All eight teams are within striking distance of first place in the American Athletic Conference through three weeks of conference play. Only three games separates first place from eighth in the league standings.
Cincinnati has been the surprise team through the first three weeks of conference play as the Bearcats, who were picked eighth in The American’s preseason coaches’ poll, enter this weekend in sole possession of first place in the standings. The Bearcats have won each of their first three conference series, and look to make it four in a row when they host Memphis for three games at Marge Schott Stadium. Cincinnati has been particularly tough at home this season, with a 14-4 record on its home field.
East Carolina will host UConn in a key early series as both teams are within a game of first place. The Huskies are percentage points behind Cincinnati in the standings, while the Pirates are only one game back. Both teams split a pair of midweek games this week as East Carolina cruised to a 15-3 win against No. 8 North Carolina State Tuesday, but fell to a solid High Point squad Wednesday. The Huskies saw their six-game winning streak snapped by Massachusetts Tuesday, but bounced back with a road win against UMass Lowell Wednesday.
UCF took two of three from USF last weekend, and the Knights look for a second straight series win when they welcome Tulane to Orlando. The Knights’ Saturday starter, P Robby Howell, has staked his claim for All-America honors as he takes a league-leading 7-0 record and 1.14 earned-run average into the weekend. Tulane comes in after a disappointing series against Cincinnati last weekend, but the Green Wave bounced back in a big way with Tuesday’s 12-0 win against 15th-ranked Southern Miss. 3B Hunter Hope has hit 10 home runs to lead The American, while Green Wave pitching has delivered nine shutouts – the most of any team in Division I.
Houston and USF will have a chance to turn things around after disappointing performances last weekend. The Cougars were swept at the hands of UConn last week, but are hoping that a return to Schroeder Park, where Houston has gone 15-5 this year, will get things back on track. The Bulls dropped their last two games at UCF and will look for their first series win in conference play.