Yahoo Sports reports that University of Cincinnati Bearcats baseball opened its eighth appearance in the NCAA Tournament with a decisive win over Louisiana, 12-2, in Starkville, Miss.
The game started with a weather delay of a little over an hour and ended in rain, but for a second straight year, UC won the opening game of its NCAA regional.
2 seed Bearcats into a Saturday night game with the top seed, Mississippi State.
The Bulldogs last lost at Dudy Noble Field in May when Auburn run-ruled them May 9 to take two of three games.
Junior catcher Jack Natili belted three homers and a double for the Bearcats, who slammed six baseballs out of the park.
Joining Natili with round-trippers were freshman Enzo Infelise, redshirt sophomore Charlie Niehaus and redshirt freshman Ryan Tyranski.