Cincinnati, Ohio - Trailing Cincinnati 8-4 in the top of the ninth, the Eastern Kentucky baseball team loaded the bases with just one out, but could not get any closer as UC's Josh Kay recorded the final two outs to salvage the win for the Bearcats.
Eastern (21-28) managed just six hits in the loss, three of which came from senior Derrick Bussell, who scored two runs and swiped three bases to bring his team-leading total to 28. Cincinnati (25-27) built an 8-0 lead through four innings behind the efforts of starter Brian Wood (3-1), who allowed just one hit over 4.0 innings.
Freshman Shane Zegarac (2-6) took the loss for the Colonels after surrendering five runs over 1.0 innings of work. Senior Eric Anthrop went the next 4.0 frames for EKU, before sophomore Casey Howard (2.0 innings) and senior Richard Boothe (1.0 innings) combined to hold UC scoreless over the final three innings.
EKU got on the board in the top of the sixth after Bussell opened the frame with a leadoff single. After moving up on a groundout, Bussell stole third and then came around to score off a groundout by senior Bryan Stevenson.
The Colonels scratched across another run in the seventh when senior Adam Visnic plated freshman Joe Oliver with a RBI groundout of his own. Oliver reached base on a fielder's choice and proceeded to make his way to third with a stolen base and a UC throwing error.
Eastern cut its deficit to four runs in the eighth, as junior Brett Bolger singled in Bussell and then scored off another RBI groundout from Stevenson.
Sophomore Shawn Flora and Visnic tried to spark an EKU comeback with back-to-back singles in the ninth. Cincinnati, however, turned to Kay, who walked Waters to load the bases before retiring the next two hitters he faced for his ninth save of the year.
LaFringe Hayes paced the Bearcats with two runs and a 3-for-3 day at the plate, while Mark Haske added two RBI. Stevenson led the Colonels with two RBI in the losing effort, though he saw his hit streak snapped at 18 games.
EKU closes out the regular season this weekend when it welcomes Morehead State to Turkey Hughes Field, May 20-21. The two teams will play a doubleheader on Friday at 1 p.m., before closing out the series on Saturday at 1 p.m. Saturday's game will be Senior Day for EKU's nine seniors.
