TicketsCINCINNATI - The Black Team captured the annual Red vs Black World Series with an 11-8 victory on Saturday afternoon at UC Baseball Stadium.
Redshirt junior INF Sean McLaughlin earned series MVP honors, blasting the go-ahead grand slam for the Black Team in Game 3, and picking up 6 total RBIs over the course of three games.
Rosters were drafted on Monday with players being selected by position group. Garrett Harker, Paul Komistek and Griffin Merritt were selected as team captains of the Red team while Beau Keathley, Ryan Nicholson and Joe Powell were selected as team captains the Black team.
To make things more interesting, both teams were given a set of three "added situations" to use throughout the series; loading the bases, putting runners on the corners, and starting the inning with a runner on second base. Each situation could only be used one time in the series.
🔴 𝐒𝐄𝐄𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐑𝐄𝐃 🔴
— Cincinnati Baseball (@GoBearcatsBASE) October 27, 2021
The Red Team comes from behind to take Game 1 of the Red vs Black World Series!#Bearcats | #NatiBoyz pic.twitter.com/f1jUf1qrvr
Game 1 Recap
The Red Team won in comeback fashion on Wednesday in a 5-3, seven inning victory.
The Black squad took an early lead in the bottom of the first after redshirt sophomore JP Sponseller tripled and subsequently scored on sacrifice grounder by redshirt sophomore Cam Scheler. Another run came in the bottom of the fourth off an RBI single from Sean McLaughlin.
Both teams' starting pitchers performed well with senior RHP Beau Keathley and true freshman RHP Garrett Harker going 3.0 innings each, and only allowing two hits a piece.
In the top of the fifth, the Red Team elected to use one of their "added situations", beginning the inning with loaded bases and no outs. The Red lineup went on to score four runs in the inning, coming off a balk, sacrifice fly and fielding error.
The Black Team responded by electing to load the bases themselves via "added situation" in the bottom of the fifth; but the plan quickly backfired when redshirt sophomore LHP Evan Kemp retired the side on a strikeout and double play.
In the top of the seventh, the Red Team picked up an insurance run as true freshman Boston Smith hammered a solo home run over the wall in left field. The Black Team managed to score one more time on a passed ball in the bottom of the 7th, but it was too little too late as sophomore RHP Max Bergmann picked up the save for the Red squad.
⚫️ 𝐁𝐋𝐀𝐂𝐊 𝐅𝐑𝐈𝐃𝐀𝐘 ⚫️
— Cincinnati Baseball (@GoBearcatsBASE) October 29, 2021
The Black Team holds on to win Game 2 of the Red vs Black World Series! Winner takes all tomorrow. 👀#Bearcats | #NatiBoyz pic.twitter.com/8PY8Rhol1j
Game 2 Recap
The Black Team evened up the series on a rainy Friday afternoon, winning 5-4 in a five inning contest.
The Black lineup took advantage of some early miscues in the top of the first - scoring twice on an error and wild pitch. Redshirt senior Jake Hansen also picked up an RBI single in the top of the inning to make it a 3-0 ballgame.
In the top of the third, the Black Team played add-on with an RBI groundout after using one of their "added situations" to put runners on the corners to start the inning.
Sophomore RHP Aiden Bradbury pitched a gem for the Black squad, only allowing two hits and notching three strikeouts in a scoreless 3.0 innings of work.
The Red Team responded in the bottom of the fourth with a monstrous two-run home run off the bat of redshirt junior Griffin Merritt to cut the deficit in half. A few batters later, redshirt freshman Kerrington Cross came up with a huge two-out, 2 RBI base hit to even things up.
The go-ahead hit came In the top of the fifth as redshirt sophomore Max Palmieri pulled an RBI double down the left field line to reclaim the lead for the Black Team.
The Red Team managed to put a runner on base in the bottom of the fifth, but two quick strikeouts from redshirt sophomore RHP Chase Hopewell and a pickoff by catcher Cam Scheler sealed the victory.
⚫️ 𝐏𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐓 𝐈𝐓 𝐁𝐋𝐀𝐂𝐊 ⚫️
— Cincinnati Baseball (@GoBearcatsBASE) October 30, 2021
Your Red vs Black World Series Championship belongs to the Black Team! 🏆
Series MVP: Sean McLaughlin#Bearcats | #NatiBoyz pic.twitter.com/M77qSfhTdv
Game 3 Recap
The Red squad grabbed an early lead after electing to use their final "added situation" in the top of the first inning - placing runners on the corners with no outs to begin the game.
Redshirt junior Paul Komistek got the scoring underway with a two-out, bases clearing 3 RBI triple, and redshirt senior Dondrae Bremner followed it up with an RBI single to bring the score to 4-0.
The Black Team got on the board in the bottom of the first, drawing back-to-back walks to cut the deficit in half. Soon after, Sean McLaughlin launched a towering grand slam over the wall in right field to take a two run lead.
Later on in the bottom of the second, Jake Hansen hit an RBI double for the Black squad to extend the lead to 7-4. However, the Red Team responded in the top of the third - plating a run on a wild pitch to keep the score within two.
In the bottom of the third, JP Sponseller blasted a two-run bomb to right field to push the lead to 9-5, but the Red squad would respond in the top of the fourth as Sophomore Cole Harting notched an RBI double and redshirt junior Griffin Merritt hit his second home run of the series; a two-run moonshot onto Sheakley Lawn.
The Black Team would score two more times in the bottom of the fourth - both coming off RBI singles from Sean McLaughlin and true freshman Tommy O'Connor.
RHP Chase Hopewell picked up his second save of the series in the top of the fifth to seal the 11-8 victory and complete the series comeback for the Black Team.
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.