The Utah baseball team lost to Cincinnati on March 21 in a high-scoring game that ended 20-10 at the UC Baseball Stadium. The contest was called in the eighth inning due to the Big 12 Conference run rule.
The loss brings Utah’s record to 12-8 overall and 2-3 in conference play. Despite the defeat, every player in Utah’s lineup reached base, with eight players recording at least one hit. The Utes collected a total of 13 hits and seven walks while striking out only three times.
Luke Jacobs led Utah offensively, going 3-for-4 with three runs scored and a triple to start the game. Jake Long, Daniel Arambula, and Cameron Gurney each contributed two hits from the second through fourth spots in the batting order. Long drove in a career-high four runs batted in (RBIs), while Arambula matched his season best with three RBIs. Matt Flaharty also reached base in all three of his plate appearances and scored once.
Utah took an early lead after Jacobs’ leadoff triple set up a five-run second inning, highlighted by Bradley Navarro’s solo home run and key hits from Jacobs, Long, and Gurney. However, Cincinnati responded with multiple big innings, scoring four runs in the third inning, three more in the fourth, and adding two runs each in both the fifth and sixth innings to take control of the game.
Although Utah managed to cut into Cincinnati’s lead with two runs in the seventh inning, Cincinnati secured victory with six more runs that frame and a two-run homer by Jack Natili in the eighth to end the game under conference rules.
Utah will try to rebound Sunday during the series finale against Cincinnati at UC Baseball Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 11 a.m. Mountain Time.
