TicketsBOCA RATON, Fla. – University of Cincinnati took an early lead then battled all night, but ultimately lost in eleven innings by a score of 8-7 Saturday night at Florida Atlantic.
// NOTABLES
• Joey Wiemer went 3-for-5 at the plate with a walk, run scored and RBI
• Wyatt Stapp finished 2-for-6 with two RBI
• Jace Mercer scored two runs as the leadoff batter, adding in a hit, walk and sacrifice
• Nathan Kroger looked good in the start, going 4.2 innings with two runs, four hits, two walks and two strikeouts
• Korren Thompson followed in relief, making his UC debut with one strikeout in 0.2 innings
• Clayton Colvin followed out of the bullpen before freshman Evan Shawver made his first collegiate appearance
• Shawver got tagged with the loss despite a strong debut of 3.2 innings with one run and three hits
// KEY INNINGS
Top of the 3rd
• An error started the third and another one would put the Bearcats ahead. Eric Santiago reached on the Owls' fielding mistake and made his way to third on a Mercer sacrifice bunt and A.J. Bumpass groundout. Wiemer then walked to put runners on the corners with two outs. Cole Murphy put a ball in play that looked to end the inning, but catcher's interference loaded the bases for Stapp. Stapp slapped a single to right field on the first pitch of the at-bat to earn two RBI
Top of the 5th
• Mercer started the fifth with a display of speed as he reached on a bunt and stole second. He moved in to scoring position on a Wiemer base hit then scored when Murphy hit a sacrifice fly to center field
Bottom of the 5th
• With two outs, two on and two strikes, FAU singled in both base runners to get on the board. Thompson, who entered in relief and gave up the base hit, then ended the threat with a strikeout
Top of the 6th
• The Bearcats got those runs right back. Jeremy Johnson started the frame with a walk before Joey Bellini was hit by a pitch. Bases became loaded with no outs after Mitch Holding battled to a full count and earned a walk. Eric Santiago hit a single to the left side to advance every runner a base. Bumpass picked up an RBI with a fly ball to center for a sacrifice. Wiemer made it a 6-2 game when the shortstop couldn't make the throw to first on a ground ball as Holding came around to score.
Bottom of the 6th
• The Owls took their first lead of the game in the bottom of the sixth. After loading the bases on a hit batter, single and full-count walk, Colvin came in relief and got an out at home after making a play on a short-hopper to the mound. With two outs, the next batter walked on a full-count for one run before a homerun over the wall in left put FAU ahead by one
Top of the 8th
• UC fought back and tied the game late. Mercer walked and stole second. Wiemer then hit him home on a base hit to right field
Bottom of the 11th
• The game ended when FAU walked and hit a two-out double down the right field line to score the winning run
// UP NEXT
• The series finale is set for Sunday at 11:30 a.m.
• Next weekend the Bearcats travel to Houston Baptist for a three-game series
// FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
Stay connected with Bearcats Baseball on Facebook (GoBearcatsBase), Twitter (@GoBearcatsBase) and Instagram (GoBearcatsBase)
// NOTABLES
• Joey Wiemer went 3-for-5 at the plate with a walk, run scored and RBI
• Wyatt Stapp finished 2-for-6 with two RBI
• Jace Mercer scored two runs as the leadoff batter, adding in a hit, walk and sacrifice
• Nathan Kroger looked good in the start, going 4.2 innings with two runs, four hits, two walks and two strikeouts
• Korren Thompson followed in relief, making his UC debut with one strikeout in 0.2 innings
• Clayton Colvin followed out of the bullpen before freshman Evan Shawver made his first collegiate appearance
• Shawver got tagged with the loss despite a strong debut of 3.2 innings with one run and three hits
// KEY INNINGS
Top of the 3rd
• An error started the third and another one would put the Bearcats ahead. Eric Santiago reached on the Owls' fielding mistake and made his way to third on a Mercer sacrifice bunt and A.J. Bumpass groundout. Wiemer then walked to put runners on the corners with two outs. Cole Murphy put a ball in play that looked to end the inning, but catcher's interference loaded the bases for Stapp. Stapp slapped a single to right field on the first pitch of the at-bat to earn two RBI
Top of the 5th
• Mercer started the fifth with a display of speed as he reached on a bunt and stole second. He moved in to scoring position on a Wiemer base hit then scored when Murphy hit a sacrifice fly to center field
Bottom of the 5th
• With two outs, two on and two strikes, FAU singled in both base runners to get on the board. Thompson, who entered in relief and gave up the base hit, then ended the threat with a strikeout
Top of the 6th
• The Bearcats got those runs right back. Jeremy Johnson started the frame with a walk before Joey Bellini was hit by a pitch. Bases became loaded with no outs after Mitch Holding battled to a full count and earned a walk. Eric Santiago hit a single to the left side to advance every runner a base. Bumpass picked up an RBI with a fly ball to center for a sacrifice. Wiemer made it a 6-2 game when the shortstop couldn't make the throw to first on a ground ball as Holding came around to score.
Bottom of the 6th
• The Owls took their first lead of the game in the bottom of the sixth. After loading the bases on a hit batter, single and full-count walk, Colvin came in relief and got an out at home after making a play on a short-hopper to the mound. With two outs, the next batter walked on a full-count for one run before a homerun over the wall in left put FAU ahead by one
Top of the 8th
• UC fought back and tied the game late. Mercer walked and stole second. Wiemer then hit him home on a base hit to right field
Bottom of the 11th
• The game ended when FAU walked and hit a two-out double down the right field line to score the winning run
// UP NEXT
• The series finale is set for Sunday at 11:30 a.m.
• Next weekend the Bearcats travel to Houston Baptist for a three-game series
// FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
Stay connected with Bearcats Baseball on Facebook (GoBearcatsBase), Twitter (@GoBearcatsBase) and Instagram (GoBearcatsBase)