TicketsLAWRENCE, Kan. – Redshirt senior Kerrington Cross put together arguably the best performance ever by a Cincinnati hitter on Saturday in the Bearcats' 18-14 extra-inning win at No. 25 Kansas.
Cross set a single-game school record with 10 RBI and tied the single-game school records for home runs (three) and total bases (14). His first home run was a solo shot in the top of the first, his second homer was a three-run bomb in the top of the eighth that extended UC's lead, and his last home run of the game came in extra innings, another three-run homer that was the cherry on top of an historic day.
The win clinched the series for Cincinnati (26-20, 12-11 Big 12), its second series win vs. a ranked team this season, and it was the fifth victory against a ranked team this season as well. This is the first time since at least 2000 that Cincinnati won at least two series against ranked opponents in the same season.
Cross' final line at the plate was 5-for-7 with three home runs, 10 RBI, and a couple singles. His 10 RBI are the most by a Big 12 player this season, and his three homers are tied for most by a Big 12 player in 2025.
As a team, Cincinnati pounded out 23 hits and slugged six homers on Saturday, both of which are season-high totals.
Sophomore Jack Natili had a great day at the plate as well, matching Cross with a career-best five hits. Junior Landyn Vidourek, senior Lauden Brooks, and freshman Quinton Coats all homered as well. For Coats it was a homecoming of sorts, as the rookie is a native of Olathe, Kan., just over 30 miles away from Lawrence.
Brooks, who homered for the first time this season, reached base five times and scored four times, the latter of which was matched by redshirt freshman Charlie Niehaus. The four runs scored are tied for most by a Bearcat this season.
Senior Michael Conte earned the win, throwing 1.1 scoreless frames to end the game. In a game that featured 32 combined runs, he was the lone pitcher to throw more than an inning and not be charged with any runs allowed.
Cincinnati will play for a sweep on Sunday at 2:00 p.m. ET.
// HOW IT HAPPENED
Kerrington Cross got things started with a solo home run in the top of the first to give UC a 1-0 lead. Kansas responded quickly, however, scoring two on a double to left field and another on a Cincinnati error to go up 3-1 at the end of the first. KU added runs in the second and fourth to extend its lead to 5-1.
Cincinnati got one of those runs back in the top of the fifth on a solo homer from Landyn Vidourek, who crushed the first pitch he saw over the wall in center field to make it 5-2. The fireworks began in the top of the sixth with a three-run inning by the Bearcats. Pinch hitter Dawson Hokuf drove in the first run of the inning, and Lauden Brooks scored on a Kansas throwing error. Cross then laced a single into left that scored Charlie Niehaus to knot things up at 5-5.
Kansas native Quinton Coats led off the top of the seventh with a home run to give Cincinnati a 6-5 lead, and his homer kicked off a four-run inning. Two more RBI from Cross and a run-scoring base hit by Jack Natili made it 9-5. The Jayhawks, who had been held scoreless the previous two innings, responded with four runs of their own to tie things again, this time at 9-9.
The biggest inning of the day for UC was the eighth, when it scored five runs to go up 14-9. Niehaus laid down a perfect squeeze bunt to bring in the go-ahead run, and Vidourek's sac fly made it 11-0. Cross then unloaded on a 2-1 pitch, crushing it over the wall in center field for a three-run bomb, his second of the day.
Kansas wasn't done, however, The Jayhawks scored two in the bottom of the eighth to pull within three and hit a two-out, game-tying home run in the bottom of the ninth to put the score at 14-14 and send the game to extra innings.
Cincinnati did not let the late home run affect its morale in extra innings. Lauden Brooks homered to break the tie, a solo shot for his first of the season, before Cross launched his record-setting third home run of the day to make it 18-14. The three-run shot sealed the win and was the exclamation point in Cross' historic day.
// 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).
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Cross set a single-game school record with 10 RBI and tied the single-game school records for home runs (three) and total bases (14). His first home run was a solo shot in the top of the first, his second homer was a three-run bomb in the top of the eighth that extended UC's lead, and his last home run of the game came in extra innings, another three-run homer that was the cherry on top of an historic day.
The win clinched the series for Cincinnati (26-20, 12-11 Big 12), its second series win vs. a ranked team this season, and it was the fifth victory against a ranked team this season as well. This is the first time since at least 2000 that Cincinnati won at least two series against ranked opponents in the same season.
Cross' final line at the plate was 5-for-7 with three home runs, 10 RBI, and a couple singles. His 10 RBI are the most by a Big 12 player this season, and his three homers are tied for most by a Big 12 player in 2025.
As a team, Cincinnati pounded out 23 hits and slugged six homers on Saturday, both of which are season-high totals.
Sophomore Jack Natili had a great day at the plate as well, matching Cross with a career-best five hits. Junior Landyn Vidourek, senior Lauden Brooks, and freshman Quinton Coats all homered as well. For Coats it was a homecoming of sorts, as the rookie is a native of Olathe, Kan., just over 30 miles away from Lawrence.
Brooks, who homered for the first time this season, reached base five times and scored four times, the latter of which was matched by redshirt freshman Charlie Niehaus. The four runs scored are tied for most by a Bearcat this season.
Senior Michael Conte earned the win, throwing 1.1 scoreless frames to end the game. In a game that featured 32 combined runs, he was the lone pitcher to throw more than an inning and not be charged with any runs allowed.
Cincinnati will play for a sweep on Sunday at 2:00 p.m. ET.
// HOW IT HAPPENED
Kerrington Cross got things started with a solo home run in the top of the first to give UC a 1-0 lead. Kansas responded quickly, however, scoring two on a double to left field and another on a Cincinnati error to go up 3-1 at the end of the first. KU added runs in the second and fourth to extend its lead to 5-1.
Cincinnati got one of those runs back in the top of the fifth on a solo homer from Landyn Vidourek, who crushed the first pitch he saw over the wall in center field to make it 5-2. The fireworks began in the top of the sixth with a three-run inning by the Bearcats. Pinch hitter Dawson Hokuf drove in the first run of the inning, and Lauden Brooks scored on a Kansas throwing error. Cross then laced a single into left that scored Charlie Niehaus to knot things up at 5-5.
Kansas native Quinton Coats led off the top of the seventh with a home run to give Cincinnati a 6-5 lead, and his homer kicked off a four-run inning. Two more RBI from Cross and a run-scoring base hit by Jack Natili made it 9-5. The Jayhawks, who had been held scoreless the previous two innings, responded with four runs of their own to tie things again, this time at 9-9.
The biggest inning of the day for UC was the eighth, when it scored five runs to go up 14-9. Niehaus laid down a perfect squeeze bunt to bring in the go-ahead run, and Vidourek's sac fly made it 11-0. Cross then unloaded on a 2-1 pitch, crushing it over the wall in center field for a three-run bomb, his second of the day.
Kansas wasn't done, however, The Jayhawks scored two in the bottom of the eighth to pull within three and hit a two-out, game-tying home run in the bottom of the ninth to put the score at 14-14 and send the game to extra innings.
Cincinnati did not let the late home run affect its morale in extra innings. Lauden Brooks homered to break the tie, a solo shot for his first of the season, before Cross launched his record-setting third home run of the day to make it 18-14. The three-run shot sealed the win and was the exclamation point in Cross' historic day.
// 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.