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CINCINNATI -- The University of Cincinnati baseball team handed No. 1 Louisville its first loss of the season on Tuesday night, beating the Cardinals 6-3 at Marge Schott Stadium. Freshman Nathan Kroger (Loveland, Ohio/Milford) made his first-career start for the Bearcats to pick up the win while junior David Orndorff (Pasadena, California/Pasadena Polytechnic) earned his third consecutive save to secure the victory.
The win was the biggest in program history and the first time the Bearcats have ever beaten the No. 1 ranked team. The loss was the first of the season for Louisville which entered the game at 19-0 and was the last undefeated team in the NCAA.
The Bearcats never trailed in the game after opening the scoring in the first inning and adding a big four-run second inning to extend the lead. Junior Kyle Mottice (Canal Fulton, Ohio/Jackson) led the offense with two hits, two RBIs and a run scored while junior Joey Thomas (Mason, Ohio/Mason) and freshman Eric Santiago (Bethlehem, Pa./Notre Dame Green Pond) also added a pair of hits.
// NOTABLES
- With the win, Cincinnati improves to 10-9 on the season while No. 1 Louisville suffered its first loss and moves to 19-1.
- Kroger earned his first-career win while Orndorff picked up the save in the third consecutive game for the Bearcats. UofL starting pitcher Michael McAvene (1-1) took the loss.
- After going 18-7 at home last season, the Bearcats open play at Marge Schott Stadium with a 6-1 record and wins over No. 1 Louisville, Kentucky, Indiana, Miami (Ohio) and Northeastern (twice).
- It was the biggest in program history and the first time UC has beaten a top-10 team since April 2015 when it beat No. 6 UCF twice in a three game series played at Marge Schott Stadium.
- It was Cincinnati's first game vs. the top-ranked team in college baseball since the opening weekend of the 2006 season when it lost three games at No. 1 Florida.
- It was the first win over Louisville for the Bearcats since a 5-2 decision on April 10, 2011, at MSS.
- Senior R.J. Thompson (Mason, Ohio/Mason) tied a career high with three walks in the game and added a hit and a run scored.
- Redshirt junior Connor McVey (Mason, Ohio/Mason) scored a game-high two runs with a hit and an RBI.
- Regular weekend starting pitchers Andrew Zellner (Farmersville, Ohio/Valley View), J.T. Perez (Orrville, Ohio/Orrville) and Orndorff all pitched an inning of relief to lock down the victory for the Bearcats.
- The announced attendance of 1,709 is the seventh-largest crowd to ever see a game at Marge Schott Stadium.
// KEY INNINGS
Bottom of the First
The Bearcats jumped to an early 1-0 lead in the first inning after McVey reached base on a two-out hit-by-pitch. Thompson singled him to second before a chopped single by Santiago brought home the game's first run.
Top of the Second
Louisville answered in the second with a run of its own when a throwing error by Cincinnati on a stolen base allowed Drew Ellis to score.
Bottom of the Second
The Bearcats offense came alive in the bottom of the second, scoring four runs on four hits as all nine batters came to the plate. Juniors Manny Rodriguez (Brooklyn, N.Y./Calvert Hall) and Ryan Noda (Volo, Ill./Grant) led off the frame with back-to-back singles before a one-out single by Mottice careened off the glove of the UofL shortstop and into left field, scoring a pair of runs for a 3-1 Cincinnati lead. A single by McVey scored Mottice from second before two walks to Thompson and Santiago loaded the bases. A failed pick-off attempt by the catcher then allowed McVey to scamper home and the Bearcats took a 5-1 lead after just two innings.
Top of the Fourth
The Cardinals got a run back in the fourth and threatened more when junior pitcher Jarod Yoakam (Marysville, Ohio/Marysville) entered with the bases loaded and two outs. The righty got Logan Taylor to hit a ball high in the air that junior Treg Haberkorn (Leo, Ind./Leo) tracked down in centerfield to preserve a 5-2 lead.
Bottom of the Fourth
Thompson led off the inning with a four-pitch walk and scored two batters later on a single by Haberkorn to immediately push the Cincinnati lead back to four runs at 6-2.
Top of the Eighth
Louisville used an error and back-to-back hits to score a run and cut the UC lead to 6-3 with no outs in the eighth inning. Zellner responded by locking in on the mound, striking out back-to-back batters and getting a groundout to Mottice to escape with the Cincinnati lead intact.
Top of the Ninth
Orndorff entered in the ninth and tossed a perfect frame, including a strikeout to Devin Hairston to end the game and secure the biggest win in UC program history.
// UP NEXT
The Bearcats travel to Bloomington, Indiana, on Wednesday, March 22, for a rematch with the Indiana Hoosiers. The game will be played at 4:35 p.m. from Bart Kaufman Field.
// 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.