UH faces difficult path after losing in first round

If the University of Houston is to extend its stay at the American Athletic Conference baseball tournament, the Cougars will have to do it the hard way.

Houston lost the opening game 4-3 to Connecticut on Tuesday – stranding the bases loaded in the top of ninth and allowing a two-out, walk-off single – and must face top seed East Carolina in an elimination game at 2 p.m. Wednesday in Clearwater, Fla. The Pirates, in position for one of the 16 regional host bids, were upset 6-2 by Wichita State.

UH (32-23) entered the double-elimination tournament in good shape, according to national projections, for an NCAA Tournament bid. The possibility of a quick exit from the AAC tournament could put the Cougars on the bubble and cause some anxiety until the 64-team field is announced Monday.

After battling back from an early two-run deficit, the Cougars took the lead, gave it right back, and had the Huskies on the ropes with the bases loaded in the top of the ninth.

Tyler Bielamowicz led off with a single but was unable to advance when Grayson Padgett popped out on a bunt attempt. A pair of walks to pinch-hitter Blake Way and Kyle Lovelace loaded the bases. Jacob Wallace, the AAC’s saves leader with 14 during the regular season, got Brad Burckel to strike out for the fourth time to end the threat. UH was 1-for-11 with runners on base.

In the bottom of the inning, Pat Winkel led off with a single off Fred Villarreal, a second-team allconference selection, and advanced to second on a sacrifice by Paul Gozzo. After an intentional walk to Chris Winkel, Villarreal struck out Kyler Fredko for the second out. David Langer, the No. 8 hitter, delivered a single up the middle to score Pat Winkel and send the Huskies (34-22) to their third win over the Cougars this season.

UH took a 3-2 lead on an RBI single by Kobe Hyland in the seventh.

Fedko hit a two-run homer off UH starter Lael Lockhart Jr. in the second inning. UH tied the game on solo home runs by Jared Triolo in the fourth and Joe Davis – his 18th of the season – in the sixth.

In Wichita State’s uspet of East Carolina, Ross Cadena went 3-for-4 and drove in the go-ahead run in the bottom of the eighth before Brady Slavens hit a three-run homer in the ninth for the No. 8-seeded Shockers.

It is the third consecutive season in which the American’s No. 8 seed has defeated the No. 1 seed in the opening round.