ARLINGTON, Texas – No. 8 Cincinnati (32-23, 17-14) defeated No. 9 Texas Tech (20-33, 13-18), withstanding a two-run eighth inning to secure the 6-5 victory in game two of the 2025 Phillips 66 Big 12 Baseball Championship. UC first baseman Quinton Coats and centerfielder Derrick Pitts each drove in two runs to pace the Bearcats on Wednesday.
Sophomore righty Nathan Taylor got the start for UC and opened the game by striking out four Red Raider batters and allowing zero hits across the first two frames. Taylor went on to earn the victory, throwing seven innings while giving up five hits, three runs and striking out nine.
Cincinnati’s offense fed off its pitcher’s energy in the bottom of the second, as sophomore designated hitter Cal Sefcik knocked a single to right and claimed his sixth stolen base of the season on a dropped pitch. An RBI single from freshman outfielder Derrick Pitts and a Red Raider error then sent Sefcik home, giving Cincinnati a 1-0 lead.
Texas Tech answered back in the top of the third, led by a double down left from sophomore catcher Davis Rivers and a single through right from senior infielder Peyton Schulze. Thanks to a sacrifice hit from freshman infielder Coleman Ryan, Rivers reached home and put Tech on the board to tie the game at 1-1. Taylor found himself with bases loaded after walking two Bearcats before collecting another strikeout and sending the game to the home half.
Infielder Kerrington Cross, the Big 12 Player of the Year, sparked the Bearcats’ offensive campaign with a hit down the right field line, reaching third on a Red Raider error. Sophomore catcher Jack Natili followed with another triple to right, sending Cross home and extending Cincinnati’s lead, 2-1. The Red Raiders gave up a sacrifice fly to freshman infielder Quinton Coats for another run for the Bearcats. Sefcik returned to the plate to claim his second hit of the day, a single to right center. With the bases loaded, Pitts grounded out to second, allowing Sefcik to score once again and putting Cincinnati’s lead at 4-1.
The Red Raiders started a rally in the top of the sixth, as senior Robin Villeneuve launched a solo shot over the left center wall, his 12th home run this season. The Bearcats answered back in the bottom half, as Pitts knocked a single up the middle, stole second and reached third on a flyout from redshirt freshman infielder Charlie Niehaus. Villeneuve extended Cincinnati’s lead, 5-2, by reaching home on a throwing error.
Taylor opened the seventh with a walk and a punchout, falling just one short of his season-high ten strikeouts. TTU’s Tracer Lopez then doubled to left, scoring Coleman Ryan and edging Tech back, 5-3, before Coats closed the seventh by padding the Bearcats’ lead with a solo shot to center.
Redshirt senior southpaw Kellen O’Connor took the mound for the Bearcats in the eighth, walking outfielder Logan Hughes and allowing him to extend his on-base streak to 39 consecutive games. Villeneuve tallied his second hit of the day, a double, sending Hughes home. Junior catcher Dylan Maxcey continued the Red Raiders’ momentum, singling to center and sending Villeneuve home to make it a one-run ballgame.
O’Connor closed the door for the Bearcats in the final frame after allowing a two-out single to Kyeler Thompson and induced a fly ball to left for to complete the save.
Cincinatti’s sophomore right-handed pitcher Nathan Taylor earned the victory while setting a school record for strikeouts in a Big 12 Baseball Championship with while nine.
Cincinnati will face top-seeded West Virginia at 12:30 p.m. CT on Thursday, May 22. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.