TicketsTAMPA, FIa. – The University of Cincinnati baseball team held on for a 9-7 extra-inning victory over South Florida in Friday night's series opener at USF Baseball Stadium.
Redshirt sophomore Kerrington Cross knocked in the go-ahead run in the top of the 10th with a two-run single to center field. Cross' heroics capped a 2-for-4, two-RBI night at the plate.
Redshirt junior Ryan Nicholson smashed his team-leading 10th home run of the season. He finished 2-for-6 with two RBI and one run scored. The top four in the Cincinnati batting order combined to go 7-for-19 with six RBI, four walks and four runs scored.
Redshirt junior Alec Jones, freshman Landyn Vidourek and junior Cole Harting each homered in the win. The Bearcats improved to 7-1 when they hit three-or-more home runs in a game.
Freshman Griffin Hugus finished 3-for-5 with two stolen bases and one run scored.
Sophomore starter Garrett Harker allowed five runs, four earned, and struck out two batters with three walks in five innings. Senior Mitch White (2-1) picked up the win while junior Max Bergmann earned his first save of the year, fourth of his career.
// HOW IT HAPPENED
Cincinnati jumped out to an early 1-0 lead on Nicholson's 100th career RBI in the top of the first. The Bearcats started things off with back-to-back base hits from Cross and Jones. Nicholson then drove in the first run of the game with a one-out single to center field. Harker retired the first nine batters he faced in the contest.
South Florida plated three runs in the bottom of the fourth to take the lead at 3-1.
The Bearcats sent 10 batters to the plate and scored five runs on three home runs in the top of the fifth. Jones quickly tied the ballgame with a two-run shot to left field. Nicholson then smashed the first he saw over the center field wall for his 10th homer of the year. After Kameron Guidry was hit-by-pitch, Vidourek belted a two-run shot to right field to make it 6-3.
South Florida made it a one-run game on a two-run homer in the bottom of the sixth. Harting smashed a one-out, solo home run in the top of the seventh before the Bulls responded with a homer of their own in the home half to keep it within one, 7-6.
Redshirt junior Alex Shea came out of the bullpen in the eighth and retired the side in order. He recorded the 50th strikeout of his career in the inning. The Bulls tied up the ballgame in the bottom of the ninth with one run on two hits. White had the bases loaded with one out but got out of the jam to send the game into extra innings.
Harting drew a lead-off walk and advanced to third on a single from Hugus in the top of the 10th. Cross cleared the bases with a two-run single to center field as the Bearcats took the lead, 9-7. Bergmann entered the game in the bottom of the frame and retired the side in order with two strikeouts to earn the save.
// UP NEXT
Cincinnati and South Florida will play the middle game of the series at 2 p.m. on Saturday on ESPN+.
Redshirt sophomore Kerrington Cross knocked in the go-ahead run in the top of the 10th with a two-run single to center field. Cross' heroics capped a 2-for-4, two-RBI night at the plate.
Redshirt junior Ryan Nicholson smashed his team-leading 10th home run of the season. He finished 2-for-6 with two RBI and one run scored. The top four in the Cincinnati batting order combined to go 7-for-19 with six RBI, four walks and four runs scored.
Redshirt junior Alec Jones, freshman Landyn Vidourek and junior Cole Harting each homered in the win. The Bearcats improved to 7-1 when they hit three-or-more home runs in a game.
Freshman Griffin Hugus finished 3-for-5 with two stolen bases and one run scored.
Sophomore starter Garrett Harker allowed five runs, four earned, and struck out two batters with three walks in five innings. Senior Mitch White (2-1) picked up the win while junior Max Bergmann earned his first save of the year, fourth of his career.
// HOW IT HAPPENED
Cincinnati jumped out to an early 1-0 lead on Nicholson's 100th career RBI in the top of the first. The Bearcats started things off with back-to-back base hits from Cross and Jones. Nicholson then drove in the first run of the game with a one-out single to center field. Harker retired the first nine batters he faced in the contest.
South Florida plated three runs in the bottom of the fourth to take the lead at 3-1.
The Bearcats sent 10 batters to the plate and scored five runs on three home runs in the top of the fifth. Jones quickly tied the ballgame with a two-run shot to left field. Nicholson then smashed the first he saw over the center field wall for his 10th homer of the year. After Kameron Guidry was hit-by-pitch, Vidourek belted a two-run shot to right field to make it 6-3.
South Florida made it a one-run game on a two-run homer in the bottom of the sixth. Harting smashed a one-out, solo home run in the top of the seventh before the Bulls responded with a homer of their own in the home half to keep it within one, 7-6.
Redshirt junior Alex Shea came out of the bullpen in the eighth and retired the side in order. He recorded the 50th strikeout of his career in the inning. The Bulls tied up the ballgame in the bottom of the ninth with one run on two hits. White had the bases loaded with one out but got out of the jam to send the game into extra innings.
Harting drew a lead-off walk and advanced to third on a single from Hugus in the top of the 10th. Cross cleared the bases with a two-run single to center field as the Bearcats took the lead, 9-7. Bergmann entered the game in the bottom of the frame and retired the side in order with two strikeouts to earn the save.
// UP NEXT
Cincinnati and South Florida will play the middle game of the series at 2 p.m. on Saturday on ESPN+.