STATISTICS
Tuesday, April 16 Results:
Highlights:
Houston took down No. 7 Texas A&M 4-1 to highlight a 4-4 Tuesday for American Athletic Conference baseball teams. Cincinnati also defeated a ranked foe, avenging a loss from last Wednesday with a 15-5 come-from-behind win over Miami (Ohio). The American has combined for 14 wins over top-30 nonconference opponents this season with eight of the nine conference teams securing a victory over a ranked foe. UConn and No. 12 ECU joined the Bearcats and Cougars in clinching Tuesday wins, improving the league’s nonconference April record to 23-12. The American will begin its fifth week of conference play starting Thursday.
Houston 4, No. 7 Texas A&M 1
Houston scored three runs through the first two innings and refused to look back from there on the way to a 4-1 win over No. 7 Texas A&M Tuesday night. Derrick Cherry (3-for-4) and Kyle Lovelace (2-for-4) each had multiple hits, as starter Ryan Randel scattered one run on two hits and a walk through 6.1 innings pitched. He retired the side in order through the first five frames. Fred Villarreal earned his eighth save of the year after tossing a clean ninth inning. The Cougars’ pitching staff held the Aggies to two hits in the game. Cherry and Blake Way each had a double and registered the only two RBIs of the night for Houston. The Cougars will stay at home when they welcome Cincinnati to Schroeder Park for a three-game American series this weekend.
UConn 10, UMass 7
UConn struck for eight runs through the first three innings and held off a late UMass run to clinch a 10-7 win in Amherst Tuesday evening. Four Huskies had a multi-hit showing, as Christian Fedko went 2-for-4 with four RBIs. Joe Simeone and Randy Polonia combined for three scoreless frames out of the bullpen, striking out six, while scattering two hits and three walks. UConn is 6-1 over its past seven midweek games and will resume conference play this weekend when it heads to No. 12 ECU for a three-game series starting Thursday.
No. 12 ECU 9, Elon 4
No. 12 ECU got home runs from Spencer Brickhouse (three-run), Bryant Packard (solo) and Jake Washer (solo), while Evan Odum tossed a career-high 3.2 innings with six strikeouts in a 9-4 win over Elon Tuesday night. The Pirates scored five runs on five hits in the opening frame. Brickhouse took his first pitch over the right field wall for his ninth home run of the season. Two batters later, Washer belted his seventh long ball of the year, extending the lead to 4-0. Turner Brown (three), Brady Lloyd (two) and Packard (three) combined for eight of the Pirates’ 11 hits on the night. ECU returns home for the first time in over two weeks on Thursday when it hosts UConn for a three-game set.
Cincinnati 15, No. 28 Miami (Ohio) 5
Cincinnati avenged a loss from last Wednesday against Miami (Ohio), as the Bearcats rallied from behind to complete a 15-5 win. Down by four in the fifth inning, Cincinnati tied the game with RBI singles from A.J. Bumpass and Cole Murphy in addition to a sacrifice fly from Eric Santiago. The Bearcats then erupted for seven runs in the sixth inning before tallying the final three runs of the game in the seventh. Cincinnati’s bullpen scattered one run on six hits through the final 6.0 innings of the game. Four Bearcats had a multi-hit game, as Joey Wiemer led the way with a 3-for-4 showing and four runs scored. Jeremy Johnson went 2-for-3 with three RBIs. Cincinnati heads to Houston for a three-game American series starting Thursday.
Florida Atlantic 5, UCF 3
An early two-run lead was not enough for UCF to hold off Florida Atlantic on Tuesday night at John Euliano Park, as the Knights fell in the midweek for the first time all season in a 5-3 loss. Starting pitcher Jordan Spicer gave the Knights five scoreless innings on the mound. Matthew Mika was the catalyst for all three runs and notched his 22nd career multi-RBI game. UCF will have a quick turnaround with a three-game series at Wichita State starting on Thursday night.
North Florida 5, USF 3
USF had two men on with the winning run at the plate in the ninth, but a double play ended the game, as the Bulls took a 5-3 loss to North Florida Tuesday night. USF had five singles and scored three runs in the third to take an edge. The lead lasted until the sixth, when the Ospreys scored two for the game's final lead change. Senior Kyle Phillips and freshman Julio Cortez each had two hits. Dylan Burns was stellar out of the bullpen, tossing 4.2 scoreless inning with five strikeouts. The Bulls open a three-game series with The Citadel beginning Thursday.
No. 15 Ole Miss 5, Memphis 2
Despite holding No. 15 Ole Miss to its second-lowest hit total of the season, Memphis issued 10 walks and committed two errors, as the Tigers dropped a 5-2 decision at Swayze Field Tuesday night. The Rebels posted just three hits on the evening, all coming in the same inning, while three of the five runs that scored reached via a walk or error. The Tigers were limited to four hits throughout the game. Hunter Goodman continued his offensive surge with his sixth home run of the season, all in the last 11 games. Ben Brooks collected his sixth double of the season and drove in a run. Memphis begins a five-game homestand with a three-game conference series against Tulane starting Thursday.
New Orleans 15, Tulane 10
Tulane’s six-game winning streak came to an end, as the Green Wave fell to New Orleans 15-10 Tuesday night at Maestri Field in the second game of the Pelican Cup series. The Green Wave outhit the Privateers 11-8 on the night, battling back from a 9-2 deficit to tie the game, but was plagued by a four-run fifth inning. Seven different Tulane players earned hits in the game, paced by Grant Mathews who went 2-for-4 with a home run, triple and four RBIs. Trevor Jensen, Kody Hoese and Frankie Niemann also earned a pair of base knocks for the Green Wave. Tulane will be back in action in two days, opening a three-game American series at Memphis on Thursday.
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
Thursday, April 18
UConn at ECU* - 6:30 p.m.
Tulane at Memphis* - 7 p.m.
The Citadel at USF - 7 p.m.
UCF at Wichita State* (Cox Yurview/ESPN3) - 7 p.m.
Cincinnati at Houston* - 7 p.m.
Friday, April 19
UConn at ECU* - 6:30 p.m.
The Citadel at USF - 6:30 p.m.
Tulane at Memphis* - 7 p.m.
UCF at Wichita State* (Cox Yurview/ESPN3) - 7 p.m.
Cincinnati at Houston* - 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 20
UCF at Wichita State* (Cox Yurview/ESPN3) – 11:30 a.m.
UConn at ECU* - Noon
The Citadel at USF - 1 p.m.
Tulane at Memphis* - 2 p.m.
Cincinnati at Houston* - 2 p.m.
All times Eastern and subject to change
*Denotes conference game