TicketsCINCINNATI — Quinton Coats mashed his 28th homer, his second three-run, first-inning blast in as many nights, to help Cincinnati to an 8-7 nightcap win over Texas Tech after falling 6-5 earlier in the afternoon.
With five RBI in the finale, and 11 over the weekend, Coats has pulled within one of the single-season program record.
Cincinnati improved to 37-19 and 17-13 in the Big 12, two wins away from the record set in 2008 (39-20). That squad was led by former home run champ Mike Spina, who traveled from Florida this weekend to personally congratulate Coats and gift a commemorative bat.
UC also hosted 2,236 fans in the nightcap, the sixth-best crowd in program history.
"I'm really proud of our guys winning six-straight series to end the season," head coach Jordan Bischel said. "How about this crowd? Two thousand-plus people seeing our seniors off, getting behind us and giving it their all through the last out. Huge credit to the fans. It's an exciting time for Cincinnati baseball."
Game 1
With five RBI in the finale, and 11 over the weekend, Coats has pulled within one of the single-season program record.
Cincinnati improved to 37-19 and 17-13 in the Big 12, two wins away from the record set in 2008 (39-20). That squad was led by former home run champ Mike Spina, who traveled from Florida this weekend to personally congratulate Coats and gift a commemorative bat.
UC also hosted 2,236 fans in the nightcap, the sixth-best crowd in program history.
"I'm really proud of our guys winning six-straight series to end the season," head coach Jordan Bischel said. "How about this crowd? Two thousand-plus people seeing our seniors off, getting behind us and giving it their all through the last out. Huge credit to the fans. It's an exciting time for Cincinnati baseball."
Game 1
Enzo Infelise launched his ninth homer of the year on an opposite-field shot off Fifth Third Arena.
Cincinnati accomplished the rare feat of a run without a hit in the third. Charlie Niehaus walked on four pitches, stole second, advanced on a balk and then scored on Jackson Smith's sac fly to left center.
Texas Tech rallied with a couple of solo homers in the fourth, then scored three more in the fifth by stringing together four hits, but a 2-5-2-5-1 to end the inning after the runner strayed too far on a wild pitch ended the inning.
Tech led 6-3 at the seventh-inning stretch, then Christian Mitchelle led off the bottom half with his second homer of the weekend. His most recent before that was March 8.
Cincinnati got its first two runners aboard in the eighth, but it could only manage a Jack Natili sac fly to ultimately fall short.
Game 2
Cincinnati accomplished the rare feat of a run without a hit in the third. Charlie Niehaus walked on four pitches, stole second, advanced on a balk and then scored on Jackson Smith's sac fly to left center.
Texas Tech rallied with a couple of solo homers in the fourth, then scored three more in the fifth by stringing together four hits, but a 2-5-2-5-1 to end the inning after the runner strayed too far on a wild pitch ended the inning.
Tech led 6-3 at the seventh-inning stretch, then Christian Mitchelle led off the bottom half with his second homer of the weekend. His most recent before that was March 8.
Cincinnati got its first two runners aboard in the eighth, but it could only manage a Jack Natili sac fly to ultimately fall short.
Game 2
The Red Raiders' 19 hits were still not enough. They took a 1-0 lead in the first inning, and after Coats' three-run shot in the bottom half, answered with a solo homer of their own.
Cincinnati plated four runs in the second to take a 7-2 lead. A walk and three-straight singles preceded a fielder's choice and error that allowed another run to score. A wild pitch and Natili RBI single extended the damage.
Tech got one back in the fourth, but Ryan Tyranski connected for his seventh round-tripper of the season in the bottom half.
The Red Raiders pulled within 8-6 in the eighth before Cincinnati called on bullpen ace Adam Buczkowski for the second time of the day. With two on and two outs, he struck out his lone batter of the eighth, rallied past a leadoff homer in the ninth and earned his sixth save.
Cincinnati plated four runs in the second to take a 7-2 lead. A walk and three-straight singles preceded a fielder's choice and error that allowed another run to score. A wild pitch and Natili RBI single extended the damage.
Tech got one back in the fourth, but Ryan Tyranski connected for his seventh round-tripper of the season in the bottom half.
The Red Raiders pulled within 8-6 in the eighth before Cincinnati called on bullpen ace Adam Buczkowski for the second time of the day. With two on and two outs, he struck out his lone batter of the eighth, rallied past a leadoff homer in the ninth and earned his sixth save.