Highlights
The No. 20 Houston baseball team clinched a share of The American’s regular season title with a 16-7 league record after a doubleheader sweep at No. 18 UConn. The Cougars earn the regular season champion designation for a second consecutive year and third overall time. UCF went 14 innings with No. 26 Oklahoma before walking off on an RBI single. Cincinnati and Wichita State each took down ranked conference opponents to start off their series, while Tulane defeated Memphis in its series opener.
Cincinnati baseball hit back-to-back homeruns in the top of the ninth to take a 4-3 win at ECU. Down 3-2 with one out, Connor McVey went deep to left on a 1-0 count to tie it at three. Manny Rodriguez then followed on the very next pitch and put one out to right for the lead. With the one-run advantage, fellow senior Jarod Yoakam entered the game, threw eight pitches and earned the save. The win gave the Bearcats an 11-8 American record and moved them into a three-way tie for second place with ECU and No. 22 USF. The series continues on Saturday at 4 p.m. ET.
Wichita State pounded out 17 hits in a 17-2 run-rule win over USF. Starter Codi Heuer threw a complete game and earned his sixth win of the season. He went eight innings and gave up two runs on 10 hits with one walk and six strikeouts. Gunnar Troutwine went 4-for-5 with three RBIs, a double and a home run, while Greyson Jenista went 4-for-5 with two RBIs and a home run. Alec Bohm finished 2-for-5 with two RBIs and two home runs. The Shockers and Bulls play Game 2 of the series on Saturday at 3 p.m. ET.
The Cougars won Game 1, 6-5, and capped off a strong Friday with a 10-1 victory in Game 2. With a 31-19 record, it marks the sixth-straight season Houston has captured at least 30 wins. First baseman Lael Lockhart Jr. went 3-for-4 with four RBIs in Game 1. Designated hitter Joe Davis belted a pair of home runs in the series. He had four hits and four RBIs in Game 2. Starter Aaron Fletcher threw 7.0 innings in Game 2 and struck out five, while scattering five hits with no walks. The series finale will be decided on Sunday at 11 a.m. ET.
Kaleb Roper allowed two hits in 7.0 innings and Tulane blasted three home runs in a 9-1 series-opening win over Memphis. designated hitter Grant Mathews hit his first career home run in the second inning, and junior center fielder Grant Witherspoon and junior first baseman Trevor Jensen followed with back-to-back homers in the third inning. Tulane and Memphis continue the series at 3 p.m. ET on Saturday at Turchin Stadium.
UCF and No. 26 Oklahoma each tallied three runs through the first five innings before the game remained tied through the following eight inning. The Sooners tacked on the go-ahead run in the top of the 14th inning before the Knights responded with a Sac fly RBI from outfielder Max Wood and an RBI single from second baseman Matthew Mika to clinch a 5-4 series-opening walk-off win. UCF Reliever Thad Ward tossed 6.0 shutout innings and struck out eight, while JJ Montgomery earned the save after throwing the final 3.0 frames and struck out five. Game 2 will be played at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday night.
UPCOMING SCHEDULE / RESULTS
Tuesday, May 8
Cincinnati 6, Xavier 1
No. 18 UConn 13, Sacred Heart 2
No. 1 Florida 11, USF 8
No. 10 ECU 9, Norfolk State 1
Florida Atlantic 11, UCF 8
Wichita State 2, Oral Roberts 1
Memphis 5, Belmont 4
Wednesday, May 9
No. 18 UConn 6, Northeastern 5
No. 28 Louisville 24, Cincinnati 6
No. 10 ECU 5, UNC Wilmington 4
Wichita State 10, South Dakota State 0
Friday, May 11
UCF 5, No. 26 Oklahoma 4 (14 Innings)
Cincinnati 4, No. 10 ECU 3
Wichita State 17, No. 22 USF 2
Houston 6, No. 18 UConn 3
Houston 10, No. 18 UConn 1
Tulane 9, Memphis 1
Saturday, May 12
USF at Wichita State * (ESPN3) * - 3 p.m.
Cincinnati at ECU * - 4 p.m.
Memphis at Tulane * - 5 p.m.
Oklahoma at UCF - 6:30 p.m.
Sunday, May 13
Houston at UConn * - 11 a.m.
USF at Wichita State (ESPN3) * - 11:30 a.m.
Oklahoma at UCF - 1 p.m.
Cincinnati at ECU * - 1 p.m.
Memphis at Tulane * - 2 p.m.
All times ET & subject to change
* conference game
% Dunkin' Donuts Park, Hartford, Conn.