TicketsARLINGTON, Texas – A strong start from sophomore Nathan Taylor and four combined RBI from freshmen Quinton Coats and Derrick Pitts fueled Cincinnati's 6-5 win vs. Texas Tech in the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship on Wednesday at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.
The No. 8 seed Bearcats will face the No. 1 seed West Virginia Mountaineers on Thursday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. ET. The game will be televised on ESPN+.
With the win, Cincinnati improves to 32-23 overall on the season.
Taylor struck out nine across seven innings on Wednesday and retired the first six hitters he faced. He hit a speed bump in the third inning, but rebounded to post scoreless innings in the fourth and fifth. UC led, 4-1, at the end of the fifth thanks to a three-run third inning, and both squads scored late runs to keep pace with each other. TTU plated two in the top of the eighth to make it a 6-5 ballgame, but redshirt senior Kellen O'Connor bounced back and tossed a scoreless ninth to clinch the win. It was O'Connor's second save in the last week.
Coats hit a solo homer in the seventh inning that proved to be a valuable insurance run. Pitts went 2-for-4 with a couple RBI and a stolen base, and sophomore Cal Sefcik had a couple hits as well. Senior Lauden Brooks reached twice with a couple walks.
// HOW IT HAPPENED
Derrick Pitts gave UC an early lead, driving in the first run of the game in the bottom of the second. His base hit up the middle scored Cal Sefcik from second base to give Cincinnati a 1-0 advantage.
Nathan Taylor retired the first six hitters her faced, but ran into a bit of adversity in the top of the third. A leadoff double was followed by a base hit to put runners on the corners, then TTU brought in the tying run to make it 1-1. Taylor bounced back though, and after Texas Tech loaded the bases with one out he retired the next two hitters to keep the score at 1-1.
The Bearcats plated three runs in the third to take a 4-1 lead. Jack Natili's triple broke the tie, then Quinton Coats' sacrifice fly and Pitts' RBI fielder's choice helped Cincinnati build a three-run cushion.
Taylor held the Red Raiders scoreless in the fourth and fifth, but they found the scoreboard in each of the next three innings. Cincinnati responded in the sixth and seventh though, scoring on an error in the sixth and a Quinton Coats solo homer in the seventh to make it 6-3.
Texas Tech made it a one-run game in the eighth with a couple runs, but Kellen O'Connor steadied himself and pitched a scoreless ninth. He retired the first two hitters and, after allowing a two-out single, induced a harmless fly ball to left field to end the game.
// 2025 PHILLIPS 66 BIG 12 BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE
Wednesday, May 21
Game 1 – No. 12 BYU 2, No. 5 Arizona State 0
Game 2 – No. 8 Cincinnati 6, No. 9 Texas Tech 5
Game 3 – No. 7 Oklahoma State vs. No. 10 Baylor – 4 p.m. – ESPNU & ESPN+
Game 4 – No. 6 Kansas State vs. No. 11 Houston – 8:00 p.m. – ESPN2 & ESPN+
Thursday, May 22
Game 5 – No. 4 Arizona vs. No. 12 BYU – 9 a.m. – ESPN+
Game 6 – No. 1 West Virginia vs. No. 8 Cincinnati– 12:30 p.m. – ESPN+
Game 7 – No. 2 Kansas vs. Game 3 Winner – 4 p.m. – ESPNU & ESPN+
Game 8 – No. 3 TCU vs. Game 4 Winner – 7:30 p.m. – ESPNU & ESPN+
Friday, May 23
Game 9 – Game 5 Winner vs. Game 6 Winner – 4 p.m. – ESPN+
Game 10 – Game 7 Winner vs. Game 8 Winner – 7:30 p.m. – ESPN+
Saturday, May 24
Game 11 – Championship Game – 6 p.m. – ESPNU & ESPN+
*All times listed as Central
// FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
For up-to-the-minute updates, follow @GoBearcatsBASE on X/Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
The No. 8 seed Bearcats will face the No. 1 seed West Virginia Mountaineers on Thursday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. ET. The game will be televised on ESPN+.
With the win, Cincinnati improves to 32-23 overall on the season.
Taylor struck out nine across seven innings on Wednesday and retired the first six hitters he faced. He hit a speed bump in the third inning, but rebounded to post scoreless innings in the fourth and fifth. UC led, 4-1, at the end of the fifth thanks to a three-run third inning, and both squads scored late runs to keep pace with each other. TTU plated two in the top of the eighth to make it a 6-5 ballgame, but redshirt senior Kellen O'Connor bounced back and tossed a scoreless ninth to clinch the win. It was O'Connor's second save in the last week.
Coats hit a solo homer in the seventh inning that proved to be a valuable insurance run. Pitts went 2-for-4 with a couple RBI and a stolen base, and sophomore Cal Sefcik had a couple hits as well. Senior Lauden Brooks reached twice with a couple walks.
// HOW IT HAPPENED
Derrick Pitts gave UC an early lead, driving in the first run of the game in the bottom of the second. His base hit up the middle scored Cal Sefcik from second base to give Cincinnati a 1-0 advantage.
Nathan Taylor retired the first six hitters her faced, but ran into a bit of adversity in the top of the third. A leadoff double was followed by a base hit to put runners on the corners, then TTU brought in the tying run to make it 1-1. Taylor bounced back though, and after Texas Tech loaded the bases with one out he retired the next two hitters to keep the score at 1-1.
The Bearcats plated three runs in the third to take a 4-1 lead. Jack Natili's triple broke the tie, then Quinton Coats' sacrifice fly and Pitts' RBI fielder's choice helped Cincinnati build a three-run cushion.
Taylor held the Red Raiders scoreless in the fourth and fifth, but they found the scoreboard in each of the next three innings. Cincinnati responded in the sixth and seventh though, scoring on an error in the sixth and a Quinton Coats solo homer in the seventh to make it 6-3.
Texas Tech made it a one-run game in the eighth with a couple runs, but Kellen O'Connor steadied himself and pitched a scoreless ninth. He retired the first two hitters and, after allowing a two-out single, induced a harmless fly ball to left field to end the game.
// 2025 PHILLIPS 66 BIG 12 BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE
Wednesday, May 21
Game 1 – No. 12 BYU 2, No. 5 Arizona State 0
Game 2 – No. 8 Cincinnati 6, No. 9 Texas Tech 5
Game 3 – No. 7 Oklahoma State vs. No. 10 Baylor – 4 p.m. – ESPNU & ESPN+
Game 4 – No. 6 Kansas State vs. No. 11 Houston – 8:00 p.m. – ESPN2 & ESPN+
Thursday, May 22
Game 5 – No. 4 Arizona vs. No. 12 BYU – 9 a.m. – ESPN+
Game 6 – No. 1 West Virginia vs. No. 8 Cincinnati– 12:30 p.m. – ESPN+
Game 7 – No. 2 Kansas vs. Game 3 Winner – 4 p.m. – ESPNU & ESPN+
Game 8 – No. 3 TCU vs. Game 4 Winner – 7:30 p.m. – ESPNU & ESPN+
Friday, May 23
Game 9 – Game 5 Winner vs. Game 6 Winner – 4 p.m. – ESPN+
Game 10 – Game 7 Winner vs. Game 8 Winner – 7:30 p.m. – ESPN+
Saturday, May 24
Game 11 – Championship Game – 6 p.m. – ESPNU & ESPN+
*All times listed as Central
// FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
For up-to-the-minute updates, follow @GoBearcatsBASE on X/Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.