TicketsLA JOLLA, Calif. – No. 23 Cincinnati opened its four-game series at UC San Diego on Thursday night, falling by a score of 4-3.
The Bearcats trailed heading into the seventh inning, but reclaimed a 3-2 lead that it held until the bottom of the ninth. A two-run double by UCSD's Garret Davidson brought home the tying and game-winning runs, handing UC its third walk-off defeat of the season.
Senior Tommy O'Connor and sophomore Jack Natili both had two-hit efforts on Thursday. Natili homered and drove in a couple runs, his first home run as a Bearcat. Junior Landyn Vidourek walked three times, tying his career-high total.
Five different pitchers saw time on the mound, led by starter Kellen O'Connor. The redshirt senior left-hander struck out four in 4.2 innings of work, and he was followed by redshirt senior Max Bergmann. Bergmann struck out three in 2.1 innings out of the bullpen.
Game two is set for 9:00 p.m. ET on Friday night.
// HOW IT HAPPENED
Jack Natili started the game off with a bang for Cincinnati, launching a 3-1 pitch over the fence in right field for an opposite-field homer, making it 1-0.
Kellen O'Connor sent the Tritons down in order in the bottom of the first and faced the minimum through three innings. The left-hander faced resistance in the fifth inning, however, as UCSD managed to tie the game at 1-1. A walk opened the inning and an error put two runners on with no outs, then a few batters later a two-out, bases-loaded walk brought home the tying run. A solo homer for UCSD's Gabe Camacho in the bottom of the sixth put UC in a 2-1 hole.
The deficit didn't last long, as Cincinnati scored twice in the seventh to go up 3-2. After the first three batters reached to load the bases, Kerrington Cross entered the game as a pinch hitter and, though he grounded into a double play, his at-bat allowed the tying run to score. In the next at-bat, Natili drove an 0-2 pitch into right field that scored Landyn Vidourek easily and gave the Bearcats a 3-2 advantage.
The Tritons had the tying run at second base after a two-out double in the seventh, but Max Bergmann's clutch strikeout ended the threat.
UC San Diego was able to put together a rally in the bottom of the ninth. The first two hitters of the inning reached, then a sacrifice bunt moved both into scoring position. Garret Davidson's double into right field scored both runs to end the game.
// FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
For up-to-the-minute updates, follow @GoBearcatsBASE on X/Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
The Bearcats trailed heading into the seventh inning, but reclaimed a 3-2 lead that it held until the bottom of the ninth. A two-run double by UCSD's Garret Davidson brought home the tying and game-winning runs, handing UC its third walk-off defeat of the season.
Senior Tommy O'Connor and sophomore Jack Natili both had two-hit efforts on Thursday. Natili homered and drove in a couple runs, his first home run as a Bearcat. Junior Landyn Vidourek walked three times, tying his career-high total.
Five different pitchers saw time on the mound, led by starter Kellen O'Connor. The redshirt senior left-hander struck out four in 4.2 innings of work, and he was followed by redshirt senior Max Bergmann. Bergmann struck out three in 2.1 innings out of the bullpen.
Game two is set for 9:00 p.m. ET on Friday night.
// HOW IT HAPPENED
Jack Natili started the game off with a bang for Cincinnati, launching a 3-1 pitch over the fence in right field for an opposite-field homer, making it 1-0.
Kellen O'Connor sent the Tritons down in order in the bottom of the first and faced the minimum through three innings. The left-hander faced resistance in the fifth inning, however, as UCSD managed to tie the game at 1-1. A walk opened the inning and an error put two runners on with no outs, then a few batters later a two-out, bases-loaded walk brought home the tying run. A solo homer for UCSD's Gabe Camacho in the bottom of the sixth put UC in a 2-1 hole.
The deficit didn't last long, as Cincinnati scored twice in the seventh to go up 3-2. After the first three batters reached to load the bases, Kerrington Cross entered the game as a pinch hitter and, though he grounded into a double play, his at-bat allowed the tying run to score. In the next at-bat, Natili drove an 0-2 pitch into right field that scored Landyn Vidourek easily and gave the Bearcats a 3-2 advantage.
The Tritons had the tying run at second base after a two-out double in the seventh, but Max Bergmann's clutch strikeout ended the threat.
UC San Diego was able to put together a rally in the bottom of the ninth. The first two hitters of the inning reached, then a sacrifice bunt moved both into scoring position. Garret Davidson's double into right field scored both runs to end the game.
// FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
For up-to-the-minute updates, follow @GoBearcatsBASE on X/Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.