May 6, 2006

Box Score

PLYMOUTH MEETING, Pa. - Visiting Cincinnati (30-17, 11-9 Big East) scored four runs with two outs in the ninth inning to break a tie and went on to a 5-1 victory over Villanova (25-21, 7-12 Big East) on Saturday afternoon at the Villanova Ballpark at Plymouth. The teams have now split the first two games of the weekend series, with the rubber game on tap for Sunday afternoon.

With the bases loaded and two outs in the ninth, Bearcat leadoff hitter LaFringe Hayes reached on an infield hit to shortstop that scored Jon DeLuca with the go-ahead run. On the play, Adam Yeager made a wide turn around third base and the Wildcats had a chance to end the inning by throwing him out at the plate. However, the throw home was in the dirt and allowed him to score and make it a 3-1 game. With the error prolonging the inning and allowing the other runners to move up to second and third, Josh Harrison took advantage, lining a single to center field that scored both runs and made it 5-1.

Junior starting pitcher Kevin Mulvey (Parlin, N.J.) pitched his fifth complete game of the season and allowed just one earned run on the afternoon, but lost his second straight start nonetheless. Mulvey (3-6, 3.17 ERA) allowed nine hits while striking out six and walking one.

Villanova had seven hits in the game and senior Craig Mirsky (Holland, Pa.) singled off the wall in left field in the bottom of the sixth inning to tie the score at 1-1. However, the Wildcats managed just two balls out of the infield in the last three innings as Cincinnati freshman Dan Osterbrock pitched a seven-hitter for his first collegiate complete game. Osterbrock (3-1) walked one, struck out three and recorded 11 outs on the ground.

The Bearcats took a 1-0 lead in the fifth inning when Hayes singled through the left side with runners at the corners and two outs. DeLuca, who was 2-for-4 with two runs scored on the day, led off the inning with a single and advanced to second one out later on a sacrifice bunt by Adam Yeager. However, Yeager was safe at first base when a throwing error was made on the play. The miscue proved costly after Mulvey retired the next hitter for the second out. Hayes fell behind in the count 0-and-2 but fought off an inside pitch for the run-scoring hit.

In the bottom of the sixth, junior Andy Wendle (New London, Pa.) singled to lead off the inning and senior Kris Molloy (Hillsborough, N.J.) laid down a sacrifice bunt. Sophomore Ryan Arcadia (Upper Saddle River, N.J.) singled to move Wendle to third, and Mirsky hit a 2-and-2 pitch off the fence in center field. The ball was nearly caught, though, and Arcadia could only go from first to second on the hit, preventing Mirsky from taking second and allowing Cincinnati to use the force-play possibilities to get out of the inning.

The final game of the series is on Sunday at Noon, with Wildcat freshman Josh Eidell (Norristown, Pa.) making the start against Kyle Rapp of Cincinnati.

NOTES: Senior first baseman Jeremy Hunt (Tampa, Fla.) was 2-for-3 with a single and double in the game ... He was intentionally walked in the sixth inning with runners at first and third and two outs ... Both teams used its starting lineup through the entire game without making any substitutions ... Villanova had two or more errors in a game for the 20th time this season, but is 10-10 in those games ... Mirsky is 11-for-14 (.786) at the plate over his last three games and has raised his season average to .340.