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CINCINNATI - The University of Cincinnati baseball team got a pair of home runs and its first triple place in almost four years, but lost to Tulane 6-2 in American Athletic Conference action, Saturday at Marge Schott Stadium.
Treg Haberkorn (Leo, Ind./Leo) and Ryan Noda (Volo, Ill./Grant) both hit solo homers to plate the UC runs. The Bearcats had eight hits but stranded 10 runners on the base paths.
In the top of the sixth inning with runners on second and third and no one out, the Green Wave's Hunter Williams lined a ball of A.J. Kullman's (Powell, Ohio/Olentangy Liberty) leg into the glove of Manny Rodriguez (Brooklyn, N.Y./Calvert Hall) who threw it to Noda for the first out. Noda tossed it across the diamond to Connor McVey (Mason, Ohio/Mason) for the second out and McVey relayed it to Eric Santiago (Bethlehem, Pa./Notre Dame Green Pond) for the 1-6-3-5-4 triple play to end the inning. UC's last triple play was on April 14, Rutgers.
J.P France had a solid outing for Tulane (14-17, 4-1 American), going 7.0 innings and giving up a single run on seven hits with three strikeouts and a walk. J.T. Perez took the loss for the Bearcats (14-16, 1-4 American), falling to 1-5 on the season.
Noda and Haberkorn were both 2-for-4 with a home run and RBI while Haberkorn added a double. A.J. Bumpass (Rougemont, N.C./Northern) was 1-for-4 with a double. R.J. Thompson (Mason, Ohio/Mason) had a hit and a pair of walks.
// NOTABLE
· Tulane leads the all-time series 41-9.
· UC closed out the sixth with a 1-6-3-5-4 triple play, the Bearcats' first since Apri 14, 2103 vs. Rutgers.
· UC had eight or more hits for the seventh-straight game.
· Noda has a hit in 13 straight games
· Haberkorn hit his second home run of the week and fourth of the season.
· Noda leads UC with five round trippers, Haberkorn is second with four and Bumpass sits third with three
// KEY INNINGS
Top of the Second
Kody Hoese and Kobi Owen hit back-to-back singles to put two runners on with one out. Paul struck out swinging and Jake Willsey walked to load the bases. Grant Witherspoon cleared the bases with a double into the left-field corner and put Tulane up 3-0.
Top of the Fifth
Hunter Williams bunted a single down the line to third base and Jarret DeHart doubled to right field. Hunter Hope was intentionally walked to load the bases and Perez was pulled for Kullman. Hoese struck out looking, but Owen singled up the middle to score Williams and DeHart moving the Green Wave's lead to 5-0.
Bottom of the Fifth
Haberkorn tagged his second homer of the week and fourth of the season with one out in the fifth. The junior knocked pitch over the right-field fence and into the Fifth Third Arena construction site.
Top of the Sixth
Tulane added a single run in the sixth after Willsey led off with a triple and scored on a Witherspoon single through the right side.
Bottom of the Eighth
Noda hit a one-out home run off the video board in right-center field, his fifth of the season.
// UP NEXT
The Sunday series finale between the Bearcats and Green Wave is set for a noon start at Marge Schott Stadium. The game, originally scheduled for 1 p.m. ET changed to accommodate Tulane's travel schedule. Sunday is Family Day. For $20, families can get four tickets, four hot and four 12-ounce fountain drinks. A free youth clinic will take place after the game for registered participants.
// HOW TO FOLLOW THE ACTION
Live audio and video coverage of the weekend set against the Green Wave 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 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.