NCAA Bracket

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The University of Houston became the second American Athletic Conference squad to advance to the 2014 NCAA Baseball Super Regionals, defeating LSU 12-2 on Monday night. The Cougars joined Louisville as one of the final 16 teams in the NCAA Postseason. With Houston’s victory, the American Athletic Conference is 7-1 in the NCAA’s, a .875 winning percentage that tops all Division I conferences.

Playing in the Tigers’ Alex Box Stadium with winner-take-all stakes, the Cougars spotted LSU two runs in the top of the first inning, as the Tigers strung together three consecutive singles to take a 2-0 lead. That lead would not last long, as Houston responded immediately. The Cougars loaded the bases without a base hit, forcing LSU to make a pitching change before its starter recorded an out. Against the new hurler, Houston made two productive outs to score runs on a sacrifice fly and a RBI groundout, tying the game at 2-2.

In the third inning the Cougars sent 13 batters to the plate and scored seven runs on five hits, taking the lead for good. After again loading the bases with no one out, OF Landon Appling was hit by a pitch to put Houston ahead. Freshman 3B Conor Hollis then struck a two-run double down the right field line to add to the margin. OF Ashford Fullmer and DH Michael Pyeatt followed with run scoring singles, and SS Frankie Ratcliff capped off the big inning with a sacrifice fly to make it 9-2 after three frames. In the eighth inning, the Cougars added an exclamation point on the victory, scoring three more runs to increase the lead to 12-2.

On the hill, Houston coach Todd Whitting went back to right-hander Jared Robinson, who had thrown 6.2 innings of 1-run ball in Friday’s Regional-opening win against Bryant. Robinson was excellent once again, taking the ball in the third inning and finishing out the game. He pitched 6.1 innings and allowed just four hits and no runs to improve to 5-1 on the season.

The victory over No. 7/5 LSU was the sixth ranked opponent defeated on the year for Houston, the most in the conference. Houston advances to the Super Regionals for the fourth time in program history and the first time since 2003. Their opponent in the Super Regionals will be the University of Texas, with the host school to be announced Tuesday morning.