TicketsCINCINNATI — Nathan Taylor threw seven shutout innings, striking out nine, and the Cincinnati baseball team tied its program record of five double plays in a 5-0 win over Kansas on Friday night.
The Jayhawks also only reached third base one time, in the bottom of the sixth. Taylor also threw seven innings in a victory last week over Utah.
Cincinnati's 20-8 record also marks the fastest start to 20 wins in school history. It was also UC's second shutout of the season (finale versus Austin Peay).
Enzo Infelise put the Bearcats on the board in the bottom of the fourth with an RBI single, extending his hit streak to six games. Cincinnati added to its total in the sixth inning, first off Jack Natili's triple that fell just short of Kansas' diving center fielder, and Cal Sefcik's sac fly plated another for a 3-0 lead.
Natili also hit a solo homer to left center in the eighth inning, his eighth of the year, and the Bearcats scored their fifth and final run on a Jayhawk error.
Kansas' starter, Boede Rahe, entered the day with a 2.77 ERA over only 13 innings. He went 4 2/3 innings, allowing one run.
The two teams meet again Saturday at 3 p.m.