UCF and Tulane earned sweeps, while East Carolina and Houston earned series wins as the first weekend of American Athletic Conference baseball league play concluded Sunday, April 3.

Sunday, April 3
UCF 4, South Florida 0 (Game 1) - Box Score
UCF 8, South Florida 4 (Game 2) - Box Score
East Carolina 12, Cincinnati 10 - Box Score
Houston 4, Wichita State 3 - Box Score
Tulane 5, Memphis 3 - Box Score

UCF 4, South Florida 0 (Game 1) - Box Score
UCF 8, South Florida 4 (Game 2) - Box Score
ORLANDO, Fla. – UCF (18-10, 3-0) pitching allowed a combined seven hits and four runs, while posting two one-hit shutouts, to sweep the South Florida Bulls (18-10, 0-3) and open conference play this weekend. The series sweep brings the War on I4 total to 42-12, clinching at least a tie of the trophy.
 
In game one, The Knights picked up where they left off on Friday, shutting down the USF offense. William Saxton, Ben Vespi and Chase Centala, combined to throw a no-hitter into the seventh inning, one-hitting the Bulls in the 4-0 victory.
 
Andrew Sundean opened the scoring in the bottom of the fourth, singling to center field to score Lex Boedicker. In the fifth, Ryan Taylor scampered across the plate to score on a wild pitch, before Ben McCabe launched a no-doubt home run in the sixth to extend the lead to 3-0. Taylor added an insurance run in the sixth, singling to right center to score Tom Josten.
 
In game two, USF scored its first runs of the weekend to jump out to a 4-0 lead in the fourth. UCF responded in the fifth, scoring five runs to take the lead and shift momentum back to the home dugout. Sundean kicked off the inning with his first career home run to left field, a solo shot, to cut into the Bulls lead.
 
Gephry Pena later singled through the left side to score Michael Brooks from third, cutting the lead to 4-2. Lex Boedicker beat out a double play ball to score Josten from third on the fielder's choice, before McCabe singled to right center, over the shift, to score Pena and Boedicker to give the Knights a 5-4 lead.
 
Ruddy Gomez and Kyle Kramer combined to pitch five shutout innings on Sunday afternoon, striking out a combined seven batters and allowing two walks. Gomez was credited with the win improving to 3-0, while Kramer earns his second save of the year.
 
The Knights put the game away in the eighth, as Josten hit a sacrifice fly to right to score McCabe from third. Sundean scored on a wild pitch and Alex Freeland reached on an error to score Brooks from third to push the lead to 8-4. 

East Carolina 12, Cincinnati 10 - Box Score
CINCINNATI, Ohio – Carter Cunningham's RBI single in the seventh inning broke a 10-all tie, while Ben Terwilliger tossed a career-high 2.2 innings in relief as East Carolina claimed an American Athletic Conference series win at Cincinnati, 12-10. With the win the Pirates improved to 16-13 overall and 2-1 in league play, while the Bearcats dropped to 10-16 and 1-2.
 
Agnos, who scored three runs in the game, drew a one-out walk and took third on Hoover's fourth hit of the afternoon (double) before scoring on Cunningham's base knock to left field.
 
Terwilliger (1-0) earned his first win as a Pirate working 2.2 scoreless frames where he retired eight of nine batters he faced with a season-high three strikeouts. Bradley Wilson got notched his first save walking two (one intentional) before getting Cam Scheler to pop out in foul territory (third base side) with the bases loaded to preserve the win. Starter Josh Grosz allowed three runs (all earned) on four hits with a walk and four punch outs in 2.1 innings. ECU would use eight additional arms in the contest getting outings from Trey Yesavage (0.2 IP, 2 Ks), Danny Beal (0.0 IP, 2 Rs), C.J. Mayhue (0.0 IP, 2 Rs, 1 ER), Garrett Saylor (0.0 IP 2 Hs), Agnos (1.0 IP, 2 Rs), Carter Spivey (0.1 IP, 1 R), Jake Kuchmaner (0.2 IP 1 H), and Jake Hunter (1.0 IP, 1 H).
 
