(Though the professional club winning three of five from Friday-Monday is nothing to sneeze at given how the season began.)
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UC went 4-0 at the American Athletic Conference tournament to clinch a spot in the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1974.
The Bearcats won’t have an easy time advancing beyond the weekend: They open up Friday night at 10 against No. 1 seed Oregon State in Corvallis, Ore.
The Beavers are the defending national champions and have a lineup that features Adley Rutschman, a catcher who is expected to be the first pick in the MLB draft next Monday.
Creighton and Michigan will join the Bearcats in the NCAA regional at the home of the Beavers.
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The UC roster includes a pair of pitchers from Hamilton (Andrew Noelker and Korren Thompson) and the son of former Ohio State football coach Urban Meyer.
Thompson, who played for the Big Blue before a season at Wabash Valley Community College, posted a 3.86 ERA in 30 1/3 innings out of the bullpen for the Bearcats while Noelker had a 5.06 ERA in 16 innings of relief for UC.
Credit: Nick Graham
Credit: Nick Graham
Noelker was a member of the Journal-News All-Area team last season after striking out 44 in 34 innings at Badin.
Credit: EL Hubbard
Credit: EL Hubbard
Nate Meyer, a freshman from Columbus Bishop Watterson, is an infielder who went 3 for 24 at the plate this season as a freshman. He drove in three runs and scored two.
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