East Carolina moved into first place in the American Athletic Conference baseball standings by a half game on Thursday, May 18 after earning a win over South Florida and Houston falling to Cincinnati. Both teams have two games remaining in the regular season.

Thursday, May 18
East Carolina 8, South Florida 3 - Box Score
Memphis 14, Tulane 2 (7 innings) - Box Score
Cincinnati 12, Houston 7 - Box Score

East Carolina 8, South Florida 3 - Box Score
TAMPA, Fla. – Junior RHP Danny Beal turned in his most important relief effort of the season Thursday night as No. 15 East Carolina rallied from an early three-run deficit to down South Florida 8-3 in the teams' series opener at the USF Baseball Stadium.
 
The Pirates (39-15, 16-6 American) kept hot on Houston's tail for the conference lead, entering the weekend just a half game behind the Cougars in the league standings. The Bulls (19-35, 7-15 AAC) dropped their third-straight AAC decision. ECU has won eight of its last nine games overall and eight straight in conference play.
 
Beal (6-1) went a career-long 6.1 innings without allowing a run to earn the victory as he scattered three hits and struck out six batters against just one walk. Jack Cebert (4-4) was tagged with the loss, surrendering four runs on seven hits in 4.1 frames of work.
 
Carter Cunningham sparked the Pirate offense with three hits, two runs scored and two RBI while Joey Berini also drove in a pair of runs. Bobby Boser and Joaquin Monque paced South Florida with two hits apiece.

Memphis 14, Tulane 2 (7 innings) - Box Score
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The University of Memphis baseball team took down Tulane, 14-2, in seven innings behind Austin Baskin's 4-for-4 day at the plate (8 RBI, 3 2B) at FedExPark Avron Fogelman Field on Thursday night in game one of the Tigers' final regular-season series of the season.
 
With the win, the Tigers improved to 27-25 overall and 9-13 in American Athletic Conference play on the season. The Green Wave dropped to 14-38 (7-15) on the year with the loss.

The first double of the day for Baskin came in the bottom of the first when he hit a ball into the left-center field gap and drove in Logan Kohler and Anthony Hansen. This tied the game at 2-2 after Tulane took the lead in the top of the first on a Teo Banks home run.

A five-run fifth inning was started by Hansen's single that drove in Brennan DuBose after he singled to start the inning. Baskin then delivered his second two-run double of the contest and Will Spears drove in two more to give Memphis a 7-2 lead.

The Tigers tacked on four more runs in the third inning to take an 11-2 lead. A bases-loaded walk by Hansen brought in the first Tiger of the inning, followed by a sac-fly off the bat of Baskin for his fifth RBI of the game. Spears then ripped a hanging curve ball into left field that scored two more Tigers and gave him four RBI for the game.

Baskin came up to the plate with the bases loaded and two down in the bottom of the sixth and promptly unloaded them, driving in three more Tigers to make it a 4-for-4 day with three doubles and eight RBI.

Cincinnati 12, Houston 7 - Box Score
HOUSTON, Texas – The University of Cincinnati baseball team scored six runs in the sixth inning to take down league leader Houston, 12-7, in the series opener on Thursday night inside Schroeder Park.

With the win, Cincinnati improved to 24-29 on the season and 10-12 in conference play, while Houston (31-21, 15-6 American) fell a half game behind East Carolina for first place in The American's standings.
 
Redshirt junior Ryan Nicholson belted his first career grand slam to cap off a six-run sixth inning. His heroics wrapped up a 2-for-5, four RBI night at the plate. He now sits ninth all-time at Cincinnati for home runs in a career (31) and 10th in a single season (14). 
 
Freshman Griffin Hugus provided the go-ahead two-run single in the sixth. He finished with three RBI, one run scored and a stolen base.

Kameron Guidry, Alec Jones and Josh Hegemann all recorded two hits in the victory while Tommy O'Connor hit his seventh homer of the season.
 
Redshirt junior Chase Hopewell went three shutout innings in his 14th start of the season. Sophomore Garrett Harker (2-5) picked up the win while junior Max Bergmann tossed two shutout innings in relief. 
 
The Bearcats finished with double figures in the hit column for the 16th time this season. UC also tied its season-high 11 walks drawn.