TicketsCINCINNATI – Capping a stretch of five games in four days, the University of Cincinnati baseball team cruised to a 14-1 seven-inning run-rule victory against Northern Illinois on Sunday at UC Baseball Stadium.
The 14 runs are a season-high and the most for the Bearcats (7-5) since a 15-5 win vs. Butler on March 25 last season.
UC started its offensive barrage early with a two-run first inning and piled it on in the second and third, scoring five runs in each frame. By then the game was out of reach for the Huskies, who were held to just one hit over the final three innings by Cincinnati pitchers.
Josh Kross had his best game as a Bearcat, going 3-for-4 with a home run and career-high six RBI. Tommy O'Connor was 2-for-3 with a home run and four RBI, pushing his on-base streak to 27 games dating back to last season.
Operating out of the leadoff spot, Dalton Pearson did his job by reaching base three times and scoring three times. The senior outfielder also stole two bases and drove in two runs.
Kameron Guidry stepped to the plate four times but did not record an official at-bat, tallying two walks and two sacrifice flies. He either drove in a run or scored a run in all four plate appearances.
Not to be outdone, UC's pitching staff turned in seven strong innings to help the cause. Bradley Coulter made the start and struck out three in two innings of work, and Brenden Garula earned the win with two scoreless frames. Joey Hurth and Will Murphy each kept NIU off the scoreboard in their relief appearances as well.
The Bearcats hit .308 over the four-game series against Northern Illinois and outscored NIU, 37-17.
// HOW IT HAPPENED
Cincinnati struck first, scoring twice in the bottom of the first on a two-run single by Josh Kross. Northern Illinois scored on a bases-loaded walk in the top of the second to make it 2-1, but that would be the only run UC would allow.
Five-run innings in the second and third pushed the Bearcats' lead to 12-1. Cincinnati batted around in the bottom of the second and saw the top of the lineup come through at the plate. Dalton Pearson's two-run single brought home the first two runs of the inning, and Tommy O'Connor followed that up with an RBI base hit that made its way through the right side of the infield. Kross lined a two-run single into left field to make it 7-1 at the end of the second.
A couple home runs from two of UC's top sluggers blew the game wide open in the bottom of the third. O'Connor homered for the second straight day, this one a three-run shot to left field, and Kross launched a two-run missile over the fence in right field and off Fifth Third Arena to make it a 12-1 ballgame.
Garula entered the game in the top of the third and immediately induced a double play and ended the frame with a strikeout, and used another double play in the fourth to escape unscathed. Joey Hurth pitched a scoreless fifth and sixth, and Will Murphy shut out NIU in the top of the seventh.
Kameron Guidry added to the lead with sacrifice flies in the fourth and sixth to bring about the final score of 14-1.
// NEXT UP
Cincinnati hosts Akron on Wednesday at 4 PM before beginning Big 12 play next weekend at Kansas State. The series opener in Manhattan is slated for 7 PM on Friday, March 8.
// 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.
The 14 runs are a season-high and the most for the Bearcats (7-5) since a 15-5 win vs. Butler on March 25 last season.
UC started its offensive barrage early with a two-run first inning and piled it on in the second and third, scoring five runs in each frame. By then the game was out of reach for the Huskies, who were held to just one hit over the final three innings by Cincinnati pitchers.
Josh Kross had his best game as a Bearcat, going 3-for-4 with a home run and career-high six RBI. Tommy O'Connor was 2-for-3 with a home run and four RBI, pushing his on-base streak to 27 games dating back to last season.
Operating out of the leadoff spot, Dalton Pearson did his job by reaching base three times and scoring three times. The senior outfielder also stole two bases and drove in two runs.
Kameron Guidry stepped to the plate four times but did not record an official at-bat, tallying two walks and two sacrifice flies. He either drove in a run or scored a run in all four plate appearances.
Not to be outdone, UC's pitching staff turned in seven strong innings to help the cause. Bradley Coulter made the start and struck out three in two innings of work, and Brenden Garula earned the win with two scoreless frames. Joey Hurth and Will Murphy each kept NIU off the scoreboard in their relief appearances as well.
The Bearcats hit .308 over the four-game series against Northern Illinois and outscored NIU, 37-17.
// HOW IT HAPPENED
Cincinnati struck first, scoring twice in the bottom of the first on a two-run single by Josh Kross. Northern Illinois scored on a bases-loaded walk in the top of the second to make it 2-1, but that would be the only run UC would allow.
Five-run innings in the second and third pushed the Bearcats' lead to 12-1. Cincinnati batted around in the bottom of the second and saw the top of the lineup come through at the plate. Dalton Pearson's two-run single brought home the first two runs of the inning, and Tommy O'Connor followed that up with an RBI base hit that made its way through the right side of the infield. Kross lined a two-run single into left field to make it 7-1 at the end of the second.
A couple home runs from two of UC's top sluggers blew the game wide open in the bottom of the third. O'Connor homered for the second straight day, this one a three-run shot to left field, and Kross launched a two-run missile over the fence in right field and off Fifth Third Arena to make it a 12-1 ballgame.
Garula entered the game in the top of the third and immediately induced a double play and ended the frame with a strikeout, and used another double play in the fourth to escape unscathed. Joey Hurth pitched a scoreless fifth and sixth, and Will Murphy shut out NIU in the top of the seventh.
Kameron Guidry added to the lead with sacrifice flies in the fourth and sixth to bring about the final score of 14-1.
// NEXT UP
Cincinnati hosts Akron on Wednesday at 4 PM before beginning Big 12 play next weekend at Kansas State. The series opener in Manhattan is slated for 7 PM on Friday, March 8.
// 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.