TicketsCINCINNATI – The University of Cincinnati baseball team captured its first-ever Big 12 series sweep on Sunday with an emphatic 13-2 run-rule victory vs. TCU.
The Bearcats (19-13, 7-5 Big 12) are now just 1.5 games out of first place in the Big 12, a spot currently held by Oklahoma (17-13, 8-3 Big 12).
It was the most dominant weekend series of the year for UC, which outscored TCU (20-11, 5-10 Big 12) 23-6 across all three games. There were 25 innings played this weekend and Cincinnati only trailed at the end of one of them, the fifth inning on Friday.
The Horned Frogs led off Sunday's game with a home run, but Cincinnati scored three in the bottom of the first to take a 3-1 lead heading into the second. UC continued to pile it on, scoring five in a second, one in the fourth, two in the sixth, and two in the seventh. The two runs in the seventh inning came on a home run from Kerrington Cross, which proved to be the game-winner.
Cross drove in four runs on Sunday and was one of four Bearcats to have a multi-hit effort. Lauden Brooks, Josh Kross, and Hunter Jessee all had two hits apiece, and Brooks and Jessee both tallied two RBI as well. Alec Jones had a two-RBI day too.
Kross hit his 12th home run of the year in the first inning, a two-run shot, and scored three times.
On the mound, Nathan Taylor struck out nine in the complete game effort, earning his sixth win of the year. Taylor allowed just six baserunners and did not walk anybody to help lead UC to the win.
Cincinnati, on the other hand, did a terrific job of drawing walks at the plate. The Bearcats walked eight times on Sunday and drew three bases-loaded walks, all coming in the second inning.
Cincinnati plays Xavier at Prasco Park on Tuesday in the Joe Nuxhall Classic before heading to Oklahoma State next weekend for a three-game series. First pitch for Tuesday's game vs. the Musketeers is set for 6 PM.
// HOW IT HAPPENED
TCU led off the game with a home run to take the lead, but the Bearcats quickly flipped the script in the bottom of the first. Kerrington Cross tied the game with an RBI single, driving home Lauden Brooks, and on the very next pitch Josh Kross hit a two-run home run to give UC a 3-1 lead.
After Nathan Taylor sent the Horned Frogs down in order in the top of the second, Cincinnati blew the game open with five runs in the bottom half of the inning. Hunter Jessee led off the inning with a double and later scored on Brooks' RBI single. Three of the five runs scored on bases-loaded walks, with the other run scoring on Josh Hegemann's sac fly. When the inning ended, Cincinnati held an 8-1 lead.
Taylor continued to stifle the TCU hitters on the mound while UC's hitters continued to add to the lead. Jessee singled home a run in the fourth, and Alec Jones ripped a two-run single up the middle in the sixth to give UC an 11-2 lead.
Taylor posted a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the seventh before Cross ended the game in the bottom of the inning. Tommy O'Connor drew a walk, then Cross crushed an 0-1 offering over the fence in left field to enact the run-rule and end the game, completing the series sweep.
// 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 Bearcats (19-13, 7-5 Big 12) are now just 1.5 games out of first place in the Big 12, a spot currently held by Oklahoma (17-13, 8-3 Big 12).
It was the most dominant weekend series of the year for UC, which outscored TCU (20-11, 5-10 Big 12) 23-6 across all three games. There were 25 innings played this weekend and Cincinnati only trailed at the end of one of them, the fifth inning on Friday.
The Horned Frogs led off Sunday's game with a home run, but Cincinnati scored three in the bottom of the first to take a 3-1 lead heading into the second. UC continued to pile it on, scoring five in a second, one in the fourth, two in the sixth, and two in the seventh. The two runs in the seventh inning came on a home run from Kerrington Cross, which proved to be the game-winner.
Cross drove in four runs on Sunday and was one of four Bearcats to have a multi-hit effort. Lauden Brooks, Josh Kross, and Hunter Jessee all had two hits apiece, and Brooks and Jessee both tallied two RBI as well. Alec Jones had a two-RBI day too.
Kross hit his 12th home run of the year in the first inning, a two-run shot, and scored three times.
On the mound, Nathan Taylor struck out nine in the complete game effort, earning his sixth win of the year. Taylor allowed just six baserunners and did not walk anybody to help lead UC to the win.
Cincinnati, on the other hand, did a terrific job of drawing walks at the plate. The Bearcats walked eight times on Sunday and drew three bases-loaded walks, all coming in the second inning.
Cincinnati plays Xavier at Prasco Park on Tuesday in the Joe Nuxhall Classic before heading to Oklahoma State next weekend for a three-game series. First pitch for Tuesday's game vs. the Musketeers is set for 6 PM.
// HOW IT HAPPENED
TCU led off the game with a home run to take the lead, but the Bearcats quickly flipped the script in the bottom of the first. Kerrington Cross tied the game with an RBI single, driving home Lauden Brooks, and on the very next pitch Josh Kross hit a two-run home run to give UC a 3-1 lead.
After Nathan Taylor sent the Horned Frogs down in order in the top of the second, Cincinnati blew the game open with five runs in the bottom half of the inning. Hunter Jessee led off the inning with a double and later scored on Brooks' RBI single. Three of the five runs scored on bases-loaded walks, with the other run scoring on Josh Hegemann's sac fly. When the inning ended, Cincinnati held an 8-1 lead.
Taylor continued to stifle the TCU hitters on the mound while UC's hitters continued to add to the lead. Jessee singled home a run in the fourth, and Alec Jones ripped a two-run single up the middle in the sixth to give UC an 11-2 lead.
Taylor posted a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the seventh before Cross ended the game in the bottom of the inning. Tommy O'Connor drew a walk, then Cross crushed an 0-1 offering over the fence in left field to enact the run-rule and end the game, completing the series sweep.
// 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.