TicketsCLEARWATER, Fla. – University of Cincinnati baseball beat UCF 10-6 on Saturday afternoon to advance to the title game in the 2019 American Athletic Conference Tournament.
The No. 2 Bearcats will take on No. 4 UConn on Sunday at noon, live on ESPNews. UC won the series at UConn earlier this season when the Huskies were ranked No. 22 in the nation. Both teams are 3-0 this week heading into the championship game.
// NOTABLES
• UC improves to an even 29-29 on the season while UCF falls to 36-22
• Production at the plate continued to come from every spot in the order
• Jeremy Johnson led the way with a 3-for-4 days with a walk, RBI and run scored
• Wyatt Stapp and Joey Wiemer finished 2-for-4 with Stapp hitting a homerun and Wiemer hitting a double
• Joey Bellini and Cole Murphy both went 2-for-5. Murphy doubled and scored two runs while Bellini had a RBI
• A.J. Bumpass continued his hot pace with a homerun, sacrifice fly and two walks. He went 1-for-2 on the day
• Evan Shawver got through 3.1 innings in the start with four runs, three hits and four strikeouts
• A.J. Kullman earned the win after 2.2 frames with one run, three hits, one walk and four strikeouts
• Nick Murray also threw 2.2 innings in relief with one run, four hits, one walk and three strikeouts
• Korren Thompson entered the game and got the final out for his eleventh save this season
// KEY INNINGS
Top of the 2nd
• The Bearcats struck first on four hits in the second inning. With two outs, Murphy, Johnson and Santiago all singled to score the first run as Murphy successfully slid in home under the tag. Bellini then followed with a RBI base hit
Bottom of the 2nd
• The Knights were able to tie it up in the bottom of the frame. Two walks and a hit batter set up a two-run double
Bottom of the 4th
• All knotted at two apiece, UCF scored three in the fourth to take the lead. A solo homerun started the rally. A walk and two base hits sent the other two runs home
Top of the 5th
• UC stormed back, scoring at least one run in the final five innings, starting with a two-run fifth to make it a one-run game. Santiago started the frame with a full-count walk and Stapp sent a ball deep to right field for a two-run homerun
Top of the 6th
• The Bearcats took the lead with three in the sixth and did not look back. Mercer reached on an error before Bumpass homered to right center for the lead. After Murphy doubled, Bellini singled and an error allowed Murphy to come all the way in
Top of the 7th
• Wiemer started the seventh by being hit by a pitch, moved to third on a single by Mercer and scored on a Bumpass sacrifice fly
Top of the 8th
• One run came across in the eighth. Johnson singled, Santiago moved him to second on a sacrifice bunt and a groundout put him at third. A passed ball allowed Johnson to run home safely
Top of the 9th
• The Bearcats scored their tenth and final run in the ninth as Mercer reach on an error, Bumpass walked and Johnson singled Mercer home
Bottom of the 9th
• The Knights got one run back on a single and double in the final frame, but they could come no closer
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The No. 2 Bearcats will take on No. 4 UConn on Sunday at noon, live on ESPNews. UC won the series at UConn earlier this season when the Huskies were ranked No. 22 in the nation. Both teams are 3-0 this week heading into the championship game.
// NOTABLES
• UC improves to an even 29-29 on the season while UCF falls to 36-22
• Production at the plate continued to come from every spot in the order
• Jeremy Johnson led the way with a 3-for-4 days with a walk, RBI and run scored
• Wyatt Stapp and Joey Wiemer finished 2-for-4 with Stapp hitting a homerun and Wiemer hitting a double
• Joey Bellini and Cole Murphy both went 2-for-5. Murphy doubled and scored two runs while Bellini had a RBI
• A.J. Bumpass continued his hot pace with a homerun, sacrifice fly and two walks. He went 1-for-2 on the day
• Evan Shawver got through 3.1 innings in the start with four runs, three hits and four strikeouts
• A.J. Kullman earned the win after 2.2 frames with one run, three hits, one walk and four strikeouts
• Nick Murray also threw 2.2 innings in relief with one run, four hits, one walk and three strikeouts
• Korren Thompson entered the game and got the final out for his eleventh save this season
// KEY INNINGS
Top of the 2nd
• The Bearcats struck first on four hits in the second inning. With two outs, Murphy, Johnson and Santiago all singled to score the first run as Murphy successfully slid in home under the tag. Bellini then followed with a RBI base hit
Bottom of the 2nd
• The Knights were able to tie it up in the bottom of the frame. Two walks and a hit batter set up a two-run double
Bottom of the 4th
• All knotted at two apiece, UCF scored three in the fourth to take the lead. A solo homerun started the rally. A walk and two base hits sent the other two runs home
Top of the 5th
• UC stormed back, scoring at least one run in the final five innings, starting with a two-run fifth to make it a one-run game. Santiago started the frame with a full-count walk and Stapp sent a ball deep to right field for a two-run homerun
Top of the 6th
• The Bearcats took the lead with three in the sixth and did not look back. Mercer reached on an error before Bumpass homered to right center for the lead. After Murphy doubled, Bellini singled and an error allowed Murphy to come all the way in
Top of the 7th
• Wiemer started the seventh by being hit by a pitch, moved to third on a single by Mercer and scored on a Bumpass sacrifice fly
Top of the 8th
• One run came across in the eighth. Johnson singled, Santiago moved him to second on a sacrifice bunt and a groundout put him at third. A passed ball allowed Johnson to run home safely
Top of the 9th
• The Bearcats scored their tenth and final run in the ninth as Mercer reach on an error, Bumpass walked and Johnson singled Mercer home
Bottom of the 9th
• The Knights got one run back on a single and double in the final frame, but they could come no closer
// FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
Stay connected with Bearcats Baseball on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.