South Florida’s comeback downs Houston; Rice thwarts UTSA

TAMPA, Fla. — Joe Genord went 3-for-3 with a home run and a pair of runs batted in and Luke Borders drove in two more as South Florida rallied to defeat No. 20 Houston 7-4 in an American Athletic Conference game Saturday night.

The Cougars (28-14, 9-5 AAC) went ahead 2-0 in the first on Lael Lockhart’s home run and an RBI single by Joe Davis. UH added a pair of unearned runs in the second.

The Cougars would not score again as South Florida (33-10, 8-6) got its offense going while Bulls relievers Ryan Valdes and Joe Cavallaro held the Cougars scoreless on one hit with 11 strikeouts over the final 71⁄3 innings.

The loss dropped the Cougars into a first-place tie with Tulane, which defeated East Carolina 5-4.

RICE 7, UTSA 4

Dane Myers had three hits and drove in three runs as the Owls defeated the Roadrunners at Reckling Park.

Starter Zach Esquivel was the winning pitcher for Rice (17-26, 8-12 C-USA). The Clear Creek product pitched 51⁄3 innings and gave up three runs on 11 hits.

Jesse Baker led UTSA (2219, 10-10) with three hits.

MCNEESE ST. 10 SAM HOUSTON ST. 2

Montgomery’s Will Fox and Deer Park product Ricky Ramirez had three hits each and Joe Provenzano drove in three runs as the Cowboys cruised past the Bearkats in a Southland Conference game at Huntsville.

Rhett Deaton (7-1) pitched 71⁄3 innings, allowing two runs on two hits, to earn the victory for the first-place Cowboys, 19-4 in SLC play and 29-12 overall.

Taylor Beene (Humble/ Atascocita High) and Clayton Harp (El Campo) drove in a run apiece for the

Bearkats (28-15, 14-6). PRAIRIE VIEW A&M 12 ARK.-PINE BLUFF 9

Avery Williams had four hits as the Panthers held off the Golden Lions at Pine Bluff, Ark.

The Panthers (18-29, 11-10 SWAC) saw every starter record at least one hit in the 19-hit attack.

Jalyn Baker had three hits and Corbin Jamison, Carson Lee, Steven Williams, Kevin Macias and Kaylor Lewis each had two, with Jamison and Steven Williams contributing three RBIs apiece.

Charles Philpott (4-2) got the win in relief, pitching

7-plus innings. HOUSTON BAPTIST 13 NORTHWESTERN ST. 3

The Huskies pounded out a season-high 19 hits in a run-rule victory over the Demons in the Southland Conference series finale at Husky Field.

Brandon Brintz and Zane Otten each went 3-for-4 with a double for the Huskies (2217, 14-7 SLC).

Zach Carter (5-3) picked up the win in relief with 32⁄3 scoreless innings.

ODDS AND ENDS

Three Big 12 games were postponed Saturday. No. 4 TCU led No. 7 Texas Tech 2-1 with two outs in the bottom of the third inning at Lubbock when rain stopped play. The game will resume at 11 a.m. Sunday. … Bad weather also forced postponement of the series finale between Texas and Oklahoma State at Stillwater, Okla., until 1 p.m. Sunday. … Baylor’s game at Kansas was rained out and the series will conclude Sunday with an 11 a.m. doubleheader at Hoglund Ballpark. … Texas Southern’s game at Grambling State was rescheduled for 3 p.m. Sunday due to rainy conditions.