Complete Notes
UConn head coach Jim Penders picked up his 500th career win after a 4-0 Tuesday evening victory at Boston College, while No. 18 Wichita State extended its winning streak to six in a row with a 9-6 win at Central Arkansas to highlight the league's midweek action. Last weekend, The American completed its opening round of conference games, as ECU, Houston, USF and Tulane took home series wins. League play will continue on Thursday and throughout the weekend.
The conference is 117-75 in nonconference games this year, as the league's .609 winning percentage is the fifth-best among the 31 Division I conferences. The teams have combined for 28 series wins against nonconference foes. Together, The American has recorded 14 wins over ranked opponents this season.
Five teams were featured in national polls this week, as ECU earned the highest ranking at No. 16 on D1Baseball.com's list. The Pirates were featured on all five national polls. Wichita State was placed on four polls this week, receiving the No. 18 spot from Collegiate Baseball, while Houston came in at No. 30 on that list. UCF is No. 25 in Baseball America's poll, while getting attention from the NCBWA and the USA Today Coaches' poll. USF received votes in a pair of polls as well.
Wichita State (18-4) is on a six-game winning streak after a 9-6 come-from-behind win over Central Arkansas on Tuesday. The Shockers have won four nonconference series heading into their inaugural American Athletic Conference series against ECU this weekend. Thursday’s series opener will be streamed live on Facebook through the
American Digital Network. The Shockers are No. 7 in the NCAA RPI rankings and have the most grand slams in the nation (five). 3B Alec Bohm has accounted for three grand slams.
After playing 21 consecutive road games, UConn (12-9, 1-2) will host its home opener against Hartford at J.O. Christian Field on Thursday. The Huskies shut out Boston College 4-0 on Tuesday behind a strong outing from starter Jeff Kersten. The RHP tossed 8.2 scoreless innings, scattering two hits, before closer P.J. Poulin entered the game with runners on to make the last out and earn his seventh save of the year, good for eighth in the nation. Penders reached the 500-win milestone in his 15th season at the helm of the program.
Houston's (16-9, 3-0) pitching staff has thrown three complete games, led by LHP Trey Cumbie, who tossed his second straight complete game shutout in the team's conference opener against Memphis. LHP Aaron Fletcher followed with another complete game shutout in Game 2, recording a career-high nine strikeouts as the team clinched the series. Houston swept the conference's weekly awards with Fletcher and 3B Jared Triolo earning the honors. After a midweek loss to Rice, the Cougars will look to bounce back at Cincinnati. The Bearcats (10-12, 1-2) are coming off a 1-0 win over Tulane last Sunday.
USF (18-8, 2-1) started conference play with a series win over UConn and leads the league in runs, scoring, hits, doubles, triples, slugging percentage and batting average. The Bulls average a nation-leading 2.92 doubles per game and have hit 76 doubles this season. 3B David Villar has hit 13 doubles this year, which rank fourth in the NCAA. LHP Shane McClanahan ranks second in the nation with 61 strikeouts. USF will host Tulane over the weekend.
ECU (18-5, 2-1) is coming off a series win over UCF, as the team is 8-2 over its last 10 games. ECU's pitching staff has recorded the 10th-lowest ERA in the nation at 2.58. Four Pirates are batting over .300 this season, led by 2B Brady Lloyd, who is hitting .438, good for second in the league and 12th in the nation. UCF (18-8, 1-2) 1B Rylan Thomas leads the conference and is eighth in the NCAA with a .454 batting average. Thomas, the league’s preseason Player of the Year, ranks fifth nationally with 34 RBIs.
UPCOMING SCHEDULE / RESULTS
Tuesday, March 27
UConn 4, Boston College 0
Stetson 5, USF 3
Southeastern Louisiana 9, Tulane 3
Wichita State 9, Central Arkansas 6
Arkansas 8, Memphis 7
Rice 4, Houston 3
Thursday, March 29
Hartford at UConn - 3 p.m.
Houston at Cincinnati * - 6 p.m.
Wichita State at ECU (ADN) * - 6:30 p.m.
Tulane at USF * - 7 p.m.
UCF at Memphis * - 7:30 p.m.
Friday, March 30
UConn at Central Connecticut - 3 p.m.
Houston at Cincinnati * - 4 p.m.
Tulane at USF * - 6:30 p.m.
Wichita State at ECU * - 6:30 p.m.
UCF at Memphis * - 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, March 31
Wichita State at ECU * - 1 p.m.
Houston at Cincinnati * - 1 p.m.
Tulane at USF * - 1 p.m.
UCF at Memphis * - 2 p.m.
UConn at Hartford - 3:30 p.m.
All times ET & subject to change
* conference game