TicketsGAINESVILLE, Fla. – The University of Cincinnati baseball team dropped the first game of its series at No. 7-ranked Florida, 13-6, on Friday night at Condron Family Ballpark in Gainesville, Fla.
For the Bearcats (2-3), redshirt junior first baseman Ryan Nicholson went 2-for-4 with a triple, homerun, RBI and walk. Sophomore Kerrington Cross went 1-for-3 with a double, two RBI and two walks.
Redshirt junior JP Sponseller added a double and two RBI in the loss.
The Bearcats used four pitchers in the game. Sophomore right-handed pitcher Garrett Harker (0-1) allowed six runs, five earned, on seven hits in 3.1 innings and took the loss.
Redshirt junior Alex Shea gave up two runs on three hits in 1.2 innings. Freshman Brenden Garula surrendered four runs on four hits in 1.2 innings while graduate student Nick McClanahan worked 1.1 innings and gave up one run on two hits.
// HOW IT HAPPENED
Nicholson continued his hot hitting for the Bearcats in the top of the first inning. He got the game going with a two-out triple to center field – the second triple of his career – but was stranded as a ground out ended the inning.
Florida jumped out to a 4-0 lead after a pair of two-run homeruns in the second and third innings.
Junior Josh Hegemann notched his first collegiate hit in the top of the fourth with a two-out single up the middle. Junior Cole Harting then reached on a catcher's interference, but the Bearcats left the two stranded to end the inning.
Shea inherited the bases loaded with one out in the bottom of the fourth and limited the damage with a strikeout and ground out. The Gators led 6-0 after four innings.
Cross put the Bearcats on the board with a two-run double down the left field line in the top of the fifth. Nicholson then smashed a two-out, solo homerun to right field to cut the deficit to three, 6-3.
Florida responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame after a two-out double to third base, 8-3.
In the top of the sixth, the Bearcats loaded the bases for pinch hitter Sponseller, who drove in a run with a hit-by-pitch to cut the lead to 8-4.
The Gators plated one run in the sixth, and three more in the seventh to extend their lead to 12-4.
Redshirt junior Kameron Guidry started the top of the eighth with a leadoff double and later came across to score a run. After Cross drew a walk, Sponseller delivered an RBI double to cut the deficit to six, 12-6.
Florida added a run in the bottom of the eighth for the 13-6 final score.
// UP NEXT
The Bearcats and Gators play the middle game of the series on Saturday with the first pitch scheduled for 4 p.m. at Condron Family Ballpark.
For the Bearcats (2-3), redshirt junior first baseman Ryan Nicholson went 2-for-4 with a triple, homerun, RBI and walk. Sophomore Kerrington Cross went 1-for-3 with a double, two RBI and two walks.
Redshirt junior JP Sponseller added a double and two RBI in the loss.
The Bearcats used four pitchers in the game. Sophomore right-handed pitcher Garrett Harker (0-1) allowed six runs, five earned, on seven hits in 3.1 innings and took the loss.
Redshirt junior Alex Shea gave up two runs on three hits in 1.2 innings. Freshman Brenden Garula surrendered four runs on four hits in 1.2 innings while graduate student Nick McClanahan worked 1.1 innings and gave up one run on two hits.
// HOW IT HAPPENED
Nicholson continued his hot hitting for the Bearcats in the top of the first inning. He got the game going with a two-out triple to center field – the second triple of his career – but was stranded as a ground out ended the inning.
Florida jumped out to a 4-0 lead after a pair of two-run homeruns in the second and third innings.
Junior Josh Hegemann notched his first collegiate hit in the top of the fourth with a two-out single up the middle. Junior Cole Harting then reached on a catcher's interference, but the Bearcats left the two stranded to end the inning.
Shea inherited the bases loaded with one out in the bottom of the fourth and limited the damage with a strikeout and ground out. The Gators led 6-0 after four innings.
Cross put the Bearcats on the board with a two-run double down the left field line in the top of the fifth. Nicholson then smashed a two-out, solo homerun to right field to cut the deficit to three, 6-3.
Florida responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame after a two-out double to third base, 8-3.
In the top of the sixth, the Bearcats loaded the bases for pinch hitter Sponseller, who drove in a run with a hit-by-pitch to cut the lead to 8-4.
The Gators plated one run in the sixth, and three more in the seventh to extend their lead to 12-4.
Redshirt junior Kameron Guidry started the top of the eighth with a leadoff double and later came across to score a run. After Cross drew a walk, Sponseller delivered an RBI double to cut the deficit to six, 12-6.
Florida added a run in the bottom of the eighth for the 13-6 final score.
// UP NEXT
The Bearcats and Gators play the middle game of the series on Saturday with the first pitch scheduled for 4 p.m. at Condron Family Ballpark.