TicketsCINCINNATI – The University of Cincinnati baseball team split its Saturday doubleheader against Northern Illinois at UC Baseball Stadium, taking game one by a score of 6-5 before dropping game two, 6-4.
UC (6-5) won the first game, a seven-inning contest, in walk-off fashion. After loading the bases thanks to two walks and a hit by pitch in the bottom of the seventh, Josh Hegemann was plunked to bring home the game-winning run. The Bearcats did an excellent job manufacturing runs in the first game, drawing 16 free bases (12 walks, four HBP) and tallying three steals en route to the victory despite recording just two hits.
Hegemann was hit twice in the first game and had two RBI, while both Cole Harting and Kerrington Cross walked three times to tie their career highs.
Tommy Boba was terrific on the mound, striking out four while allowing just one run in five innings of work. Ryan Insco entered the game with a tie score and a runner on base in the top of the seventh and escaped unscathed to earn the win, his first as a Bearcat.
Cincinnati scattered 11 hits in game two, but wasn't able to put together a big inning against NIU. Tommy O'Connor's two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth made it a 6-4 game, and UC put runners at the corners in the bottom of the ninth, but couldn't complete the comeback.
O'Connor had a career-high four hits in game two and also reached base twice in the first game, extending his on-base streak to 26 games dating back to last season.
Luke Sefcik went 2-for-4 with an RBI and Christian Mitchelle had a two-hit day as well.
Carson Marsh threw 1.1 scoreless frames and Shawn Parnell struck out two in two scoreless innings out of the bullpen.
Cincinnati and Northern Illinois will wrap up their weekend series on Sunday at 1 PM on ESPN+.
// HOW IT HAPPENED (GAME 1)
NIU's Colin Summerhill homered in the top of the first to open the scoring, but the Bearcats tied it up at 1-1 in the bottom half of the inning. The first three UC batters drew walks to load the bases, and Dalton Pearson scored easily on a 4-6-3 double play to tie the game.
Josh Hegemann scored on a fielder's choice in the bottom of the third and drove in a run on a sac fly in the bottom of the fourth to push Cincinnati's lead to 3-1. A bases-loaded walk drawn by Cole Harting gave UC a 4-1 advantage after the bottom of the fifth.
Northern Illinois struck in the later innings, scoring twice in the sixth and twice in the seventh to tie the game. A UC error allowed one run to score in the seventh, and a sac fly to right field tied the game. Ryan Insco entered the game with a runner on first and one out and got the final two outs to keep the game tied heading into the bottom of the seventh.
Max Palmieri drew a one-out walk, pinch-hitter Hunter Jessee was hit by a pitch, and Harting walked again to load the bases with one out. Hegemann stepped to the plate with a chance to be the hero and was plunked in the very first pitch of the at-bat to bring home the game-winning run.
// HOW IT HAPPENED (GAME 2)
A UC fielding miscue allowed the first run of the game to score in the top of the first, which gave NIU an early lead. The Huskies scored again on RBI singles in the third and fifth to take a 3-0 lead by the midway point of the game.
The Bearcats got on the scoreboard with a couple runs in the bottom of the fifth to pull within a run. With runners at first and second, Josh Kross hit a ground ball to second base that should have been a double play, but an error allowed Tommy O'Connor to score. Luke Sefcik singled to right field two batters later to bring home Kerrington Cross and put the score at 3-2.
Northern Illinois' Cooper Cohn provided the biggest hit of the game, a three-run home run in the top of the sixth to give his team a 6-2 lead.
Carson Marsh and Shawn Parnell held the Huskies scoreless over the final 3.1 innings to keep the Bearcats in the game, and their efforts nearly paid off. O'Connor's two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth put UC within two runs, 6-4, and he singled in the bottom of the ninth to put runners at the corners with two outs. The rally would end there, however, to cap the doubleheader split.
// FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
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NOTE: All dates and times are subject to change due to weather. All schedule changes will be announced on Twitter at @GoBearcatsBASE.
UC (6-5) won the first game, a seven-inning contest, in walk-off fashion. After loading the bases thanks to two walks and a hit by pitch in the bottom of the seventh, Josh Hegemann was plunked to bring home the game-winning run. The Bearcats did an excellent job manufacturing runs in the first game, drawing 16 free bases (12 walks, four HBP) and tallying three steals en route to the victory despite recording just two hits.
Hegemann was hit twice in the first game and had two RBI, while both Cole Harting and Kerrington Cross walked three times to tie their career highs.
Tommy Boba was terrific on the mound, striking out four while allowing just one run in five innings of work. Ryan Insco entered the game with a tie score and a runner on base in the top of the seventh and escaped unscathed to earn the win, his first as a Bearcat.
Cincinnati scattered 11 hits in game two, but wasn't able to put together a big inning against NIU. Tommy O'Connor's two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth made it a 6-4 game, and UC put runners at the corners in the bottom of the ninth, but couldn't complete the comeback.
O'Connor had a career-high four hits in game two and also reached base twice in the first game, extending his on-base streak to 26 games dating back to last season.
Luke Sefcik went 2-for-4 with an RBI and Christian Mitchelle had a two-hit day as well.
Carson Marsh threw 1.1 scoreless frames and Shawn Parnell struck out two in two scoreless innings out of the bullpen.
Cincinnati and Northern Illinois will wrap up their weekend series on Sunday at 1 PM on ESPN+.
// HOW IT HAPPENED (GAME 1)
NIU's Colin Summerhill homered in the top of the first to open the scoring, but the Bearcats tied it up at 1-1 in the bottom half of the inning. The first three UC batters drew walks to load the bases, and Dalton Pearson scored easily on a 4-6-3 double play to tie the game.
Josh Hegemann scored on a fielder's choice in the bottom of the third and drove in a run on a sac fly in the bottom of the fourth to push Cincinnati's lead to 3-1. A bases-loaded walk drawn by Cole Harting gave UC a 4-1 advantage after the bottom of the fifth.
Northern Illinois struck in the later innings, scoring twice in the sixth and twice in the seventh to tie the game. A UC error allowed one run to score in the seventh, and a sac fly to right field tied the game. Ryan Insco entered the game with a runner on first and one out and got the final two outs to keep the game tied heading into the bottom of the seventh.
Max Palmieri drew a one-out walk, pinch-hitter Hunter Jessee was hit by a pitch, and Harting walked again to load the bases with one out. Hegemann stepped to the plate with a chance to be the hero and was plunked in the very first pitch of the at-bat to bring home the game-winning run.
// HOW IT HAPPENED (GAME 2)
A UC fielding miscue allowed the first run of the game to score in the top of the first, which gave NIU an early lead. The Huskies scored again on RBI singles in the third and fifth to take a 3-0 lead by the midway point of the game.
The Bearcats got on the scoreboard with a couple runs in the bottom of the fifth to pull within a run. With runners at first and second, Josh Kross hit a ground ball to second base that should have been a double play, but an error allowed Tommy O'Connor to score. Luke Sefcik singled to right field two batters later to bring home Kerrington Cross and put the score at 3-2.
Northern Illinois' Cooper Cohn provided the biggest hit of the game, a three-run home run in the top of the sixth to give his team a 6-2 lead.
Carson Marsh and Shawn Parnell held the Huskies scoreless over the final 3.1 innings to keep the Bearcats in the game, and their efforts nearly paid off. O'Connor's two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth put UC within two runs, 6-4, and he singled in the bottom of the ninth to put runners at the corners with two outs. The rally would end there, however, to cap the doubleheader split.
// 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.