Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
Cincinnati
Baseball Falls To Cincinnati, 10-5
3/5/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 5, 2008
CINCINNATI, Ohio - Marshall University senior catcher Tommy Johnson went 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles and three RBIs but Cincinnati junior third baseman Mike Spina notched a pair of three-run homers to help lift the Bearcats to a 10-5 victory over the Herd in Wednesday afternoon's non-conference baseball game at Marge Schott Stadium.
With the loss, Marshall slips to 2-6 on the season, while Cincinnati evens its record at 4-4 overall and improves to 25-22 in the all-time series against Marshall.
Trailing 9-3 in the top of the eighth inning, Marshall plated a run on Johnson's double down the left field line cutting the Herd's deficit to 9-4.
Cincinnati responded with its 10th run of the game in the bottom of the eighth when senior center fielder Tony Campana stole third and then scored on a throwing error, putting the Bearcats on top 10-4.
Marshall answered with one out in the top of the ninth inning on an RBI ground out by junior right fielder Kurt Lipton, but it was not enough as Cincinnati was able to force a game-ending strikeout with runners on second and third to hold on for the 10-5 victory.
Cincinnati sophomore southpaw Brian Garman picked up his first win of the season, allowing three runs on four hits, while striking out seven in 5.1 innings on the hill.
Trailing 1-0 in the top of the second, Marshall knotted the game at 1 when junior third baseman Brandon Casamassima doubled, and then scored on Johnson's first double of the game.
The Bearcats answered with five runs in their half of the inning, highlighted by Spina's first three-run homer of the game. Sophomore left fielder Jamel Scott picked up an RBI as he reached first on a throwing error that scored junior right fielder Cameron Satterwight. Freshman shortstop Chris Peters accounted for Cincinnati's fifth run when he scored on junior second baseman Josh Harrison's sacrifice fly.
Spina struck again in the fourth with a two-out three-run blast to right-center field, pushing the Bearcat advantage to 9-1.
In the sixth inning, the Herd picked up a bases-loaded sacrifice fly from Johnson. Freshman left fielder Ben Jurevicius then tallied his first collegiate hit, an RBI single through the left side, trimming the Cincinnati lead to 9-3.
Herd junior left-hander Ryan Kiel picked up the loss in his first start of the season.
Junior center fielder Nate Lape and junior shortstop Adam Yeager extended their hitting streaks to eight and four games respectively.
Freshman second baseman Kenny Socorro added a pair of hits in the loss for the Herd.
Marshall returns to action Friday, March 7 when it hosts Marist in its non-conference home-opener in the first of a three-game series. Game-time is slated for 3:00 p.m. at the Kennedy Center on Route 2 in Huntington.
