TicketsCINCINNATI – A fifth-inning sacrifice fly by No. 11 East Carolina scored the go-ahead run in a 5-2 win over the University of Cincinnati baseball team in American Athletic Conference game on Sunday at UC Baseball Stadium.
ECU's Thomas Francisco popped a 2-2 offering from UC starter Jalen Wade to right field, allowing Ryder Giles to score from third on the sacrifice to give the Pirates (36-11, 18-6 AAC) a 3-2 lead.
The ECU bullpen held the UC offense in check as six pitchers limited the Bearcats to two runs on three hits in the first three innings with 14 batters in-a-row retired and two walks on the board over the final six innings.
Landon Ginn (1-0) picked up his first collegiate win with three scoreless innings and C.J. Mayhue got his second save in as many games with four outs of work. Wade took the loss for UC and fell to 3-1 on the year.
ECU got on the board first in the second. Bryson Worrell tucked a two-run homer just inside the right-field foul pole to put the Pirates up 2-0.
Cincinnati (25-24, 14-14 AAC) responded in the third with a solo home run by Griffin Merritt, his ninth of the season, over the fence in left center and an RBI single from Joey Bellini which scored Cole Harting to tie things up a 2-2.
The Pirates added a pair of two-out runs in the ninth with a walk, two singles and a double down the right-field line by Francisco which made the score 5-2.
Bellini and Merrit combined for all three UC hits. Wade went 5.0 innings, striking out two and giving up three earned runs on seven hits. Beau Keathley was charged for a pair of earned runs on two hits with two walks and a pair of punch outs, while Dean McCarthy gave up a hit and struck out one in one-third of an inning.
UP NEXT
UC closes out the regular season at home, welcoming Tulane for a four-games series which will run Thursday-Saturday at UC Baseball Stadium. The teams will play a Thursday doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. ET followed by single games at 1 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
Saturday's game will feature the Baseball Bark in the Park event. All pets of Bearcats ticket holders receive free admission if their human has purchased a ticket for the game. View more information online.
Single game tickets are available and fans should visit the baseball ticket page for more information or to make their purchase now! Due to current COVID-19 restrictions, 1,000 fans will be allowed in UC Baseball Stadium for game days.
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.
ECU's Thomas Francisco popped a 2-2 offering from UC starter Jalen Wade to right field, allowing Ryder Giles to score from third on the sacrifice to give the Pirates (36-11, 18-6 AAC) a 3-2 lead.
The ECU bullpen held the UC offense in check as six pitchers limited the Bearcats to two runs on three hits in the first three innings with 14 batters in-a-row retired and two walks on the board over the final six innings.
Landon Ginn (1-0) picked up his first collegiate win with three scoreless innings and C.J. Mayhue got his second save in as many games with four outs of work. Wade took the loss for UC and fell to 3-1 on the year.
ECU got on the board first in the second. Bryson Worrell tucked a two-run homer just inside the right-field foul pole to put the Pirates up 2-0.
Cincinnati (25-24, 14-14 AAC) responded in the third with a solo home run by Griffin Merritt, his ninth of the season, over the fence in left center and an RBI single from Joey Bellini which scored Cole Harting to tie things up a 2-2.
The Pirates added a pair of two-out runs in the ninth with a walk, two singles and a double down the right-field line by Francisco which made the score 5-2.
Bellini and Merrit combined for all three UC hits. Wade went 5.0 innings, striking out two and giving up three earned runs on seven hits. Beau Keathley was charged for a pair of earned runs on two hits with two walks and a pair of punch outs, while Dean McCarthy gave up a hit and struck out one in one-third of an inning.
UP NEXT
UC closes out the regular season at home, welcoming Tulane for a four-games series which will run Thursday-Saturday at UC Baseball Stadium. The teams will play a Thursday doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. ET followed by single games at 1 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
Saturday's game will feature the Baseball Bark in the Park event. All pets of Bearcats ticket holders receive free admission if their human has purchased a ticket for the game. View more information online.
Single game tickets are available and fans should visit the baseball ticket page for more information or to make their purchase now! Due to current COVID-19 restrictions, 1,000 fans will be allowed in UC Baseball Stadium for game days.
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.