The University of Cincinnati baseball team travels to South Florida for a three-game series this weekend. The series kicks off at 6:30 p.m. on Friday on ESPN+.
Last time out, the Bearcats (17-24, 5-7 AAC) defeated Tulane in a three-game series over the weekend. UC won the opener, 12-9, and finale, 12-1 (7). Tulane took the middle game, 10-3.
Redshirt sophomore Kerrington Cross claimed a spot on the American Athletic Conference weekly honor roll on Monday. He batted .562 (9-for-16) in four starts with six RBI, nine runs scored, four multi-hit games and four extra-base hits. He is first on the team in runs scored (31) and sacrifice hits (4), second in doubles (8) and stolen bases (10) and third in RBI (22). In AAC play, he is batting .361 (13-for-36) with four doubles, 14 runs scored and five stolen bases.
Redshirt junior Kameron Guidry leads the team in RBI (34) and multi-RBI games (11). He has 27 RBI in his last 20 games played. He belted a three-run homer in the bottom of the seventh to walk it off for the Bearcats in their run-rule win over Tulane on Sunday.
Sophomore two-way player Tommy O’Connor is batting .353 (6-for-17) in league games with seven RBI and two home runs. He went 3-for-4 with a home run, a double, two runs scored, a walk and a stolen base on Sunday.
Redshirt junior first baseman Ryan Nicholson has a .288 average (44-for-153) with nine home runs, 25 RBI and 26 runs scored in 39 starts. He leads the club in hits (44), home runs (9), doubles (11) and multi-hit games (12). He has 99 RBI, 98 runs scored and 26 home runs in his career. He recorded his 150th career hit in his 150th career game on Saturday.
Cincinnati ranks first in the conference and 69th nationally in base on balls with 203 walks drawn. UC also sits first in the league in stolen bases (81) and stolen bases per game (1.98) – good for 21st and 27th nationally.
On the mound, redshirt junior Chase Hopewell leads the staff in starts (10), innings pitched (46.0) and strikeouts (40). He is two strikeouts away from 100 in his career.
Freshmen duo Tommy Boba and Chase Horst combined for a four-hitter in the Bearcats’ win over Tulane on Sunday. Boba tossed 4.0 innings with three strikeouts to earn his second win of the season, while Horst allowed just two hits in 3.0 shutout innings in relief.
Cincinnati and South Florida have met 76 times in program history, with USF leading the all-time series 50-26. Cincinnati fell in a three-game series to USF last season on April 22-24, 2022 in Cincinnati. The Bulls won the opener, 10-9, and finale, 19-5. The Bearcats won the middle game, 13-2 (7).
// SCOUTING SOUTH FLORIDA
South Florida (17-25, 6-6 AAC) fell in a three-game series to UCF over the weekend. The Bulls recently dropped a midweek contest to Florida Gulf Coast, 14-3 (7), on Tuesday in Tampa.
USF is batting .274 as a team and holds a 6.43 staff ERA, backed by a .972 fielding percentage. Redshirt junior Daniel Cantu is batting .313 (52-for-166) with 11 home runs, 12 doubles, 41 RBI and 34 runs scored.
// PROBABLE STARTERS
Friday
UC: RHP Garrett Harker
USF: RHP Hunter Mink
Saturday
UC: RHP Chase Hopewell
USF: RHP Jack Cebert
Sunday
UC: RHP Tommy Boba
USF: TBD
// UP NEXT
Cincinnati begins an eight-game homestand with a three-game series against No. 12-ranked ECU on May 5-7 at UC Baseball Stadium.
// TICKET INFORMATION
To purchase single-game tickets, visit GoBearcats.com/Tickets or call 1-877-CATS-TIX (1-877-228-7849).
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Source : Gobearcats