UH rallies behind Padgett’s HR
CLEARWATER, Fla. — Grayson Padgett delivered a pinch-hit, three-run homer as the University of Houston put together a late rally for a 6-5 win over Memphis on Tuesday in the opening game of the American Athletic Conference baseball tournament in Clearwater, Fla.
Padgett stepped to the plate for Jared Triolo with two runners on and one out in the bottom of the eighth. He sent a 2-and2 pitch from Connor Alexander off the rightfield foul pole, completing a three-run comeback as the second-seeded Cougars (37-19) advance to play Connecticut in a winner’s bracket game at 2 p.m. CDT Thursday.
Held scoreless the previous four innings, the Cougars took advantage of a hit by pitch to Jake Scheiner and a single by Corey Julks, his third hit of the game. Cooper Coldiron added a RBI single before Padgett’s heroics.
Aaron Fletcher inherited a runner in the ninth inning but quickly got a double play and grounder for his seventh save.
Brandon Grudzielanek put the Tigers ahead with a solo home run two batters into the game.
Scheiner, the AAC co-player of the year, answered with his teamleading 16th home run of the year in the bottom of the inning, and Connor Wong gave the Cougars a 2-1 lead with a double in the second.
Chris Carrier put the Tigers ahead with a twoout, two-run homer in the fifth. Memphis, the No. 7 seed, added two more runs in the eighth before the Cougars finally broke through.
MISSOURI 12, TEXAS A&M 7
A year after winning the SEC tournament, the Aggies’ stay in Hoover, Ala., was brief as their pitching failed in a firstround loss to the Tigers.
A&M starter John Doxakis lasted only one inning plus one batter in the second, giving up three runs. Normally reliable reliever Kaylor Chavin took the loss after allowing seven runs, including five earned, in three innings. The big blow against Chafin was a grand slam by Rob Glendinning in the fourth inning that put Missouri ahead to stay 8-6.
The Aggies’ hitters handled Tanner Houck, sending the Missouri ace to his worst outing of the season (seven runs allowed in 41⁄3 innings). But A&M managed no runs and only three hits off reliever Andy Toelken the rest of the way.
The loss in the singleelimination portion of the tournament drops A&M to 36-21. The Aggies will await their NCAA Tournament assignment, with that being disclosed Monday.