TicketsCINCINNATI – University of Cincinnati baseball swept a doubleheader against UCF on Saturday to win the conference series. The Bearcats took the first game 8-3 behind a twelve-strikeout performance from Evan Shawver then walked off in the second game thanks to a two-run homerun off the bat of Joey Wiemer.
UC moves up to 16-19 on the season and 7-5 in American Athletic Conference play while the two losses put UCF at 22-14 and 4-8.
GAME ONE
// NOTABLES
• Shawver had a terrific start, going 7.0 strong innings with a career-high 12 strikeouts. He allowed two runs on three hits while walking two
• Shawver and Garrett Schoenle have both recorded 12 strikeouts in a game this year; before Schoenle, no Bearcats pitcher had struck out 12 or more batters since February 2006
• Clayton Colvin followed with an inning of relief and Nathan Moore finished the game on the mound
• Joey Bellini had a big game at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two RBI and a walk
• Griffin Merritt was also 3-for-4 with two runs scored
// KEY INNINGS
Top of the 1st
• A solo homerun gave the Knights an early lead
Bottom of the 3rd
• The Bearcats posted a big six-run inning to take a lead they would not relinquish. Merritt started it with a single before moving to second on a sacrifice bunt by Jeremy Johnson and then to third on a balk. After Jace Mercer walked and stole second, Bellini sent Merritt home on a base hit. Wyatt Stapp also singled to pick up a RBI. Wiemer followed with a single of his own to load the bases. Mitch Holding was issued a walk to make it a 3-1 game. A.J. Bumpass had the biggest swing of the inning, a double to right center to score two. The sixth run came via a sacrifice fly by Eric Santiago
Top of the 5th
• UCF got a run back after a walk, double and RBI ground out
Bottom of the 6th
• However, UC put its lead back at five after Stapp was hit by a pitch with bases loaded
Top of the 8th
• Both teams tacked one run on in the eighth. The Knights scored on a walk, sacrifice bunt, ground out and error
Bottom of the 8th
• The final run of the game came when Merritt singled, Johnson reached on a fielder's choice and Bellini singled a run home
GAME TWO
// NOTABLES
• Bellini had another big game with two more hits in three at-bats with a walk and two runs scored
• Stapp and Wiemer also had two hits and each scored a run
• Garrett Schoenle went 4.2 innings in the start and was relieved by Nick Murray
• Chase Stewart threw 3.0 solid frames out of the bullpen with no runs, one hit one walk and two strikeouts
• Clayton Colvin earned the win by throwing the top of the ninth with no runs, one hit, one walk and one strikeout
// KEY INNINGS
Top of the 2nd
• UCF was the first to strike in the second game, scoring on a walk, single and two errors
Bottom of the 2nd
• UC tied it up when Santiago doubled, Bumpass walked, Merritt had a RBI single and DeAnna got a RBI on a ground out
Bottom of the 3rd
• The Bearcats took a 4-2 lead in the next frame. Bellini singled before Stapp doubled down the right field line to send him home. Wiemer followed with a single to move Stapp over and he scored on a passed ball
Top of the 5th
• The Knights scored four to take back control of the game. Those runs came on a single, triple, two walks, wild pitch and a double
Bottom of the 5th
• UC got a run back to make it a one-run game after Bellini and Stapp hit base hits and Bellini was able to come across home later on a wild pitch
Bottom of the 9th
• Before Wiemer won it, Santiago turned a head's up double-play in the eighth when the Knights had a runner on third with one out. That kept UC's deficit at just one run to set up the heroics. The final inning started when Mercer walked on a full count and was moved over on a sacrifice bunt by Bellini. Mercer was then moved over to third when Stapp grounded out. But, it didn't matter what base Mercer was on as Wiemer lifted a 2-2 pitch clear over the left field wall to touch them all and win the game
// UP NEXT
• The series concluded with the Saturday doubleheader. There is no Sunday game
• UC remains home on Tuesday to host Miami
• AAC play continues next week with a trip to Houston
// FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
Stay connected with Bearcats Baseball on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
UC moves up to 16-19 on the season and 7-5 in American Athletic Conference play while the two losses put UCF at 22-14 and 4-8.
