TicketsPROVO, Utah – The University of Cincinnati baseball team opened Big 12 play on Thursday at BYU and saw its seven-game winning streak come to an end with a 5-2 loss.
The Bearcats’ offense, which has been excellent during their recent hot stretch, showed late life with a couple hits in the ninth inning, including a leadoff double from sophomore Quinton Coats. Freshman Enzo Infelise drove Coats in to turn a four-run deficit into three, but UC was unable to push any more runs across.
Infelise had two of Cincinnati’s eight hits, going 2-for-4 on the day. Coats and sophomore Derrick Pitts both doubled, the only two extra-base hits of the game for UC.
Junior Nathan Taylor made the start and struck out seven in 4.2 innings, one of six pitchers to see time on the mound vs. the Cougars.
Game two of the series will be on Friday at 5:00 p.m. ET
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Both starting pitchers were on a roll to start the game, as BYU and Cincinnati combined for just one hit through three innings.
- The Cougars struck first with a two-run home run off the bat of Crew McChesney in the bottom of the fourth.
- Cincinnati put two runners on in the top of the fifth, but stranded both.
- Quinton Coats’ sacrifice fly in the top of the sixth was the first run of the game for Cincinnati, making it a 2-1 game.
- BYU’s home run leader, Ezra McNaughton, added to his season total with a three-run shot in the bottom of the seventh to put his team up 5-1.
- Coats led off the top of the ninth with a double and scored on Infelise’s base hit into the gap in right-center field. Cal Sefcik reached on an error, putting runners at first and second with one out, but the Bearcats were unable produce any more offense.
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