TicketsTALLAHASSEE, Fla. – University of Cincinnati baseball went back-and-forth with No. 12 Florida State for most of the day Saturday until the Seminoles were able to pull out the 10-5 win.
// NOTABLES
• Jeremy Johnson went 2-for-4 on the day with two RBI
• Joey Bellini and Wyatt Stapp both finished 2-for-5 with a run scored. Bellini had a double
• Griffin Merritt had two RBI, two runs scored and a solo homerun
• Joe Powell had the team's other RBI and double
• Nathan Kroger went 4.0 innings in the start with three runs, five hits, three walks and five strikeouts
• Nathan Moore pitched the middle 2.0 innings and suffered the loss
• Evan Kemp struck out five in the final 2.0 frames
// KEY INNINGS
Top of the 2nd
The Bearcats continued their streaking of striking early. After Merritt walked and Powell singled, both advanced on a wild pitch and later scored on a base hit by Johnson
Bottom of the 2nd
The Seminoles were able to answer with two runs of the their own to tie the game. A leadoff triple came home to score on a base hit. Another single followed by a sacrifice bunt made it a 2-2 contest
Bottom of the 4th
Florida State took its first lead of the day on a walk, double and sacrifice fly. Kroger limited the damage by getting the next batter swinging
Top of the 5th
UC took the lead back quickly with a two-run fifth. Bellini led off with a double and Wyatt Stapp followed with a single to put runners on the corners. Merritt hit a ground ball that was thrown high by the third baseman, allowing him to reach on the error and for Bellini to score. During the next at-bat, Powell dove into first safely on a fielder's choice and Stapp ran home
Bottom of the 5th
Unfortunately, FSU was also able to score two in the fifth. A hit batter, walk and single brought both runs in, making it a 5-4 game
Bottom of the 6th
Florida State extended the lead with a three-run homerun in the sixth. The runners reached on two base hits before the homer to deep center field
Top of the 7th
The Bearcats got one of those runs back on a Merritt solo homerun to left field
Bottom of the 8th
The Seminoles scored their final two runs on a walk and homerun to right
// UP NEXT
• The series finale is Sunday at 1 p.m.
• UC hosts Indiana State in the 2020 home-opener at Marge Schott Stadium on Wednesday, February 26 at 3 p.m.
// FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
Stay connected with Bearcats Baseball on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
// NOTABLES
• Jeremy Johnson went 2-for-4 on the day with two RBI
• Joey Bellini and Wyatt Stapp both finished 2-for-5 with a run scored. Bellini had a double
• Griffin Merritt had two RBI, two runs scored and a solo homerun
• Joe Powell had the team's other RBI and double
• Nathan Kroger went 4.0 innings in the start with three runs, five hits, three walks and five strikeouts
• Nathan Moore pitched the middle 2.0 innings and suffered the loss
• Evan Kemp struck out five in the final 2.0 frames
// KEY INNINGS
Top of the 2nd
The Bearcats continued their streaking of striking early. After Merritt walked and Powell singled, both advanced on a wild pitch and later scored on a base hit by Johnson
Bottom of the 2nd
The Seminoles were able to answer with two runs of the their own to tie the game. A leadoff triple came home to score on a base hit. Another single followed by a sacrifice bunt made it a 2-2 contest
Bottom of the 4th
Florida State took its first lead of the day on a walk, double and sacrifice fly. Kroger limited the damage by getting the next batter swinging
Top of the 5th
UC took the lead back quickly with a two-run fifth. Bellini led off with a double and Wyatt Stapp followed with a single to put runners on the corners. Merritt hit a ground ball that was thrown high by the third baseman, allowing him to reach on the error and for Bellini to score. During the next at-bat, Powell dove into first safely on a fielder's choice and Stapp ran home
Bottom of the 5th
Unfortunately, FSU was also able to score two in the fifth. A hit batter, walk and single brought both runs in, making it a 5-4 game
Bottom of the 6th
Florida State extended the lead with a three-run homerun in the sixth. The runners reached on two base hits before the homer to deep center field
Top of the 7th
The Bearcats got one of those runs back on a Merritt solo homerun to left field
Bottom of the 8th
The Seminoles scored their final two runs on a walk and homerun to right
// UP NEXT
• The series finale is Sunday at 1 p.m.
• UC hosts Indiana State in the 2020 home-opener at Marge Schott Stadium on Wednesday, February 26 at 3 p.m.
// FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
Stay connected with Bearcats Baseball on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.