TicketsCINCINNATI – University of Cincinnati baseball nearly no-hit. Eastern Michigan in game one then posted two big offensive innings in game two to sweep a doubleheader on Saturday.
Evan Shawver had the best outing of his career, no-hitting the Eagles through 8.1 innings and tied his career-high with 12 strikeouts in the effort to start the day. EMU's first base runner came on a leadoff walk in the sixth, but Shawver followed with a strikeout and two groundouts. The leadoff batter also reached in the eighth on an error. Shawver responded with a groundout, strikeout and flyout. In the ninth, the lefty got a strikeout on three pitches to stay dominant. A walk and base hit followed to break up the no-hitter. However, Shawver faced one more batter, striking him out for his 12th of the day.
GAME ONE • CINCINNATI 8, EASTERN MICHIGAN 1
// NOTABLES
• Shawver's final line was one run, one hit, two walks and 12 strikeouts in 8.2 innings pitched
• Chase Stewart gave up one hit before ending the game on a strikeout
• Eric Santiago had a strong 3-for-4 performance at the plate with a RBI and a run. He also stole a base
• Jeremy Johnson went 2-for-2 with a triple and three RBI
• Jake Hansen also had a triple with two RBI
// KEY INNINGS
Bottom of the 2nd
The Bearcats got off to an early start with a three-run second inning. Merritt started by reaching on an error. Santiago then singled and Komistek reached on a fielder's choice to put runners on the corners. Powell earned a RBI with a sacrifice fly. Hansen followed with a walk before Johnson came up with the big hit, a triple to right field to score two.
Bottom of the 4th
UC scored three more two innings later. Santiago and Komistek hit back-to-back singles. Hansen tripled to left field to clear the bases and scored later on a Johnson base hit.
Bottom of the 5th
Stapp singled and Merritt was hit by a pitch prior to Santiago swinging for a RBI base hit. Merritt moved to third on a fly out then was able to come in to score when Santiago safely stole second base.
Top of the 9th
EMU scored its only run with two outs in the final frame. A walk and single put two on before a double down the left field line brought one run home. A three-pitch swinging strikeout ended the game.
GAME TWO • CINCINNATI 13, EASTERN MICHIGAN 6
Eastern Michigan was able to take the lead in game two, but a big seven-run inning put the Bearcats in front. Then a four-run frame followed that included three homeruns and a triple.
// NOTABLES
• Wiemer had three hits with a homerun, three RBI and two runs scored
• Komistek was 3-for-4 with a homerun, double, two RBI and two runs scored
• Johnson had two more hits with a homerun and two RBI
• Stapp drove in three with two hits, including a double
• Santiago kept up his pace, going 2-for-4 with two RBI
• Nathan Kroger went 3.0 innings in the start with two runs, four hits, two walks and five strikeouts
• Nathan Moore followed with 2.0 innings of relief, striking out three
• Jackson Murphy earned the win after 3.0 innings of work with no runs, no hits, one walk and three strikeouts
• Jacob Meyer also appeared in relief and Andrew Noelker finished the game on the mound with no hits and one strikeout in 1.0 inning
// KEY INNINGS
Top of the 3rd
The Eagles scored two to open the second game scoring in the third inning. Three consecutive singles brought the first run home and another later on scored the other
Top of the 4th
EMU tallied another on a single, sacrifice bunt, error and wild pitch
Bottom of the 4th
The Bearcats were able to make it a one-run game with two in the bottom of the inning. Merritt doubled and Stapp singled before Santiago sent both home on a base hit
Top of the 5th
EMU quickly answered with a walk, stolen base and single
Bottom of the 6th
It remained 4-2 until UC posted seven runs to break the game wide-open. With one out, Santiago singled and Komistek doubled him home. Cam Scheler then earned his first collegiate hit, a RBI single. After Bremner and Mercer walked, Wiemer sent both of them home with a base hit up the middle. The scoring continued as Merritt walked to load the bases and Stapp cleared them with a double
Bottom of the 7th
The big hits came out in the seventh when Komistek led off with a homerun, Bremner tripled, Johnson hit a homerun and Wiemer joined in with a homerun of his own
Top of the 9th
EMU scored two more in the final inning, but they could not come any closer. Two singles, a hit batter, walk and groundout brought two in. A strikeout and flyout limited the damage and ended the game
// UP NEXT
• The series finale is Sunday at 1 p.m.
