TicketsCINCINNATI – University of Cincinnati baseball nearly pulled off an epic finish to the 2018 regular season, but ultimately fell just short as it lost 8-6 in game one and 9-8 in game two in a double header with USF on Friday.
The Bearcats finish the regular season 28-26 and 12-12 in conference play. UC will be the No. 6 seed in next week's American Athletic Conference Tournament in Clearwater, Florida. The team will face No. 3 UConn at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, May 23.
GAME ONE: USF 8, UC 6
// NOTABLES
• Kyle Mottice went 3-for-5 in the day's opener after a 4-for-4 night at the plate on Thursday
• Manny Rodriguez, A.J. Bumpass and Joey Wiemer all hit homeruns
• Wiemer and Connor McVey each had two RBI
• Jalen Wade went 4.2 innings in the start
• Isaac Olson followed with 3.0 innings of work before Jarod Yoakam threw a scoreless 1.1 frames
// KEY INNINGS
Top of the 1st
• Two doubles by the Bulls allowed them to take an early one-run lead
Bottom of the 2nd
• A solo homerun by Bumpass to lead off the inning tied the game
Top of the 3rd
• USF got back in front with three runs on two walks, a single and a double
Top of the 4th
• The Bulls added two more in the next inning on a hit batter, single and double to take a 6-1 lead
Bottom of the 4th
• The Bearcats worked back into the game with three runs in the fourth. Rodriguez led off with a solo homerun to left center field. Bumpass walked after that before Wiemer hit one out to left center
Bottom of the 5th
• It became a two-run game when DeAnna and Mottice singled and an error put runners on the corners. DeAnna scored on a sacrifice fly by McVey
Top of the 6th
• USF was able to get two runs back on a single, walk, double and sacrifice fly of their own
Bottom of the 9th
• The Bearcats looked to rally in the last frame but fell short. DeAnna reached on a catcher's interference and scored later on singles by Mottice and McVey. A sharp line drive caught by the pitcher on a great defensive play and a strikeout ended the game
GAME TWO: USF 9, UC 8
// NOTABLES
• Mottice continued his big week with a 3-for-4 performance with a RBI and two runs scored. He also stole two bases
• Rodriguez and Treg Haberkorn both doubled in the game. Rodriguez led with three RBI
• With reaching in both games on the day, Rodriguez reached base in every game played this season to put his streak at 51
• Senior Tristan Hammans got the start and fellow senior A.J. Olasz pitched well in relief. Olasz threw 2.2 scoreless innings with four strikeouts
// KEY INNINGS
Top of the 3rd
• The Bulls were able to take an early lead again, this time with three runs. A double, homerun then a double and single made up the damage
Top of the 2nd
• USF made it 4-0 on a solo homerun
Bottom of the 2nd
• The Bearcats broke through after Wiemer and Haberkorn walked and Wiemer scored on a single by Cael Baker
Bottom of the 4th
• WIemer again walked and score for add a UC tally. After the walk, he stole second and advanced to third on an error. A Mottice single sent him home
Top of the 5th
• The Bulls added three runs on a double, walk, two singles, another walk and a sacrifice fly
Bottom of the 7th
• Down 7-2, the Bearcats started to chip away. Mottice and McVey were both hit by pitches and then pulled off a double steal. An error allowed Bumpass to reach and for both runs to come home. With two runners on after Eric Santiago singled and two outs in the inning, lightning delayed the game for three hours and five minutes
Top of the 8th
• After the lengthy delay, USF scored one on a double and single to increase its lead to four runs
Bottom of the 8th
• That deficit was quickly erased by UC. Haberkorn started the bottom of the frame with a double, then Baker walked and Mottice singled to load the bases. McVey earned the first RBI of the inning on a four-pitch walk. The loudest hit of the night came as Rodriguez doubled down the left field line to clear the bases and tie the game at eight
Top of the 9th
• A double and single in the top of the ninth let USF take the lead back. UC got a runner on in the bottom of the inning but could not come up with any more heroics
// UP NEXT
• The AAC Tournament begins Tuesday, May 22 in Clearwater, Florida
• No. 6 UC will face No. 3 UConn on Wednesday at 3 p.m.
