TicketsST. LOUIS, MO. – Cincinnati's bullpen held Saint Louis' high-powered offense to just two hits and no runs over the final five innings of Sunday's 8-3 win, which clinched the weekend series for the Bearcats.
Saint Louis ranked third in the country in scoring entering the weekend, averaging nearly 11 runs per game, but Cincinnati (15-10) held them to seven runs combined over the final two games of the series.
Four pitchers saw time on the mound on Sunday, and Ryan Insco and Brenden Garula were particularly outstanding. Insco entered the game in the bottom of the fifth with runners on first and second and stranded both, getting three quick outs to get out of the inning. He also stranded a pair of Billiken baserunners in the bottom of the sixth, then ceded the mound to Garula. The sophomore left-hander threw three shutout innings to end the game and earn the save, facing just one batter above the minimum.
Cincinnati jumped out to a 7-0 lead on Sunday before SLU provided the only blemish on the scoreboard, a three-run home run in the bottom of the fourth to make it 7-3. Insco and Garula kept the Billikens out of the run column for the remainder of the game, and UC tacked on another run in the top of the eighth to bring about the 8-3 final score.
Landyn Vidourek had a 3-for-4 day with two RBI and two runs scored, and Lauden Brooks reached base four times with two hits and two walks. Josh Kross tallied two RBI, bringing his total for the weekend to eight.
Nathan Taylor made the start on the mound and struck out three in four innings. Joining Insco and Garula out of the bullpen was Chase Horst, who made his first appearance since Feb. 27 at Xavier.
Cincinnati's nine-game road swing continues this week with a Tuesday matchup at Louisville and a Big 12 series at Baylor next weekend.
// HOW IT HAPPENED
Cincinnati scored the first runs of the game in the top of the second to take an early 3-0 lead. Christian Mitchelle singled home Josh Hegemann, then Landyn Vidourek and Lauden Brooks followed with RBIs to build the early advantage.
UC built upon its lead with a four-run top of the fourth. Vidourek drove in a run for the second straight inning, singling to left field to bring in Luke Sefcik, and later a bases-loaded walk drawn by Kerrington Cross made the score 5-0. Josh Kross ripped a two-out single into right field that brought home Brooks and Vidourek to increase the lead to 7-0.
The Billikens broke through in the bottom of the fourth with a three-run home run, but that would be the only time they crossed the plate all day. After putting the first two runners on base in the bottom of the fifth, SLU's rally was halted by Ryan Insco who retired the first three batters he faced to get UC out of the inning unscathed. Insco then tossed a scoreless sixth to keep the lead at 7-3.
Brenden Garula entered the game in the bottom of the seventh and immediately put up a 1-2-3 inning. Brooks scored on an error in the top of the eighth to give the Bearcats an insurance run, then Garula shut down the Billikens again in the eighth. SLU got a one-out single in the bottom of the ninth, its first hit since the fifth inning, but Garula responded by inducing a game-ending 5-4-3 double play to clinch the victory and earn the save.
// FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
For up-to-the-minute updates, follow @GoBearcatsBASE on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
NOTE: All dates and times are subject to change due to weather. All schedule changes will be announced on Twitter at @GoBearcatsBASE.
Saint Louis ranked third in the country in scoring entering the weekend, averaging nearly 11 runs per game, but Cincinnati (15-10) held them to seven runs combined over the final two games of the series.
Four pitchers saw time on the mound on Sunday, and Ryan Insco and Brenden Garula were particularly outstanding. Insco entered the game in the bottom of the fifth with runners on first and second and stranded both, getting three quick outs to get out of the inning. He also stranded a pair of Billiken baserunners in the bottom of the sixth, then ceded the mound to Garula. The sophomore left-hander threw three shutout innings to end the game and earn the save, facing just one batter above the minimum.
Cincinnati jumped out to a 7-0 lead on Sunday before SLU provided the only blemish on the scoreboard, a three-run home run in the bottom of the fourth to make it 7-3. Insco and Garula kept the Billikens out of the run column for the remainder of the game, and UC tacked on another run in the top of the eighth to bring about the 8-3 final score.
Landyn Vidourek had a 3-for-4 day with two RBI and two runs scored, and Lauden Brooks reached base four times with two hits and two walks. Josh Kross tallied two RBI, bringing his total for the weekend to eight.
Nathan Taylor made the start on the mound and struck out three in four innings. Joining Insco and Garula out of the bullpen was Chase Horst, who made his first appearance since Feb. 27 at Xavier.
Cincinnati's nine-game road swing continues this week with a Tuesday matchup at Louisville and a Big 12 series at Baylor next weekend.
// HOW IT HAPPENED
Cincinnati scored the first runs of the game in the top of the second to take an early 3-0 lead. Christian Mitchelle singled home Josh Hegemann, then Landyn Vidourek and Lauden Brooks followed with RBIs to build the early advantage.
UC built upon its lead with a four-run top of the fourth. Vidourek drove in a run for the second straight inning, singling to left field to bring in Luke Sefcik, and later a bases-loaded walk drawn by Kerrington Cross made the score 5-0. Josh Kross ripped a two-out single into right field that brought home Brooks and Vidourek to increase the lead to 7-0.
The Billikens broke through in the bottom of the fourth with a three-run home run, but that would be the only time they crossed the plate all day. After putting the first two runners on base in the bottom of the fifth, SLU's rally was halted by Ryan Insco who retired the first three batters he faced to get UC out of the inning unscathed. Insco then tossed a scoreless sixth to keep the lead at 7-3.
Brenden Garula entered the game in the bottom of the seventh and immediately put up a 1-2-3 inning. Brooks scored on an error in the top of the eighth to give the Bearcats an insurance run, then Garula shut down the Billikens again in the eighth. SLU got a one-out single in the bottom of the ninth, its first hit since the fifth inning, but Garula responded by inducing a game-ending 5-4-3 double play to clinch the victory and earn the save.
// FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
For up-to-the-minute updates, follow @GoBearcatsBASE on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
NOTE: All dates and times are subject to change due to weather. All schedule changes will be announced on Twitter at @GoBearcatsBASE.