Chase Hopewell (0-1) took the loss giving up two runs (one earned) in relief on five hits with two walks and one strikeout. Starter Zach Segal was touched for six runs (all earned) on four hits with a pair of walks and two hit batters in two-plus innings. The Bearcats also got used three other arms in Max Bergmann (1.2 IP, 3 Rs), Ryan Steckline (2.1 IP, 1 R) and Jackson Murphy (0.1 IP).

Houston 4, Wichita State 3 - Box Score
HOUSTON – Houston shortstop Ian McMillan laced a run-scoring double into right field in the ninth inning, lifting Houston to a 4-3 walk-off victory against Wichita State to secure the three-game series on Sunday afternoon from Sanders Field at Schroeder Park.
 
The Cougars (19-9, 2-1 American) overcame a two-run deficit, scoring twice in the eighth, to tie the contest at three-all on a pair of hits and as many Wichita State (12-15, 1-2 American) errors. Brandon Uhse, who clubbed a home run to start the scoring in the fourth, drove a one-out RBI-single into center.
 
With two outs and two aboard in the eighth, Cameron Nickens sent a dribble to the right side, reaching on a base hit and advancing to second as the throw sailed out of play. The base knock scored pinch hitter Samuel Tormos who drew a five-pitch leadoff walk.
 
In the ninth, Ryan Hernandez (leadoff single) was erased on a Malachi Lott fielder's choice. With a 1-0 count and one away, McMillan lined a double into right field. A diving attempt allowed the ball to skip to the wall, plating a hustling Lott from first base.

The walk-off victory was the first for the Cougars since McMillan walked off Cincinnati on May 8, 2021. The victory went to closer Ben Sears (4-0) who retired all three Shockers he faced after the Cougars tied the game in the eighth.

Tulane 5, Memphis 3 - Box Score
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – A three-run eighth inning helped the Tulane University (19-9-1, 3-0 AAC) earn the series-sweeping win over Memphis (12-12, 0-23 AAC) 5-3 on Sunday inside FedExPark Avron Fogelman Field. With today's win the Green Wave earned a sweep in the opening series of conference play for only the third time in program history.
 
Two consecutive walks accompanied by a homerun from Chase Engelhard opened the door for the Green Wave to plate three runs in the top of the eighth and take a come from behind 4-3 lead it would not relinquish.
 
Redshirt sophomore Ethan Groff  and redshirt senior Luis Aviles led the way offensively for the Wave with two hits a piece.

All five runs driven in for Tulane came from the bat of Groff, Bennett Lee and Engelhard. Lee's RBI came in the top of the sixth, all three from Engelhard in the eighth and a solo shot in the ninth accounted for the RBI by Groff.
 
It was a lonesome day on the bump for Tulane as freshman right-hander Michael Massey got the start pitching staying 7.2 innings while allowing three earned runs on six hits and striking out four hitters. 
 
Brian Valigosky retired the only hitter he faced to finish a scoreless frame in the bottom of the eighth for the Wave. Closer Zach DeVito finished it out for the Green Wave sitting down the side in the ninth on only 10 pitches to record his seventh save of the year.
 
Memphis would strike first putting a crooked number on the board with two runs in the second and a single run in the third.
 
Tulane got into the scoring column with one run in the sixth as Lee singled through the left side to drive in Groff.
 
The Green Wave offense went cold over the next inning until Engelhard launched a three-run bomb over the left center fence to give Tulane the lead 4-3.
 
Tulane would get an insurance runner in the ninth with a solo homerun from Groff to bring up the final score 5-3.
 
DeVito closed the door on the Tigers in the final frame with a strikeout, a line out and a fly ball which Groff would glove for the final out of the series.