• It is a double elimination tournament with the winner receiving an automatic bid into the NCAA tournament
// FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
Stay connected with Bearcats Baseball on Facebook (GoBearcatsBase), Twitter (@GoBearcatsBase) and Instagram (GoBearcatsBase)
The Bearcats finish the regular season 28-26 and 12-12 in conference play. UC will be the No. 6 seed in next week's American Athletic Conference Tournament in Clearwater, Florida. The team will face No. 3 UConn at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, May 23.
GAME ONE: USF 8, UC 6
// NOTABLES
• Kyle Mottice went 3-for-5 in the day's opener after a 4-for-4 night at the plate on Thursday
• Manny Rodriguez, A.J. Bumpass and Joey Wiemer all hit homeruns
• Wiemer and Connor McVey each had two RBI
• Jalen Wade went 4.2 innings in the start
• Isaac Olson followed with 3.0 innings of work before Jarod Yoakam threw a scoreless 1.1 frames
// KEY INNINGS
Top of the 1st
• Two doubles by the Bulls allowed them to take an early one-run lead
Bottom of the 2nd
• A solo homerun by Bumpass to lead off the inning tied the game
Top of the 3rd
• USF got back in front with three runs on two walks, a single and a double
Top of the 4th
• The Bulls added two more in the next inning on a hit batter, single and double to take a 6-1 lead
Bottom of the 4th
• The Bearcats worked back into the game with three runs in the fourth. Rodriguez led off with a solo homerun to left center field. Bumpass walked after that before Wiemer hit one out to left center
Bottom of the 5th
• It became a two-run game when DeAnna and Mottice singled and an error put runners on the corners. DeAnna scored on a sacrifice fly by McVey
Top of the 6th
• USF was able to get two runs back on a single, walk, double and sacrifice fly of their own
Bottom of the 9th
• The Bearcats looked to rally in the last frame but fell short. DeAnna reached on a catcher's interference and scored later on singles by Mottice and McVey. A sharp line drive caught by the pitcher on a great defensive play and a strikeout ended the game
GAME TWO: USF 9, UC 8
// NOTABLES
• Mottice continued his big week with a 3-for-4 performance with a RBI and two runs scored. He also stole two bases
• Rodriguez and Treg Haberkorn both doubled in the game. Rodriguez led with three RBI
• With reaching in both games on the day, Rodriguez reached base in every game played this season to put his streak at 51
• Senior Tristan Hammans got the start and fellow senior A.J. Olasz pitched well in relief. Olasz threw 2.2 scoreless innings with four strikeouts
// KEY INNINGS
Top of the 3rd
• The Bulls were able to take an early lead again, this time with three runs. A double, homerun then a double and single made up the damage
Top of the 2nd
• USF made it 4-0 on a solo homerun
Bottom of the 2nd
• The Bearcats broke through after Wiemer and Haberkorn walked and Wiemer scored on a single by Cael Baker
Bottom of the 4th
• WIemer again walked and score for add a UC tally. After the walk, he stole second and advanced to third on an error. A Mottice single sent him home
Top of the 5th
• The Bulls added three runs on a double, walk, two singles, another walk and a sacrifice fly
Bottom of the 7th
• Down 7-2, the Bearcats started to chip away. Mottice and McVey were both hit by pitches and then pulled off a double steal. An error allowed Bumpass to reach and for both runs to come home. With two runners on after Eric Santiago singled and two outs in the inning, lightning delayed the game for three hours and five minutes
Top of the 8th
• After the lengthy delay, USF scored one on a double and single to increase its lead to four runs
Bottom of the 8th
• That deficit was quickly erased by UC. Haberkorn started the bottom of the frame with a double, then Baker walked and Mottice singled to load the bases. McVey earned the first RBI of the inning on a four-pitch walk. The loudest hit of the night came as Rodriguez doubled down the left field line to clear the bases and tie the game at eight
Top of the 9th
• A double and single in the top of the ninth let USF take the lead back. UC got a runner on in the bottom of the inning but could not come up with any more heroics
// UP NEXT
• The AAC Tournament begins Tuesday, May 22 in Clearwater, Florida
• No. 6 UC will face No. 3 UConn on Wednesday at 3 p.m.
• It is a double elimination tournament with the winner receiving an automatic bid into the NCAA tournament
// FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
Stay connected with Bearcats Baseball on Facebook (GoBearcatsBase), Twitter (@GoBearcatsBase) and Instagram (GoBearcatsBase)