/Mason).
Cincinnati (20-18, 5-5 American) has won six of eight and snapped the Pirates (20-19, 0-10 American) six-game winning streak in Cincinnati.
Five UC players, Haberkorn, Manny Rodriguez (Brooklyn, N.Y./Calvert Hall), Thompson, A.J. Bumpass (Rougemont, N.C./Northern) and Thomas, each had two hits with Rodriguez adding a pair of RBIs and Thompson plating one run. Connor McVey (Mason, Ohio/Mason) also had a hit and RBI.
// NOTABLE
· UC is 12-7 at Marge Schott Stadium in 2017.
· Rodriguez and Thompson have nine hits over UC's last seven games while McVey has eight.
· Noda was hit by a pitch for the ninth time this season, a mark that ties him for the lead in the American Athletic Conference.
· Tristan Hammans (Bakersfield, Calif./Garces Memorial) threw two innings of relief, giving up two runs on three hits and striking out one.
· Kyle Mottice (Canal Fulton, Ohio/Jackson) and Jace Mercer (Johns Creek, Ga./Johns Creek) both had stolen bases in the game. Mercer leads the team with seven swipes, while Mottice has four.
// KEY INNINGS
Bottom of the Third
Thomas led off with a single up the middle and advanced to second on a failed pickoff and error by the pitcher. Rodriguez hit a sacrifice bunt and Thomas moved up to third. Haberkorn singled up the middle to score Thomas. Thompson reached on a fielder's choice and Haberkorn was thrown out at second. Bumpass singled through the left side and both runners moved up on an error by the left fielder. McVey walked to load the bases and Noda was hit by a pitch to score Thompson and give UC a 2-0 lead.
Bottom of the Fifth
Haberkorn was hit by a pitch, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Thompson and took third on a single through the right side by Bumpass. McVey singled to the first baseman and Haberkorn scored to make the margin 3-0 in favor of the Bearcats.
Bottom of the Sixth
Three UC runners came home in the sixth and the score was 6-0 UC. Thomas hit a one-out double to left center and Benton was pulled for Sam Lanier. Rodriguez hit a single to right field and Haberkorn tripled down the right-field line to score Thomas and Rodriguez. Thompson singled to right and scored Haberkorn to chase Lanier from the game in favor of Kirkpatrick.
Bottom of the Seventh
Mottice reached on an error by the first baseman and Mercer walked. Thomas struck out but Mottice and Mercer executed a double steal to perfection. Rodriguez singled up the middle to score both Mottice and Mercer and UC led 8-2.
Top of the Ninth
Pinch hitter T.J. Riles lofted the first pitch he saw over the right-field fence to put ECU on the board. Tyler hit a one-out single up the middle and tripled down the right-field line to score Tyler. Hammans induced a fly out and grounder to end the game.
// UP NEXT
UC continues a three-game American Athletic Conference weekend series against the Pirates. Saturday's game is scheduled to start at 4 p.m. and Sunday's series finale will go at noon.
// ECU SERIES PROMOTIONS
It's a busy weekend of promotions at Marge Schott Stadium, including UC's first-ever Bark in the Park on Sunday. Signature Saturday is scheduled for a 4 p.m. first pitch. Collect the fifth pack in a season-long trading card series and get them signed by select Bearcats on the concourse. The series wraps up Sunday with Bark in the Park and Family Day beginning at noon. The first 250 dogs (or dog owners) will receive a Cincinnati Bearcats bandana presented by Nathan's Famous Hot Dogs. Bark in the Park participants will enjoy the game from a special section down the first base line. After the game, fans can take the field to run the bases. Family day packages are available for $20. Participating families can receive four tickets, four hot dogs and four 12-ounce sodas for $20.
// HOW TO FOLLOW THE ACTION
Live video and audio coverage of the weekend series against the Pirates will be available through the BearcatsTV platform on GoBEARCATS.com. Matt Noonan (play-by-play) will call the action.
// FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
For all the latest information on Cincinnati baseball, please visitGoBEARCATS.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
Single-game tickets are just $5 for adults, $3 for youth and seniors, and $1 for groups of 20 or more. For tickets, call 1-877-CATS-TIX or visit GoBEARCATS.com/tickets.