HOUSTON – University of Cincinnati left-handed pitcher Garrett Schoenle pitched his first career complete game Friday, going the distance in a 7-2 win over Houston in an American Athletic Conference series opener Friday at Schroeder Park.
The Bearcats moved to 20-18 on the season, 9-8 in AAC play while Houston dropped to 16-24, 4-14 in league games.
Schoenle (5-2) tossed a career-high 127 pitches, carrying the shutout into the ninth inning where he surrendered a pair of runs. The senior gave up 10 hits, struck out three – a season low – with a pair of walks. He worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the eighth as the Cougars stranded nine.
It was the first nine-inning complete game for a Bearcats hurler since. J.T. Perez against No. 24 UConn on April 20, 2018. Zach Segal, UC's starter in game two of the series, threw a seven-inning complete game at UC Baseball Stadium two weeks ago.
Offensively, Jace Mercer was on base five times, going 4-for-4 with a run scored, double and walk.
Joey Bellini and Griffin Merritt belted homers to dead center and left center, respectively as UC scored a pair in the second, third and sixth and then added another run in the ninth on Bellini's RBI single up the middle.
Merritt also added a double with four runs batted in.
Cincinnati tallied 10 hits, the 23rd time this season finishing with double-digit hits.
UP NEXT
Game two of the series was scheduled to start 45 minutes after the close of game one in Houston. A pair of right handers will face off with Zach Segal going for the Bearcats and Jaycob Deese toeing the rubber for the Cougars.
WATCH • LIVE STATS
FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
For all the latest information on Cincinnati baseball, please visit GoBEARCATS.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow UC baseball (@GoBearcatsBase) and Coach Googins (@CoachGoogs) on Twitter. You can also find the Bearcats on Instagram and Facebook.
The Bearcats moved to 20-18 on the season, 9-8 in AAC play while Houston dropped to 16-24, 4-14 in league games.
Schoenle (5-2) tossed a career-high 127 pitches, carrying the shutout into the ninth inning where he surrendered a pair of runs. The senior gave up 10 hits, struck out three – a season low – with a pair of walks. He worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the eighth as the Cougars stranded nine.
It was the first nine-inning complete game for a Bearcats hurler since. J.T. Perez against No. 24 UConn on April 20, 2018. Zach Segal, UC's starter in game two of the series, threw a seven-inning complete game at UC Baseball Stadium two weeks ago.
Offensively, Jace Mercer was on base five times, going 4-for-4 with a run scored, double and walk.
Joey Bellini and Griffin Merritt belted homers to dead center and left center, respectively as UC scored a pair in the second, third and sixth and then added another run in the ninth on Bellini's RBI single up the middle.
Merritt also added a double with four runs batted in.
Cincinnati tallied 10 hits, the 23rd time this season finishing with double-digit hits.
UP NEXT
Game two of the series was scheduled to start 45 minutes after the close of game one in Houston. A pair of right handers will face off with Zach Segal going for the Bearcats and Jaycob Deese toeing the rubber for the Cougars.
WATCH • LIVE STATS
FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
For all the latest information on Cincinnati baseball, please visit GoBEARCATS.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow UC baseball (@GoBearcatsBase) and Coach Googins (@CoachGoogs) on Twitter. You can also find the Bearcats on Instagram and Facebook.