In a game filled with dramatic twists and turns, the University of Cincinnati baseball team staged a ninth-inning comeback against UCF, sending the game into extra innings before ultimately falling 6-5 in the 11th inning at the Big 12 Championship in Arlington, Texas.
Trailing 5-2 entering the bottom of the ninth, the Bearcats displayed their resilience. Kerrington Cross led off with a walk, followed by a single from Lauden Brooks, putting runners at the corners. Hunter Jessee's walk loaded the bases with two outs. Christian Mitchelle's single through the left side brought Cross home, narrowing the deficit to 5-3. Josh Hegemann then delivered a clutch two-run single, tying the game as Brooks and pinch runner Dalton Pearson scored. Hegemann beat out a ground ball to shortstop, and Pearson slid into home just ahead of the tag, igniting the Bearcats' bench.
The tension continued into extra innings. Neither team managed to score in the 10th inning, keeping the game tied at 5-5. UCF's Danny Neri broke the deadlock with his third home run of the game in the top of the 11th, a solo shot that proved to be the game-winner. Cincinnati couldn't muster a response in the bottom of the 11th, sealing their fate in the first game of the championship.
Christian Mitchelle was a standout for the Bearcats, going 3-for-6 with two RBIs and a stolen base. Max Palmieri added two doubles and an RBI, while Lauden Brooks reached base three times with a walk and two hits. On the mound, Nathan Taylor started the game, striking out two in 1.1 innings. Seth Logue provided solid relief, allowing one run over 4.2 innings, and Griffin Hugus struck out five in 4.2 innings of work.
Early Struggles:
UCF took an early lead with a run in the first inning and extended it with Danny Neri's solo homer in the second. Another run in the third inning increased their advantage to 3-0. Cincinnati's first baserunner came in the third when Landyn Vidourek walked and stole second. Hunter Jessee recorded the Bearcats' first hit in the fourth and later scored on Mitchelle's double.
Seventh Inning Setback:
Neri's second home run in the seventh inning made it a 5-1 game. Palmieri's RBI double in the eighth cut the deficit to 5-2, setting the stage for the Bearcats' ninth-inning rally.
Ninth-Inning Rally:
The Bearcats' comeback began with a nine-pitch walk by Cross, followed by Brooks' single. Jessee's ten-pitch walk loaded the bases, and Mitchelle's single made it 5-3. Hegemann's grounder to shortstop tied the game as Pearson slid home.
Extra Innings:
UCF loaded the bases in the 10th, but Hugus escaped the jam. Neri's historic third home run in the 11th inning gave UCF the lead. Brooks singled in the bottom of the 11th, but Cincinnati couldn't capitalize.
UCF's Historic Win
Eighth-seeded UCF (33-18) advanced with the 6-5 victory over fifth-seeded Cincinnati (31-23). Danny Neri's three-home run performance, a first in Big 12 Championship history, was the highlight of the game. UCF also received strong pitching performances, with Junior Dom Stagliano, Junior Dominic Castellano, Redshirt Sophomore Kris Sosnowski, Redshirt Senior Spencer Bauer (W, 2-1), and Redshirt Senior Kyle Kramer (Save, 2) combining to secure the win.
Looking Ahead
The Bearcats will face the loser of Tuesday night's game between No. 3 seed Texas and No. 10 seed Texas Tech in an elimination game on Wednesday at 5 PM ET. Despite the loss, Cincinnati's fighting spirit in their Big 12 Championship debut has set the stage for an exciting tournament run.
