A four-run first inning sparked the University of Cincinnati baseball team's series-clinching 8-2 win vs. West Virginia on Sunday at UC Baseball Stadium.

The Bearcats (27-21, 13-11 Big 12) have not lost a weekend series at home this season and boast a 17-6 record when playing at home.
 
Cincinnati grabbed control of the game early with four runs in the first inning. West Virginia (28-18, 15-9 Big 12) scored a run in the second and one in the third, but UC responded with a three-run home run in the bottom of the third courtesy of Alec Jones to make it 7-2. After allowing the two early runs, Nathan Taylor shut down the WVU hitters and Brenden Garula and Christian Mitchelle did the same in relief. The Bearcats added another run for good measure in the seventh, all but sealing the deal.
 
After winning the series, Cincinnati now stands in a tie with Kansas (13-11 Big 12) for fifth place in the Big 12 standings and is two games out of second place behind Texas (15-9), West Virginia (15-9), and Oklahoma State (15-9). UC also won its series vs. Kansas at home earlier this season.
 
Taylor struck out seven in six innings of work and earned his seventh win of the year, which ties him with three other pitchers for most wins in the Big 12 this season. Garula pitched a scoreless seventh inning and Mitchelle shut out the Mountaineers in the eighth and ninth.
 
At the plate, Jones' three-run homer was the biggest hit of the day and was his second home run in as many games.  Hunter Jessee and Luke Sefcik both scored twice and Josh Hegemann was the lone Bearcat with a multi-hit effort, going 2-for-3 with a walk.
 
Cincinnati visits Indiana for a midweek contest on Tuesday before heading west to BYU for a three-game series next weekend.
 
// HOW IT HAPPENED
Cincinnati jumped out to an early lead with a four-run bottom of the first, causing havoc on the basepaths all inning. The first run of the inning scored courtesy of Lauden Brooks, who reached on a bunt single. He beat the throw to first, but the throw sailed by the first baseman which allowed Kerrington Cross to score from second. Brooks then used his speed to score from second on a ground ball to first base to make it 2-0. With the first baseman playing deep, Brooks had enough time to scamper around third and head home to beat the throw.
 
Josh Hegemann made it 3-0 by lacing an RBI single into left field, then scored two at-bats later to put the score at 4-0. Standing on third base, Hegemann broke for home as Tommy O'Connor got caught in a rundown between first and second. Hegemann scored before O'Connor was tagged out, adding to the Bearcats' lead before the inning ended.
 
West Virginia slowly chipped away at UC's lead, scoring in the second and third innings to pull within two, 4-2. Cincinnati responded in the bottom of the third with a three-run home run off the bat of Alec Jones to increase the lead to 7-2. It was Jones' second straight game with a home run.
 
After allowing runs in the second and third, Nathan Taylor shut down the Mountaineer offense. He retired 10 straight batters at one point from the end of the third inning through the sixth, four of which he sent down on strikes.
 
UC made it 8-2 with a run in the seventh when Luke Sefcik scored on a passed ball. That would be the final run of the game as Brenden Garula and Christian Mitchelle closed out the Mountaineers in the final innings.