TicketsCINCINNATI – The University of Cincinnati baseball team fell to No. 14-ranked East Carolina in the series opener on Friday night at UC Baseball Stadium.
The Pirates scored three runs in the fifth inning to take control of the game on the way to a 9-3 victory.
Junior Josh Hegemann continued his recent tear, going 2-for-2 with his first career triple and two walks. Junior Cole Harting finished 2-for-4 with an RBI and stolen base.
Sophomore Tommy O'Connor hit his fifth home run of the season with a two-run shot that went 468 feet over the right field wall at 114 mph off the bat.
Junior Max Bergmann was a bright spot out of the bullpen. He worked three shutout innings in relief and allowed just two hits. Sophomore Garrett Harker (0-5) started and took the loss for the Bearcats.
// HOW IT HAPPENED
Cincinnati fell behind in the first inning when East Carolina plated two early runs on a two-out triple to right center. The Pirates added another run in the top of the second to lead 3-0.
Hegemann led off the bottom of the second with a one-out triple to right center. He raced home on an infield single from Harting for the Bearcats' first run of the game.
O'Connor tied the ballgame with one swing in the bottom of the third. The sophomore slugger smashed a two-run shot 468 feet over the right field wall at 114 mph off the bat.
ECU responded with a solo shot in the fourth to reclaim the lead. The Pirates then plated three runs on four hits in the fifth to make it 7-3.
Hegemann drew a lead-off walk to start the bottom of the sixth. Harting followed with a single through the left side to put runners on first and second with no outs. The Pirates got out of the jam with three consecutive outs to end the threat.
ECU added two runs in the top of the ninth for the 9-3 final score.
// UP NEXT
Cincinnati and ECU will play the middle game of the series at 2 p.m. on Saturday at UC Baseball Stadium.
The Pirates scored three runs in the fifth inning to take control of the game on the way to a 9-3 victory.
Junior Josh Hegemann continued his recent tear, going 2-for-2 with his first career triple and two walks. Junior Cole Harting finished 2-for-4 with an RBI and stolen base.
Sophomore Tommy O'Connor hit his fifth home run of the season with a two-run shot that went 468 feet over the right field wall at 114 mph off the bat.
Junior Max Bergmann was a bright spot out of the bullpen. He worked three shutout innings in relief and allowed just two hits. Sophomore Garrett Harker (0-5) started and took the loss for the Bearcats.
// HOW IT HAPPENED
Cincinnati fell behind in the first inning when East Carolina plated two early runs on a two-out triple to right center. The Pirates added another run in the top of the second to lead 3-0.
Hegemann led off the bottom of the second with a one-out triple to right center. He raced home on an infield single from Harting for the Bearcats' first run of the game.
O'Connor tied the ballgame with one swing in the bottom of the third. The sophomore slugger smashed a two-run shot 468 feet over the right field wall at 114 mph off the bat.
ECU responded with a solo shot in the fourth to reclaim the lead. The Pirates then plated three runs on four hits in the fifth to make it 7-3.
Hegemann drew a lead-off walk to start the bottom of the sixth. Harting followed with a single through the left side to put runners on first and second with no outs. The Pirates got out of the jam with three consecutive outs to end the threat.
ECU added two runs in the top of the ninth for the 9-3 final score.
// UP NEXT
Cincinnati and ECU will play the middle game of the series at 2 p.m. on Saturday at UC Baseball Stadium.