TicketsCINCINNATI – A three-run eighth inning broke a 7-7 tie and propelled the University of Cincinnati baseball team to a 10-7 win vs. UCF on Sunday at UC Baseball Stadium, completing the weekend sweep.
It's the first time the Bearcats (16-11, 4-5 Big 12) have ever swept the Knights (17-10, 3-6 Big 12), their conference foes since 2014.
Cincinnati trailed 7-5 entering the bottom of the seventh before scoring twice that inning to tie the game and three more in the eighth to take the lead. As has been the case all weekend, UCF did not go down without a fight and led off the ninth with a double. Redshirt senior Brandon Scheurer entered the game and was terrific, retiring the next three hitters to clinch the game and the sweep.
The game-winning hit on Sunday came from junior Christian Mitchelle, and sophomore Cal Sefcik's two-run single two batters later provided necessary insurance runs.
The Bearcats ability to withstand adversity and find ways to get on base were the keys to the sweep. UC grabbed the lead in the eighth inning on Sunday and walked off the Knights on Saturday, and shut down a UCF bases-loaded rally in the win on Friday. At the plate, Cincinnati walked (22) more than it struck out (21) and posted a .457 on-base percentage across all three games.
Redshirt senior Kerrington Cross was unbelievable all weekend long, going 5-for-7 at the plate with four walks and four HBP, posting an otherworldly .813 on-base percentage for the series. While he did not record a hit on Sunday, he reached base four times (three HBP, one walk) to help set the tone for the Cincinnati offense.
The Bearcats will look to keep things rolling on Tuesday at Miami (Ohio) at 3:00 p.m. before heading to Texas Tech next weekend.
// HOW IT HAPPENED
Jack Natili got things going with an RBI double in the bottom of the first to make it 1-0. UCF responded with two runs in the top of the second, but the Bearcats punched right back in the bottom half of the inning. Christian Mitchelle and Charlie Niehaus both notched two-run singles to put Cincinnati up 5-2.
The Knights tied the game at 5-5 in the top of the fifth on a three-run home run from Andrew Williamson and took the lead on another homer in the seventh. Dylan King's two-run home run with two outs gave UCF its first lead since the third inning.
The Bearcats weren't down for long, scoring twice in the bottom of the second to tie the game at 7-7. Natili, Mitchelle, and Tommy O'Connor walked to load the bases, and Sefcik and Niehaus drove in runs in back-to-back at-bats to tie it up.
Michael Conte and Joel Pineiro combined to shut the Knights out in the top of the eighth, and Cincinnati reclaimed the lead in its next trip to the plate. Mitchelle's base hit through the left side of the infield brought in what would end up being the game-winning run, and Sefcik's two-run single increased the lead to 10-7.
After a leadoff double in the top of the ninth, Scheurer entered the game and retired all three batters he faced to seal the win.
// CINCINNATI BASEBALL TICKET INFO
Upcoming Big 12 series at UC Baseball Stadium this season include Arizona State (April 11-13), Oklahoma State (April 25-27), and Kansas State (May 15-17). Non-conference games at UC Baseball Stadium include midweek contests vs. Xavier (April 15) and Indiana (May 13).
There is still a lot of great baseball left to be played at UC Baseball Stadium this season! To purchase your tickets, visit cpaw.me/Tickets or call 1-877-CATS-TIX (1-877-228-7849).
// FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
For up-to-the-minute updates, follow @GoBearcatsBASE on X/Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
It's the first time the Bearcats (16-11, 4-5 Big 12) have ever swept the Knights (17-10, 3-6 Big 12), their conference foes since 2014.
Cincinnati trailed 7-5 entering the bottom of the seventh before scoring twice that inning to tie the game and three more in the eighth to take the lead. As has been the case all weekend, UCF did not go down without a fight and led off the ninth with a double. Redshirt senior Brandon Scheurer entered the game and was terrific, retiring the next three hitters to clinch the game and the sweep.
The game-winning hit on Sunday came from junior Christian Mitchelle, and sophomore Cal Sefcik's two-run single two batters later provided necessary insurance runs.
The Bearcats ability to withstand adversity and find ways to get on base were the keys to the sweep. UC grabbed the lead in the eighth inning on Sunday and walked off the Knights on Saturday, and shut down a UCF bases-loaded rally in the win on Friday. At the plate, Cincinnati walked (22) more than it struck out (21) and posted a .457 on-base percentage across all three games.
Redshirt senior Kerrington Cross was unbelievable all weekend long, going 5-for-7 at the plate with four walks and four HBP, posting an otherworldly .813 on-base percentage for the series. While he did not record a hit on Sunday, he reached base four times (three HBP, one walk) to help set the tone for the Cincinnati offense.
The Bearcats will look to keep things rolling on Tuesday at Miami (Ohio) at 3:00 p.m. before heading to Texas Tech next weekend.
🗣️ @BischelJordan
— Cincinnati Baseball (@GoBearcatsBASE) March 30, 2025
Hear what Head Coach Jordan Bischel had to say after sweeping the Knights!#Bearcats | #TenGames pic.twitter.com/QAUfiK8f8M
// HOW IT HAPPENED
Jack Natili got things going with an RBI double in the bottom of the first to make it 1-0. UCF responded with two runs in the top of the second, but the Bearcats punched right back in the bottom half of the inning. Christian Mitchelle and Charlie Niehaus both notched two-run singles to put Cincinnati up 5-2.
The Knights tied the game at 5-5 in the top of the fifth on a three-run home run from Andrew Williamson and took the lead on another homer in the seventh. Dylan King's two-run home run with two outs gave UCF its first lead since the third inning.
The Bearcats weren't down for long, scoring twice in the bottom of the second to tie the game at 7-7. Natili, Mitchelle, and Tommy O'Connor walked to load the bases, and Sefcik and Niehaus drove in runs in back-to-back at-bats to tie it up.
Michael Conte and Joel Pineiro combined to shut the Knights out in the top of the eighth, and Cincinnati reclaimed the lead in its next trip to the plate. Mitchelle's base hit through the left side of the infield brought in what would end up being the game-winning run, and Sefcik's two-run single increased the lead to 10-7.
After a leadoff double in the top of the ninth, Scheurer entered the game and retired all three batters he faced to seal the win.
// CINCINNATI BASEBALL TICKET INFO
Upcoming Big 12 series at UC Baseball Stadium this season include Arizona State (April 11-13), Oklahoma State (April 25-27), and Kansas State (May 15-17). Non-conference games at UC Baseball Stadium include midweek contests vs. Xavier (April 15) and Indiana (May 13).
There is still a lot of great baseball left to be played at UC Baseball Stadium this season! To purchase your tickets, visit cpaw.me/Tickets or call 1-877-CATS-TIX (1-877-228-7849).
// FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
For up-to-the-minute updates, follow @GoBearcatsBASE on X/Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.