GAME ONE
// NOTABLES
• Shawver had a terrific start, going 7.0 strong innings with a career-high 12 strikeouts. He allowed two runs on three hits while walking two
• Shawver and Garrett Schoenle have both recorded 12 strikeouts in a game this year; before Schoenle, no Bearcats pitcher had struck out 12 or more batters since February 2006
• Clayton Colvin followed with an inning of relief and Nathan Moore finished the game on the mound
• Joey Bellini had a big game at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two RBI and a walk
• Griffin Merritt was also 3-for-4 with two runs scored
// KEY INNINGS
Top of the 1st
• A solo homerun gave the Knights an early lead
Bottom of the 3rd
• The Bearcats posted a big six-run inning to take a lead they would not relinquish. Merritt started it with a single before moving to second on a sacrifice bunt by Jeremy Johnson and then to third on a balk. After Jace Mercer walked and stole second, Bellini sent Merritt home on a base hit. Wyatt Stapp also singled to pick up a RBI. Wiemer followed with a single of his own to load the bases. Mitch Holding was issued a walk to make it a 3-1 game. A.J. Bumpass had the biggest swing of the inning, a double to right center to score two. The sixth run came via a sacrifice fly by Eric Santiago
Top of the 5th
• UCF got a run back after a walk, double and RBI ground out
Bottom of the 6th
• However, UC put its lead back at five after Stapp was hit by a pitch with bases loaded
Top of the 8th
• Both teams tacked one run on in the eighth. The Knights scored on a walk, sacrifice bunt, ground out and error
Bottom of the 8th
• The final run of the game came when Merritt singled, Johnson reached on a fielder's choice and Bellini singled a run home
GAME TWO
// NOTABLES
• Bellini had another big game with two more hits in three at-bats with a walk and two runs scored
• Stapp and Wiemer also had two hits and each scored a run
• Garrett Schoenle went 4.2 innings in the start and was relieved by Nick Murray
• Chase Stewart threw 3.0 solid frames out of the bullpen with no runs, one hit one walk and two strikeouts
• Clayton Colvin earned the win by throwing the top of the ninth with no runs, one hit, one walk and one strikeout
// KEY INNINGS
Top of the 2nd
• UCF was the first to strike in the second game, scoring on a walk, single and two errors
Bottom of the 2nd
• UC tied it up when Santiago doubled, Bumpass walked, Merritt had a RBI single and DeAnna got a RBI on a ground out
Bottom of the 3rd
• The Bearcats took a 4-2 lead in the next frame. Bellini singled before Stapp doubled down the right field line to send him home. Wiemer followed with a single to move Stapp over and he scored on a passed ball
Top of the 5th
• The Knights scored four to take back control of the game. Those runs came on a single, triple, two walks, wild pitch and a double
Bottom of the 5th
• UC got a run back to make it a one-run game after Bellini and Stapp hit base hits and Bellini was able to come across home later on a wild pitch
Bottom of the 9th
• Before Wiemer won it, Santiago turned a head's up double-play in the eighth when the Knights had a runner on third with one out. That kept UC's deficit at just one run to set up the heroics. The final inning started when Mercer walked on a full count and was moved over on a sacrifice bunt by Bellini. Mercer was then moved over to third when Stapp grounded out. But, it didn't matter what base Mercer was on as Wiemer lifted a 2-2 pitch clear over the left field wall to touch them all and win the game
// UP NEXT
• The series concluded with the Saturday doubleheader. There is no Sunday game
• UC remains home on Tuesday to host Miami
• AAC play continues next week with a trip to Houston
// FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
Stay connected with Bearcats Baseball on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.