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MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Freshman Luke Turino (Toronto, Ontario/Birchmount Park Collegiate Institute) hit a two-out RBI single to score the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth inning in a 2-1 victory over Memphis Sunday in American Athletic Conference action at FedEx Park.
Turino singled through the right side to score Jace Mercer (Johns Creek, Ga./Johns Creek) and put the Bearcats ahead for good.
Cincinnati (24-23, 8-10 American) picked up the series win, splitting the season home-and-home with the Tigers with both teams winning on the road. Memphis fell to 25-23 (6-12 American).
A day after nearly tying a season high with 14 hits, UC ran into a buzzsaw in the form of Memphis starter Jonathan Bowlan, who carried a no-hitter into the top of the eighth inning until a leadoff single by Eric Santiago (Bethlehem, Pa./Notre Dame Green Pond) got the offense rolling.
UC tied things up in the eighth after a Kyle Mottice (Canal Fulton, Ohio/Jackson) ground-rule double over the wall in right scored Santiago. Bowlan ended up going 7.1 innings, giving up one run on one hit, walking two and striking out nine in a no-decision. Memphis closer Colton Hathcock took the loss, dropping his record to 2-3 on the year, his second blown save against UC this season.
Neither team had a hit in the first 2.5 innings, but Memphis broke through in the third with a two-out single. The Tigers loaded the bases with two outs, but UC starter A.J. Kullman (Powell, Ohio/Olentangy Liberty) induced a pop out to leave the runners stranded.
Memphis got on the scoreboard with a leadoff home run in the bottom of sixth from Chris Carrier, his second round tripper of the series.
David Orndorff (Pasadena, Calif./Pasadena Polytechnic) picked up the win after pitching four innings of nearly flawless relief for Kullman. Kullman went a season-long five innings in the , giving up one run on three hits with four strikeouts and three walks. Orndorff nearly faced the minimum, scattering two hits in the final 13 batters of the game with three strikeouts.
// NOTABLE
· Orndorff closed out a strong week that saw him earn his seventh save of 2017 in an inning of work at Wright State Tuesday and the win in relief on Sunday.
· Connor McVey (Mason, Ohio/Mason) had UC's only other hit of the game, a leadoff single in the ninth.
· After a seven-game road swing, UC returns to Marge Schott Stadium for five home games this week. The Bearcats will face Xavier at 11 a.m. ET Tuesday, Western Carolina at 6 p.m. Wednesday and welcome UCF in for a three-game conference series this weekend. Games on Friday, Saturday and Sunday are scheduled to start at 6 p.m., 4 p.m. and 1 p.m., respectively.
· Before Sunday's final home game of the season, seniors McVey, R.J. Thompson (Mason, Ohio/Mason) and Andrew Zellner (Farmersville, Ohio/Valley View) will be honored in a pregame ceremony.
// THE WEEK THAT WAS
· Despite being held hitless Sunday, Thompson hit .444 for the week, going 8-for-18 with two doubles, a home run, three runs driven in, a walk and seven runs scored.
· Santiago had five RBIs on three hits with two walks, two runs scored and a stolen base in four games this week.
· A.J. Bumpass (Rougemont, N.C./Northern) was also held hitless Sunday but finished the week with two hits, a home run, three RBIs, five walks, four runs scored and a pair of hits.
// INNINGS OF NOTE
Top of the Sixth
UC got its first base runner of the day when Mottice drew a two-out walk and later stole second and advanced to third on a pitch in the dirt.
Bottom of the Sixth
Memphis broke up the scoreless tie with Chris Carrier's second home run of the weekend, a leadoff shot over the fence in left-center field. Orndorff came out of the bullpen for Kullman.
Top of the Eighth
Santiago had a leadoff single to start the eighth, giving UC its first hit of the game. Santiago hit a pop up which was lost in the sun by Memphis 2B Brandon Grudzielanek. Hathcock relieved for Bowlan and Thomas drew a four-pitch, one-out walk. Mottice drilled a ground-rule double over the right fielder's head to score Thomas and knot things up at 1-1.
Top of the Ninth
UC took a 2-1 lead on single by in the top of the ninth. McVey hit a one-out bunt single to the pitcher but was caught stealing at second. Mercer drew a 3-1 walk, advanced to second on a passed ball and took third on a wild pitch. Santiago walked. Turino singled through the right side to score Mercer. Ramey ran for Turnio, but Thomas struck out swinging to end the inning.
// UP NEXT
UC welcomes Xavier for an 11 a.m. ET Fastballs & Fitness game at Marge Schott Stadium Tuesday. A near-sellout crowd is expected, as the Bearcats will welcome local schoolchildren to the stadium for an educational program involving fitness surrounding the baseball action. The two teams met on April 18, 2017, in the Joe Nuxhall Classic, a 9-1 Xavier win.
// HOW TO FOLLOW THE ACTION
Live video and audio coverage of all five UC home games this coming week is available 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.
// 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.