STATISTICS
Saturday, March 9 Results:
Highlights
No. 14 ECU, UConn and Houston clinched their weekend series with Saturday wins to highlight a 5-2 day for American Athletic Conference baseball teams. UCF and USF joined them in earning wins to set up a pair of Sunday rubber matches. Both the Huskies and Pirates outlasted their opponent in 12 innings. The American will combine for 10 nonconference games Sunday.
UCF 5, Penn State 3
Behind a standout night from Ray Alejo and four hitless innings from the bullpen, UCF evened its weekend series with Penn State at John Euliano Park with a 5-3 win. Alejo went 3-for-4 with three RBIs, a double, triple and home run. He was a single shy of hitting for the cycle. Tyler Osik had a 2-for-4 day with two RBIs. Osik has reached base in 12-straight games. Kyle Kemp made his first multi-inning appearance of the year, going two innings and striking out a season-high five batters. The righty has allowed just one hit in 10 innings of work this season. The rubber match is set for a 1 p.m. ET first pitch Sunday.
ECU 4, Marist 3 (12)
Christian Smallwood's RBI single to left field in the bottom of the 12th gave ECU a 4-3 walk-off win over Marist at Clark-LeClair Stadium. Evan Voliva (2.1 IP, 1 H, 2 Ks) and Alec Burleson (3.0 IP, 1 H, 4 Ks) tossed scoreless frames out of the bullpen. ECU played from behind for six innings, tying the game twice to bring it to extra innings. Four Pirates had a multi-hit showing, including Turner Brown who had three hits, including a solo home run.
USF 4, Liberty 2
Senior righthander Alec Wisely scattered two runs on five hits through a career-long seven innings, as USF evened its series against Liberty with a 4-2 win. The Bulls and Flames play their rubber match Sunday at 12:30 p.m. ET. The Bulls scored all their runs through the first four innings. In the fourth inning, Jake Sullivan crushed his first-career homer to left field, handing USF a three-run cushion (4-1). After the fourth frame, Wisely retired nine of the next 10 before being relieved in the eighth. The game consisted of only eight hits with USF accounting for three.
UConn 4, Texas State 1 (12)
Paul Gozzo and Michael Chiovitti hit back-to-back home runs in the 12th to give UConn its first runs since the first inning, as the Huskies held on for a 4-1 win at Texas State to clinch the series. John Toppa added an RBI single in the final frame. Chiovitti’s homer was his first-career hit as a Husky. Toppa also plated a run in the opening inning with a sacrifice fly, as UConn held a 1-0 lead through the first five frames. Jacob Wallace earned the win, pitching a career-high 3.2 shutout innings with just one hit allowed. Pat Winkel recorded his second-straight three hit game, while Mike Woodworth extended his hitting streak to 10 games. The Huskies will go for the weekend sweep Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.
Houston 3, Army 2
Houston scored a run in the second, fourth and sixth innings on the way to clinching its series against Army with a 3-2 Game 2 win. Senior righthander Ryan Randel picked up his second win of the season. He limited Army to one run on three hits across a career-long seven innings. Randel, who retired the first 10 batters he faced to open the game, finished with two walks and four strikeouts. Joe Davis led the Cougars’ offense with a 2-for-3 performance at the plate. Blake Way hit an RBI triple to give the Cougars their first lead of the night in the second inning. Houston will go for the series sweep Sunday at 2 p.m. ET.
UCSB 8 Tulane 7
Down by one run, Tulane had a bases-loaded opportunity in the ninth, but UCSB was able to hold on to claim the series with an 8-7 win in New Orleans. The Green Wave took the lead by two with a four-run sixth inning. Unfortunately, the lead would be short-lived as UCSB scored three of their own in the seventh and would hold on from there to claim their second win of the weekend. Tulane finished with 13 hits in the game, as Hudson Haskin went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Trevor Jensen and Sal Gozzo were two of five Green Wave players to finish the game with multiple hits, both driving in two runs. First pitch for the series finale against UCSB is set for 2 p.m. ET Sunday.
No. 10 Texas Tech 15, Wichita State 10
No. 10 Texas Tech hit six home runs on their way to a 15-10 victory over Wichita State. The Shockers and Red Raiders are slated to wrap up the series with a contest at 2 p.m. ET Sunday. Paxton Wallace went 3-for-5 with a pair of RBIs and hit his second homer of the season to lead the Shockers at the plate, while senior Luke Ritter and freshman Brady Slavens each posted a double on two hits. Freshman David VanVooren hit a lead-off home run in the top of the first for his inaugural collegiate hit.
UPCOMING SCHEDULE:
Sunday, March 10
Liberty at USF - 12:30 p.m.
Penn State at UCF - 1 p.m.
Bowling Green at Cincinnati (DH) - 1 p.m.
UConn at Texas State - 1 p.m.
Marist at ECU - 1 p.m.
Army at Houston - 2 p.m.
Memphis at Western Kentucky - 2 p.m.
UCSB at Tulane - 2 p.m.
Wichita State at Texas Tech (Fox+) - 2 p.m.
All times Eastern and subject to change