TicketsCINCINNATI – The University of Cincinnati baseball team officially claimed its sixth Big 12 series of the year with Friday's 7-0 shutout against Kansas State.
It was the fourth shutout of the year for UC (31-22, 16-13 Big 12), and the second in conference play.
All of the Bearcats' damage at the plate occurred in the first two innings, and the pitching staff took over from there to shut down the K-State offense.
Four pitchers combined for the shutout on Friday. Sophomore Carson Marsh struck out four in four innings of work, redshirt senior Brandon Scheurer punched out four in 2.2 frames, and seniors Michael Conte and Kellen O'Connor pitched the final 2.1 innings. O'Connor ended the game for the second straight night, striking out the side in game two.
UC's hitters pounded out 10 hits, nine of which came from four players. Sophomore Cal Sefcik went 3-for-4 with a home run, and redshirt senior Kerrington Cross, senior Tommy O'Connor, and junior Christian Mitchelle all had two hits apiece. Cross homered as well, his 12th of the season, and raised his batting average to .414. Entering play on Friday, he was one of just 18 qualified Division I hitters hitting over .400.
Saturday's contest, the final game of the regular season, is set to start at 1:00 p.m., and the Senior Day ceremony will begin at 12:30 p.m.
// HOW IT HAPPENED
Kerrington Cross led off the bottom of the first with a home run, and UC led the rest of the way. Lauden Brooks' sacrifice fly and Tommy O'Connor's unorthodox RBI single made it 3-0 after one inning. O'Connor skied a popup with two outs that dropped safely between the pitcher's mound and home plate; Cal Sefcik, who was running on contact, scored easily.
Sefcik would later homer in the bottom of the second, launching a two-run bomb after Jack Natili drove in two with a two-run double. Cincinnati led 7-0 after that inning.
While UC's bats were doing damage at the plate, Carson Marsh was carving up the Kansas State hitters. He retired the first eight hitters he faced and posted scoreless innings in the third and fourth as well.
Brandon Scheurer entered the game in the top of the fifth and shut out the Wildcats until the top of the seventh, and Michael Conte relieved him and ended the inning. Conte pitched a scoreless eighth and Kellen O'Connor entered the game in the top of the ninth, striking out the side to end the game.
// FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
For up-to-the-minute updates, follow @GoBearcatsBASE on X/Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
It was the fourth shutout of the year for UC (31-22, 16-13 Big 12), and the second in conference play.
All of the Bearcats' damage at the plate occurred in the first two innings, and the pitching staff took over from there to shut down the K-State offense.
Four pitchers combined for the shutout on Friday. Sophomore Carson Marsh struck out four in four innings of work, redshirt senior Brandon Scheurer punched out four in 2.2 frames, and seniors Michael Conte and Kellen O'Connor pitched the final 2.1 innings. O'Connor ended the game for the second straight night, striking out the side in game two.
UC's hitters pounded out 10 hits, nine of which came from four players. Sophomore Cal Sefcik went 3-for-4 with a home run, and redshirt senior Kerrington Cross, senior Tommy O'Connor, and junior Christian Mitchelle all had two hits apiece. Cross homered as well, his 12th of the season, and raised his batting average to .414. Entering play on Friday, he was one of just 18 qualified Division I hitters hitting over .400.
Saturday's contest, the final game of the regular season, is set to start at 1:00 p.m., and the Senior Day ceremony will begin at 12:30 p.m.
// HOW IT HAPPENED
Kerrington Cross led off the bottom of the first with a home run, and UC led the rest of the way. Lauden Brooks' sacrifice fly and Tommy O'Connor's unorthodox RBI single made it 3-0 after one inning. O'Connor skied a popup with two outs that dropped safely between the pitcher's mound and home plate; Cal Sefcik, who was running on contact, scored easily.
Sefcik would later homer in the bottom of the second, launching a two-run bomb after Jack Natili drove in two with a two-run double. Cincinnati led 7-0 after that inning.
While UC's bats were doing damage at the plate, Carson Marsh was carving up the Kansas State hitters. He retired the first eight hitters he faced and posted scoreless innings in the third and fourth as well.
Brandon Scheurer entered the game in the top of the fifth and shut out the Wildcats until the top of the seventh, and Michael Conte relieved him and ended the inning. Conte pitched a scoreless eighth and Kellen O'Connor entered the game in the top of the ninth, striking out the side to end the game.
// FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
For up-to-the-minute updates, follow @GoBearcatsBASE on X/Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.