TicketsCINCINNATI – A four-run sixth inning propelled the University of Cincinnati baseball team to a 4-2 win vs. TCU in game one of their weekend series on Friday at UC Baseball Stadium.
The Bearcats (17-13, 5-5 Big 12) were held hitless through the first 5.1 innings on Friday, and trailed the Horned Frogs (20-9, 5-8 Big 12) 1-0 heading into the bottom of the sixth. In that inning, Kerrington Cross reached on a one-out walk and Josh Kross singled to right field for the first UC hit of the game. Josh Hegemann's bunt single loaded the bases, and two batters later Luke Sefcik drew a bases-loaded walk to tie the game at 1-1.
Hunter Jessee provided the big hit of the night, a two-run single up the middle that gave Cincinnati its first lead of the game. Alec Jones followed with an RBI single to put the Bearcats up, 4-1.
TCU added a run in the top of the ninth and had runners on first and second with two outs. With the go-ahead run at the plate, a ground ball to third base was fielded successfully by Cross, and after a bang-bang play at first base the umpires confirmed the runner was out after a review.
Brenden Garula started the game on the mound and tossed 3.2 strong innings, striking out two. For the second straight weekend, Seth Logue earned the win with a lengthy and impressive outing out of the bullpen. He struck out six in 5.1 innings of work.
Game two of the series is set for 2 PM on Saturday.
// HOW IT HAPPENED
Both teams were held scoreless until the top of the fifth when a two-out RBI double for the Horned Frogs gave them a 1-0 lead.
Cincinnati broke through in a big way in the bottom of the sixth, scoring four runs to take a 4-1 lead. The Bearcats had been held hitless until that inning; it wasn't until a Josh Kross base hit with one out that UC broke into the hit column.
The proved to open up the offensive floodgates as Luke Sefcik would tie the game after drawing a bases-loaded walk, then Hunter Jessee ripped a single into center field that brought home a pair of runs. Alec Jones shot one back up the middle in the next at-bat to bring home a run and give Cincinnati a 4-1 advantage.
Logue allowed a pair of baserunners to reach in the seventh, but escaped unscathed. He followed with a 1-2-3 top of the eighth, ending the inning with a strikeout.
TCU led off the top of the ninth inning with a home run to make it 4-2, and followed back-to-back strikeouts tallied back-to-back two-out hits to bring the go-ahead run to the plate.
A ground ball to third base was fielded by Cross, who made the long throw across the diamond the nab the runner for the third out. The umpires convened to take a look a the play, but ultimately confirmed the call on the field.
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