TicketsNEW ORLEANS – University of Cincinnati baseball lost a tough one on Saturday afternoon, dropping a lead, getting it back late, then losing in the bottom of the ninth to Tulane by a score of 8-7.
UC scored three in the sixth to break a 1-1 tie before Tulane got two runs back in the bottom of the inning to make it a one-run game. The Bearcats scored one run in the final three frames, but the Green Wave responded with a four-run seventh and one in the ninth to take the contest.
// NOTABLES
• The Bearcats move to 9-12 on the season in 0-2 in conference play while the Green Wave jumps to 11-13 and 2-0
• Manny Rodriguez, A.J. Bumpass and Joey Wiemer all had two-hit days. Rodriguez scored three runs and was walked twice. Bumpass had a homerun and two RBI
• Nathan Kroger went 5.0 innings in the start, giving up three runs on five hits with two walks and five strikeouts. Fifty of his 73 pitches were thrown for strikes
// KEY INNINGS
Bottom of the 2nd
• The first hit of the game was a ball lifted to center field with the wind blowing out. It escaped the ballpark to give the Green Wave an early one-run advantage
Top of the 4th
• Rodriguez walked and came around to score on a single by Joey Wiemer, tying the game
Top of the 6th
• The Bearcats broke the game open in the sixth. Mottice started off the frame with a double when two Green Wave outfielders watched a ball drop between them. Rodriguez scored Mottice on a single up the middle. Bumpass put the lead at three runs on a homerun out to right field
Top of the 7th
• A four-pitch, leadoff walk to Jace Mercer came back to hurt the Green Wave. Treg Haberkorn moved Mercer over to second on a sacrifice bunt and a fielder's choice put Mercer on third. A wild pitch got away from Tulane's catcher and Mercer used his speed to score
Bottom of the 7th
• Two doubles by Tulane gave it a run back, putting the game at 5-4. Later in the inning after a walk, an error tied the game at five each. A bloop single to left put the Green Wave in front by one. A RBI double put the home team's lead at 7-5
Top of the 8th
• Wiemer led off with a walk and came home to score on sacrifice fly by Cole Murphy
Top of the 9th
• UC took the lead with one run in the final frame. Rodriguez doubled and hustled around the bases a few at-bats later on a wild pitch to score a game-tying run
Bottom of the 9th
• Tulane started off the bottom half of the inning with a double. UC then intentionally walked the next two batters to load the bases. Defensively, the Bearcats pulled an outfielder and went with a five man infield. The Green Wave batter chopped a ball that bounced behind third. Connor McVey tried to make a play on it but the base hit allowed a run to score and handed Tulane the walk-off victory
// UP NEXT
• The series finale at Tulane will be played on Sunday at noon
• The Bearcats will remain on the road in midweek action to take on Louisville Tuesday, March 27
• UC hosts Houston next weekend with games set to be played Thursday, Friday and Saturday at Marge Schott Stadium
// FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
Stay connected with Bearcats Baseball on Facebook (GoBearcatsBase), Twitter (@GoBearcatsBase) and Instagram (GoBearcatsBase)
UC scored three in the sixth to break a 1-1 tie before Tulane got two runs back in the bottom of the inning to make it a one-run game. The Bearcats scored one run in the final three frames, but the Green Wave responded with a four-run seventh and one in the ninth to take the contest.
// NOTABLES
• The Bearcats move to 9-12 on the season in 0-2 in conference play while the Green Wave jumps to 11-13 and 2-0
• Manny Rodriguez, A.J. Bumpass and Joey Wiemer all had two-hit days. Rodriguez scored three runs and was walked twice. Bumpass had a homerun and two RBI
• Nathan Kroger went 5.0 innings in the start, giving up three runs on five hits with two walks and five strikeouts. Fifty of his 73 pitches were thrown for strikes
// KEY INNINGS
Bottom of the 2nd
• The first hit of the game was a ball lifted to center field with the wind blowing out. It escaped the ballpark to give the Green Wave an early one-run advantage
Top of the 4th
• Rodriguez walked and came around to score on a single by Joey Wiemer, tying the game
Top of the 6th
• The Bearcats broke the game open in the sixth. Mottice started off the frame with a double when two Green Wave outfielders watched a ball drop between them. Rodriguez scored Mottice on a single up the middle. Bumpass put the lead at three runs on a homerun out to right field
Top of the 7th
• A four-pitch, leadoff walk to Jace Mercer came back to hurt the Green Wave. Treg Haberkorn moved Mercer over to second on a sacrifice bunt and a fielder's choice put Mercer on third. A wild pitch got away from Tulane's catcher and Mercer used his speed to score
Bottom of the 7th
• Two doubles by Tulane gave it a run back, putting the game at 5-4. Later in the inning after a walk, an error tied the game at five each. A bloop single to left put the Green Wave in front by one. A RBI double put the home team's lead at 7-5
Top of the 8th
• Wiemer led off with a walk and came home to score on sacrifice fly by Cole Murphy
Top of the 9th
• UC took the lead with one run in the final frame. Rodriguez doubled and hustled around the bases a few at-bats later on a wild pitch to score a game-tying run
Bottom of the 9th
• Tulane started off the bottom half of the inning with a double. UC then intentionally walked the next two batters to load the bases. Defensively, the Bearcats pulled an outfielder and went with a five man infield. The Green Wave batter chopped a ball that bounced behind third. Connor McVey tried to make a play on it but the base hit allowed a run to score and handed Tulane the walk-off victory
// UP NEXT
• The series finale at Tulane will be played on Sunday at noon
• The Bearcats will remain on the road in midweek action to take on Louisville Tuesday, March 27
• UC hosts Houston next weekend with games set to be played Thursday, Friday and Saturday at Marge Schott Stadium
// FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
Stay connected with Bearcats Baseball on Facebook (GoBearcatsBase), Twitter (@GoBearcatsBase) and Instagram (GoBearcatsBase)