TicketsATLANTA – University of Cincinnati baseball battled back-and-forth but dropped the 2020 season-opener at Georgia State by a score of 9-8 in ten innings.
The Bearcats opened with an early lead, posted a big frame, let the Panthers come back midway through, tied it in the seventh and took the lead in the ninth. However, Georgia State answered with two of their own in the ninth to tie it and walked off in the tenth.
// NOTABLES
• Wyatt Stapp went 2-for-3 with two RBI and a walk
• Joey Bellini had two hits, including a two-run double
• Paul Komistek got the season started with a solo homerun
• Eric Santiago walked twice and earned two RBI
• Joey Wiemer scored three runs while walking three times and also added in a hit and RBI
• Evan Shawver went 4.0 innings in the start with six hits, two earned runs, no walks and seven strikeouts
• Nick Murray followed with 2.0 innings of relief
• Jackson Murphy threw 2.0 scoreless innings before Wiemer made his debut on the mound to face two batters
• Nathan Moore was tagged with the loss as he hurled the final 1.1 frames
// KEY INNINGS
Top of the 1st
The Bearcats wasted no time getting on the board in the 2020 season. Wiemer walked, stole two bags and scored on a Stapp single.
Bottom of the 2nd
The Panthers tied the game on a double and base hit.
Top of the 3rd
UC batted around and posted a big inning in the third. Komistek led it off with a homerun to left. After Jeremy Johnson reached on an error and Wiemer walked, both moved into scoring position on a balk. That made it easy to clear the bases on a Bellini double. Santiago later reached on an error that scored Bellini, making it a 5-1 game.
Bottom of the 5th
The Bearcats got into some trouble in the fifth as the Panthers were able to grab the lead. A walk and double scored the first of three runs in the frame. A single and ground out scored the next before another walk and base hit made it 6-5.
Top of the 7th
Bellini and Stapp hit back-to-back singles before a wild pitch moved the former over to third. On a ground ball to third base, Santiago hustled out a fielder's choice that tied the game at six.
Top of the 9th
UC tacked on two runs when Jace Mercer walked, stole second and scored on a Wiemer base hit. Wiemer moved to second on the throw and to third on a wild pitch before coming home on a Stapp sacrifice fly
Bottom of the 9th
Two walks, a sacrifice and two wild pitches sent the game into extra innings
Bottom of the 10th
Georgia State won it on a double and base hit through the right side
// UP NEXT
The Bearcats remain in the Atlanta Challenge and take on No. 19 Georgia Tech Saturday at 2 p.m.
// FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
Stay connected with Bearcats Baseball on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
The Bearcats opened with an early lead, posted a big frame, let the Panthers come back midway through, tied it in the seventh and took the lead in the ninth. However, Georgia State answered with two of their own in the ninth to tie it and walked off in the tenth.
// NOTABLES
• Wyatt Stapp went 2-for-3 with two RBI and a walk
• Joey Bellini had two hits, including a two-run double
• Paul Komistek got the season started with a solo homerun
• Eric Santiago walked twice and earned two RBI
• Joey Wiemer scored three runs while walking three times and also added in a hit and RBI
• Evan Shawver went 4.0 innings in the start with six hits, two earned runs, no walks and seven strikeouts
• Nick Murray followed with 2.0 innings of relief
• Jackson Murphy threw 2.0 scoreless innings before Wiemer made his debut on the mound to face two batters
• Nathan Moore was tagged with the loss as he hurled the final 1.1 frames
// KEY INNINGS
Top of the 1st
The Bearcats wasted no time getting on the board in the 2020 season. Wiemer walked, stole two bags and scored on a Stapp single.
Bottom of the 2nd
The Panthers tied the game on a double and base hit.
Top of the 3rd
UC batted around and posted a big inning in the third. Komistek led it off with a homerun to left. After Jeremy Johnson reached on an error and Wiemer walked, both moved into scoring position on a balk. That made it easy to clear the bases on a Bellini double. Santiago later reached on an error that scored Bellini, making it a 5-1 game.
Bottom of the 5th
The Bearcats got into some trouble in the fifth as the Panthers were able to grab the lead. A walk and double scored the first of three runs in the frame. A single and ground out scored the next before another walk and base hit made it 6-5.
Top of the 7th
Bellini and Stapp hit back-to-back singles before a wild pitch moved the former over to third. On a ground ball to third base, Santiago hustled out a fielder's choice that tied the game at six.
Top of the 9th
UC tacked on two runs when Jace Mercer walked, stole second and scored on a Wiemer base hit. Wiemer moved to second on the throw and to third on a wild pitch before coming home on a Stapp sacrifice fly
Bottom of the 9th
Two walks, a sacrifice and two wild pitches sent the game into extra innings
Bottom of the 10th
Georgia State won it on a double and base hit through the right side
// UP NEXT
The Bearcats remain in the Atlanta Challenge and take on No. 19 Georgia Tech Saturday at 2 p.m.
// FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
Stay connected with Bearcats Baseball on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.