• UC is on the road all next week, traveling to Indiana on Wednesday then going to Kansas for a three-game weekend series
// FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
Stay connected with Bearcats Baseball on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Evan Shawver had the best outing of his career, no-hitting the Eagles through 8.1 innings and tied his career-high with 12 strikeouts in the effort to start the day. EMU's first base runner came on a leadoff walk in the sixth, but Shawver followed with a strikeout and two groundouts. The leadoff batter also reached in the eighth on an error. Shawver responded with a groundout, strikeout and flyout. In the ninth, the lefty got a strikeout on three pitches to stay dominant. A walk and base hit followed to break up the no-hitter. However, Shawver faced one more batter, striking him out for his 12th of the day.
GAME ONE • CINCINNATI 8, EASTERN MICHIGAN 1
// NOTABLES
• Shawver's final line was one run, one hit, two walks and 12 strikeouts in 8.2 innings pitched
• Chase Stewart gave up one hit before ending the game on a strikeout
• Eric Santiago had a strong 3-for-4 performance at the plate with a RBI and a run. He also stole a base
• Jeremy Johnson went 2-for-2 with a triple and three RBI
• Jake Hansen also had a triple with two RBI
// KEY INNINGS
Bottom of the 2nd
The Bearcats got off to an early start with a three-run second inning. Merritt started by reaching on an error. Santiago then singled and Komistek reached on a fielder's choice to put runners on the corners. Powell earned a RBI with a sacrifice fly. Hansen followed with a walk before Johnson came up with the big hit, a triple to right field to score two.
Bottom of the 4th
UC scored three more two innings later. Santiago and Komistek hit back-to-back singles. Hansen tripled to left field to clear the bases and scored later on a Johnson base hit.
Bottom of the 5th
Stapp singled and Merritt was hit by a pitch prior to Santiago swinging for a RBI base hit. Merritt moved to third on a fly out then was able to come in to score when Santiago safely stole second base.
Top of the 9th
EMU scored its only run with two outs in the final frame. A walk and single put two on before a double down the left field line brought one run home. A three-pitch swinging strikeout ended the game.
GAME TWO • CINCINNATI 13, EASTERN MICHIGAN 6
Eastern Michigan was able to take the lead in game two, but a big seven-run inning put the Bearcats in front. Then a four-run frame followed that included three homeruns and a triple.
// NOTABLES
• Wiemer had three hits with a homerun, three RBI and two runs scored
• Komistek was 3-for-4 with a homerun, double, two RBI and two runs scored
• Johnson had two more hits with a homerun and two RBI
• Stapp drove in three with two hits, including a double
• Santiago kept up his pace, going 2-for-4 with two RBI
• Nathan Kroger went 3.0 innings in the start with two runs, four hits, two walks and five strikeouts
• Nathan Moore followed with 2.0 innings of relief, striking out three
• Jackson Murphy earned the win after 3.0 innings of work with no runs, no hits, one walk and three strikeouts
• Jacob Meyer also appeared in relief and Andrew Noelker finished the game on the mound with no hits and one strikeout in 1.0 inning
// KEY INNINGS
Top of the 3rd
The Eagles scored two to open the second game scoring in the third inning. Three consecutive singles brought the first run home and another later on scored the other
Top of the 4th
EMU tallied another on a single, sacrifice bunt, error and wild pitch
Bottom of the 4th
The Bearcats were able to make it a one-run game with two in the bottom of the inning. Merritt doubled and Stapp singled before Santiago sent both home on a base hit
Top of the 5th
EMU quickly answered with a walk, stolen base and single
Bottom of the 6th
It remained 4-2 until UC posted seven runs to break the game wide-open. With one out, Santiago singled and Komistek doubled him home. Cam Scheler then earned his first collegiate hit, a RBI single. After Bremner and Mercer walked, Wiemer sent both of them home with a base hit up the middle. The scoring continued as Merritt walked to load the bases and Stapp cleared them with a double
Bottom of the 7th
The big hits came out in the seventh when Komistek led off with a homerun, Bremner tripled, Johnson hit a homerun and Wiemer joined in with a homerun of his own
Top of the 9th
EMU scored two more in the final inning, but they could not come any closer. Two singles, a hit batter, walk and groundout brought two in. A strikeout and flyout limited the damage and ended the game
// UP NEXT
• The series finale is Sunday at 1 p.m.
• UC is on the road all next week, traveling to Indiana on Wednesday then going to Kansas for a three-game weekend series
// FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
Stay connected with Bearcats Baseball on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.