This afternoon, Scott Googins and the Bearcats (8-12) welcomed in Marshall (9-8) for an early night showdown. The Bearcats are looking to get back in the win column after falling their last four games, two of those to the Princeton Tigers over the weekend. The Herd on the other hand are coming off a huge 7-5 victory over Appalachian State on Sunday after falling the first two games of the series.
Pitching Matchups–
UC: Garrett Harker (0-2)
Marshall: Chad Heiner
All Time Series- The Bearcats lead the Herd 26-16 all time, with the last meeting back on March 5th, 2008, where the Bearcats defeated the Heard 10-5.
The Heard would strike first following a 4 run first inning. The Herds first three batters would reach base, before Owen Ayers got the rally started for the Herd following an RBI single to right field. However, as Calin Smith would rope a 2-run triple to the center field gap and was quickly driven shortly later following a Elijah Vogelsong fielder’s choice.
The Bearcats had an opportunity to get some runs back in the bottom of the second, following two straight HBP’s put runners in scoring positions, however, the Bearcats saw two straight flyouts to end the second inning. The Herd would still hold a 4-0 lead after three innings, but the Bearcats were starting to make some great contact as Landon Vidourek and Ryan Nicholson both flied out to the warning track to end the third inning.
The Bearcats would call to the bullpen ending Garrett Harker’s day after three innings pitched, allowing four runs, two in which were earned. Carter Earls would now enter the game for the Bearcats and the Herd would respond with a huge insurance run in the top of the fourth following a Shaefer fielder’s choice to take a 5-0 lead over the Bearcats. A huge insurance run for Herd that all started with Christain Lucio being very aggressive on the base paths following a leadoff walk.
The Bearcats would respond, with a huge solo homerun from Kyle Schupmann to deep left field in the bottom of the 4th, his second homerun of the season that would make this a 5-1 game in favor of the Herd. The Herd would waste no time getting that run back, as Gio Ferraro would lead off with a huge opposite field homerun to give the Herd a 6-1 lead. The Bearcats would get out of a huge jam as Zach Segal slams the door out of the bullpen and the Herd would leave the bases stranded heading to the bottom of the fifth inning.
The Bearcats would get one back after an Alec Jones groundout would score Laudon Brooks to make this a 6-2 game heading to the top of the 6th inning. Marshall would add another insurance run as Gio Ferraro would reach on a fielder’s choice, making this a 7-2 game in favor of the Herd with two outs. The Bearcats would get out of the jam unharmed following the one run, as they knew they had to bring the bats out in the bottom half of the inning.
The Bearcats would load the bases following two straight walks, and HBP, where Scott Googins would go to the bench and bring in redshirt junior Kam Guidry to pinch hit for Griffin Hugus, where he would rope a two out single to left field driving in J.P Sponseller and Josh Hagemann, to make this a 7-4 game. That would be all the Bearcats would get back in that frame, but the Bats were starting to wake up for the Cats here down the final stretch.
The Herd would add a huge insurance run in the top of the 8th as Kyle Schaefer launched a solo shot to left field. Schaefer continues to have a big day here at UC Baseball Stadium as he is now a triple away from the cycle. The Bearcats would not be able to get anything going after that rally in the bottom of the 7th, inning as they fall to Marshall 8-4 this afternoon here at UC Baseball Stadium.
Notables-
Kyle Schaefer goes 4-5 for the Herd finishing just a triple shy of the cycle and was a huge impact for the Herd here this afternoon.
Kam Guidry went 1-of-2 with 2 RBI’s for the Bearcats after a huge pinch hit single, that drove in two runs in the bottom of the 6th inning.
Kyle Schupmann would go 1-of-3 on the day with a solo homerun in the bottom of the 4th inning.
Garret Harker now falls to 0-3 on the season for the Bearcats, while Chad Heiner picks up his first win of the season for the Herd.
The Bearcats now fall to 8-13 on the season this afternoon as they are now riding a tough 5-game losing streak. Scott Googins and the Bearcats will be back in action tomorrow afternoon when they take on crosstown rival Xavier at 3 pm.
