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Cincinnati Bearcats Claw Their Way Past The Wichita State Shockers, 9-8, At Home

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University of Cincinnati redshirt junior Cole Harting drove in the winning run in the bottom of the ninth with a two-run single, lifting the Bearcats to a 9-8 victory over Wichita State on Sunday inside UC Baseball Stadium.

Down by one with the bases loaded, Harting laced a single to left field to drive in the 99th and 100th runs of his career.

The Bearcats overcame a seven-run deficit and scored eight unanswered runs over the final four innings to pull off the comeback victory. Kameron Guidry, Cam Scheler and Sean Springer each belted a home run in the win while Harting finished 3-for-5 with three RBI.

Freshman Landyn Vidourek went 3-for-4 with a triple and three runs scored in the lead-off spot.

Sophomore pitcher Tommy O'Connor made his first career start on the mound for the Bearcats. Senior Mitch White (1-0) came out of the bullpen in the eighth and pitched 1.2 scoreless innings to earn his first win of the season.

// HOW IT HAPPENED
Wichita State jumped out to a 5-0 advantage after two innings. The Shockers hit two home runs, including a grand slam, in the top of the second.

The Bearcats got on the board in the bottom of the third. Vidourek notched a lead-off base hit and came around to score on an RBI single from Harting.

WSU added a two-run shot in the fourth and an RBI single in the fifth to lead 8-1.

The Bearcats' bullpen then held the Shockers scoreless for the final four innings as UC staged its comeback.

Guidry provided a spark for the Bearcats' offense with a two-run homer in the home half of the sixth. Cincinnati scored another two runs in the seventh. Scheler belted a solo shot left field to start the frame – his first round-tripper of the season. Vidourek then tripled to left center and came home to score on a ground out to make it 8-5.

In the bottom of the eighth, Springer smashed his first career home run over the left field wall – a two-out, two-run shot – to bring the Bearcats within one, 8-7.

White struck out three batters in 1.2 shutout innings to give the Bearcats one final chance in the bottom of the ninth. Vidourek led off with a nine-pitch walk, Cross reached on an error and Nicholson loaded the bases with a walk.

Harting stepped into the batter's box and drilled the first pitch he saw to left field to walk it off for the Bearcats.

// UP NEXT 
Cincinnati will play the first installment of the Joe Nuxhall Classic on Tuesday, April 11. The Bearcats will face Wright State at 2 p.m. in Oxford, Ohio.