TicketsFORT WORTH, Texas – The University of Cincinnati baseball team opened its series at TCU on Friday night with a 17-11 loss at Lupton Stadium in Fort Worth.
UC drops to 28-21 overall and 13-12 in Big 12 Conference play, and the loss snaps a four-game winning streak.
The Bearcats jumped out to an early lead, scoring three runs in the top of the first, and led 5-2 after four-and-a-half innings. TCU (34-15, 16-9 Big 12) clipped the script entirely later in the game, scoring three in the fifth, five in the sixth, and seven in the eighth to build what proved to be an insurmountable lead. Six runs over the final two frames for Cincinnati cut into the deficit a bit, but couldn't it couldn't complete the comeback.
Sophomore Jack Natili stayed hot at the plate, going 4-for-5 with a home run and four RBI. It marked the third time in the last four games that the sophomore catcher has had at least four hits in a game. Senior Tommy O'Connor and freshman Quinton Coats homered as well, giving them five and four homers, respectively, on the season.
Redshirt senior Kerrington Cross, who had reached base safely in his last 29 games entering play on Friday night, extended that streak to 30. He reached base twice vs. the Horned Frogs, via a double and a hit by pitch.
Game between the Bearcats and Horned Frogs is set for Saturday at 3:00 p.m. ET.
// HOW IT HAPPENED
The Bearcats got off to a hot start, scoring three in the top of the first. Jack Natili's RBI single opened the scoring, then Quinton Coats hit a two-run home run to the opposite field to give UC a 3-0 lead before the Horned Frogs had a chance to bat. TCU did get one run back in the bottom of the first to make it 3-1. A two-out double in the bottom of the second brought in another TCU run to put the score at 3-2.
Following its first inning burst, Cincinnati had trouble figuring out TCU starter Tommy LaPour, who notched eight strikeouts over the next three innings. The Bearcats broke through with two more runs in the top of the fifth though, scoring on a Kerrington Cross RBI double and a Cal Sefcik run-scoring single to increase their lead to 5-2.
The Horned Frogs grabbed the reins from that point onward, however. They tied the game with three runs in the bottom of the fifth then put up a five-spot in the sixth to make it a 10-5 game.
Cincinnati cut into the deficit in the eighth, scoring three runs to pull within two. Coats' RBI single brought in the first run of the game, then Tommy O'Connor obliterated a two-run home run that made the score 10-8.
TCU answered with seven runs in the bottom half of the eighth, batting around to increase its lead to 17-8. Natili launched a three-run homer over the batter's eye in center field in the top of the ninth, but those were the final runs of the game.
// CINCINNATI BASEBALL TICKET INFO
The baseball season is winding down, but we still have important home games left against Indiana (May 13) and Kansas State (May 15-17), and we would love to see you at the ballpark! 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.
UC drops to 28-21 overall and 13-12 in Big 12 Conference play, and the loss snaps a four-game winning streak.
The Bearcats jumped out to an early lead, scoring three runs in the top of the first, and led 5-2 after four-and-a-half innings. TCU (34-15, 16-9 Big 12) clipped the script entirely later in the game, scoring three in the fifth, five in the sixth, and seven in the eighth to build what proved to be an insurmountable lead. Six runs over the final two frames for Cincinnati cut into the deficit a bit, but couldn't it couldn't complete the comeback.
Sophomore Jack Natili stayed hot at the plate, going 4-for-5 with a home run and four RBI. It marked the third time in the last four games that the sophomore catcher has had at least four hits in a game. Senior Tommy O'Connor and freshman Quinton Coats homered as well, giving them five and four homers, respectively, on the season.
Redshirt senior Kerrington Cross, who had reached base safely in his last 29 games entering play on Friday night, extended that streak to 30. He reached base twice vs. the Horned Frogs, via a double and a hit by pitch.
Game between the Bearcats and Horned Frogs is set for Saturday at 3:00 p.m. ET.
// HOW IT HAPPENED
The Bearcats got off to a hot start, scoring three in the top of the first. Jack Natili's RBI single opened the scoring, then Quinton Coats hit a two-run home run to the opposite field to give UC a 3-0 lead before the Horned Frogs had a chance to bat. TCU did get one run back in the bottom of the first to make it 3-1. A two-out double in the bottom of the second brought in another TCU run to put the score at 3-2.
Following its first inning burst, Cincinnati had trouble figuring out TCU starter Tommy LaPour, who notched eight strikeouts over the next three innings. The Bearcats broke through with two more runs in the top of the fifth though, scoring on a Kerrington Cross RBI double and a Cal Sefcik run-scoring single to increase their lead to 5-2.
The Horned Frogs grabbed the reins from that point onward, however. They tied the game with three runs in the bottom of the fifth then put up a five-spot in the sixth to make it a 10-5 game.
Cincinnati cut into the deficit in the eighth, scoring three runs to pull within two. Coats' RBI single brought in the first run of the game, then Tommy O'Connor obliterated a two-run home run that made the score 10-8.
TCU answered with seven runs in the bottom half of the eighth, batting around to increase its lead to 17-8. Natili launched a three-run homer over the batter's eye in center field in the top of the ninth, but those were the final runs of the game.
// CINCINNATI BASEBALL TICKET INFO
The baseball season is winding down, but we still have important home games left against Indiana (May 13) and Kansas State (May 15-17), and we would love to see you at the ballpark! 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.