TicketsJACKSONVILLE, Ala. – The University of Cincinnati baseball team opened its 2026 season with an 11-5 win at Jacksonville State on Friday.
The Bearcats’ brand of baseball was on full display in the season opener. Fifteen combined walks and HBP, seven stolen bases, and two bunt hits helped propel UC to a big win in its first game of the year.
UC’s 11 runs are its most on Opening Day since an 11-5 win vs. Ohio State in 2011.
Cincinnati did the bulk of its damage in the first four innings, scoring three in the second, four in the third, and two in the fourth.
Sophomore Derrick Pitts had a terrific night at the plate, going 2-for-4 with two RBI, three runs scored, and three stolen bases. Sophomore Jackson Smith reached base four times batting out of the two-spot, getting hit by a pitch three times. Redshirt freshman Ryan Tyranski, redshirt sophomore Charlie Niehaus, sophomore Conlan Daniel, and junior Jack Natili all drove in two runs in the winning effort.
Junior Nathan Taylor got the nod to start on Opening Day for the first time in his career and struck out three in 3.1 innings. Redshirt junior Brendan Garula was the first reliever out of the bullpen and threw two-third of an inning in his first action since 2024.
Junior Carson Marsh was outstanding in relief, retiring the first nine batters he faced and logging five strikeouts. Junior Dominic Mauro relieved Marsh and struck out five in two innings.
Game two of this series is set for 3:00 p.m. ET on Saturday.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Ryan Tyranski drove in the first run of the game in the top of the second. Derrick Pitts walked, then reached second on Christian Mitchelle’s bunt single. After advancing to third on a failed pickoff attempt, Pitts came around to score on Tyranski’s single to right field.
- Two more runs came in to score in the top of the second, as Jackson Smith was plunked with the bases loaded and Jack Natili drew a bases-loaded walk in the next at-bat to make it 3-0.
- The Bearcats scored four more to make it 7-0 in the top of the third, an inning that was capped by a two-run double off the bat of Charlie Niehaus.
- Pitts scored on an error and Conlan Daniel drove in a run on an RBI triple in the fourth, increasing the lead to 9-0.
- Jax State scored three in the bottom of the fourth to make it 9-3. Two runs scored on a UC error and another scored on a wild pitch.
- Carson Marsh entered the game in the bottom of the fifth with runners on first and second and proceeded to strike out the side. He retired all nine hitters he faced.
- Cincinnati scored on fielder’s choice groundouts in the seventh and eighth to make it 11-3.
- The Gamecocks plated two more in the eighth, but the runs made little difference on the outcome.
FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
For all the latest news and updates, follow @GoBearcatsBASE on X/Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.