UC Bearcats baseball eliminated in Big 12 tourney by Arizona State

In a game that didn't start until 11:40 p. m. Cincinnati time, the biggest surprise at Surprise Stadium was a lethargic night at the plate and sloppy game in the field as Arizona State eliminated the Cincinnati Bearcats in the Big 12 tournament 10-2.

UC had an uncharacteristic four errors in the game and struck out 15 times. Arizona State starter Kole Klecker whiffed five in four innings and Taylor Penn went to 6-0 with the win, pitching innings 5-6-7 with five strikeouts. "That's an anomaly for us," UC head coach Jordan Bischel said of the fielding during his in-game interview on ESPNU.

Matt Polk was 3-for-4 for the Sun Devils with a home run. Big 12 Player of the Year Landon Hairston had a two-run homer, as did Dominic Smaldino. Reliever Dominic Mauro was the only UC pitcher not touched for a hit or run as he threw a perfect eighth.

UC drops to 37-20, while Arizona State goes to 37-18 and moves to the semifinals against West Virginia. Long, late night, lousy loss for UC Bearcats Surprise is the spring training home of the Rangers and Royals and sits 48 minutes from the Sun Devils campus. The temperature had been in the 90s all day and was still 81 at game time, but UC's recent momentum went cold.