TicketsTAMPA, FIa. – The University of Cincinnati baseball team clinched the series win over South Florida with a 11-9 victory on Saturday afternoon in Tampa, Fla.
Cincinnati (19-24, 7-7 AAC) clinched its third American Athletic Conference weekend series of the season. The Bearcats will go for the sweep on Sunday at 1 p.m. at USF Baseball Stadium.
UC notched 11 of its season-high 17 hits in the sixth inning or later. Cincinnati finished with double figures in the hit column for the 11th time in the season.
Redshirt junior starter Chase Hopewell eclipsed 100 career strikeouts while picking up his second win of the season. He allowed three runs on four hits and struck out five batters with two walks in five innings.
The Bearcats' offense generated five extra-base hits, including a pair of home runs. Freshman Griffin Hugus and junior Josh Hegemann led the Bearcats with three hits apiece. Ryan Nicholson, Tommy O'Connor and Kameron Guidry all recorded two hits each while Nicholson drove in two runs.
Redshirt junior Alec Jones hit his second home run of the series with a two-run shot in the seventh. His six homers this season are a new career best for the catcher.
// HOW IT HAPPENED
Cincinnati broke the ice in the top of the second when Lauden Brooks drew a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch. Guidry and Hegemann started the inning with back-to-back bunts. Hugus then drilled a single to the pitcher to load the bases for Brooks who brought in a run on a hit-by-pitch. Hopewell retired the first six batters he faced in the game and recorded his 100th career strikeout in the process.
O'Connor cleared the fence with a one-out, solo shot to left field in the top of the third. It marked his second home run in his last three games.
South Florida took the lead with three runs on three hits in the home half of the third. The Bulls led off the inning with a solo homer and later drove in a pair of runs on a two-out double.
After two scoreless innings, Cincinnati reclaimed the lead in the top of the sixth. Brooks notched a one-out single to left field, stole second and third, and raced home on a wild pitch. With runners on second and third, Nicholson delivered a two-out, two-run triple to right field. The redshirt junior slugger came home on a wild pitch, his 100th career run scored, to end the frame with a 6-3 lead.
The Bearcats padded their lead with three runs on four hits in the top of the seventh. After a lead-off double by Guidry, Hugus drove in a run with a base hit to center field. Jones then stepped into the batter's box and lined a two-run homer over the left field wall. It was his second home run in as many games. South Florida responded with a three-run shot in the home half to make it 9-6.
Cincinnati answered with two runs on two hits in the eighth. Nicholson notched a lead-off single and later raced home on a passed ball. Hegemann came through with an RBI single to center field to plate O'Connor. USF threatened with three runs over the final two frames before UC escaped with the 11-9 win.
// UP NEXT
Cincinnati will go for the series sweep on Sunday at 1 p.m. at USF Baseball Stadium.
Cincinnati (19-24, 7-7 AAC) clinched its third American Athletic Conference weekend series of the season. The Bearcats will go for the sweep on Sunday at 1 p.m. at USF Baseball Stadium.
UC notched 11 of its season-high 17 hits in the sixth inning or later. Cincinnati finished with double figures in the hit column for the 11th time in the season.
Redshirt junior starter Chase Hopewell eclipsed 100 career strikeouts while picking up his second win of the season. He allowed three runs on four hits and struck out five batters with two walks in five innings.
The Bearcats' offense generated five extra-base hits, including a pair of home runs. Freshman Griffin Hugus and junior Josh Hegemann led the Bearcats with three hits apiece. Ryan Nicholson, Tommy O'Connor and Kameron Guidry all recorded two hits each while Nicholson drove in two runs.
Redshirt junior Alec Jones hit his second home run of the series with a two-run shot in the seventh. His six homers this season are a new career best for the catcher.
// HOW IT HAPPENED
Cincinnati broke the ice in the top of the second when Lauden Brooks drew a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch. Guidry and Hegemann started the inning with back-to-back bunts. Hugus then drilled a single to the pitcher to load the bases for Brooks who brought in a run on a hit-by-pitch. Hopewell retired the first six batters he faced in the game and recorded his 100th career strikeout in the process.
O'Connor cleared the fence with a one-out, solo shot to left field in the top of the third. It marked his second home run in his last three games.
South Florida took the lead with three runs on three hits in the home half of the third. The Bulls led off the inning with a solo homer and later drove in a pair of runs on a two-out double.
After two scoreless innings, Cincinnati reclaimed the lead in the top of the sixth. Brooks notched a one-out single to left field, stole second and third, and raced home on a wild pitch. With runners on second and third, Nicholson delivered a two-out, two-run triple to right field. The redshirt junior slugger came home on a wild pitch, his 100th career run scored, to end the frame with a 6-3 lead.
The Bearcats padded their lead with three runs on four hits in the top of the seventh. After a lead-off double by Guidry, Hugus drove in a run with a base hit to center field. Jones then stepped into the batter's box and lined a two-run homer over the left field wall. It was his second home run in as many games. South Florida responded with a three-run shot in the home half to make it 9-6.
Cincinnati answered with two runs on two hits in the eighth. Nicholson notched a lead-off single and later raced home on a passed ball. Hegemann came through with an RBI single to center field to plate O'Connor. USF threatened with three runs over the final two frames before UC escaped with the 11-9 win.
// UP NEXT
Cincinnati will go for the series sweep on Sunday at 1 p.m. at USF Baseball Stadium.