Cougars Drop 5-4 Heartbreaker at UCF on Saturday

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Players Mentioned

Landon Appling

Austin Pruitt

Michael Pyeatt

Josh Vidales

April 27, 2013

ORLANDO, Fla. - A two-run seventh inning for UCF proved to be the difference as the Knights edged the University of Houston Baseball team, 5-4, on Saturday in Game 2 of the three-game C-USA weekend series.

FINAL | Orlando, Fla.

Houston
(27-16, 7-7)

UCF
(24-19, 10-7)

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Houston	0	0	0	4	0	0	0	0	0	4	5	0
UCF	0	0	1	2	0	0	2	0	x	5	10	2

Win: Spencer Davis (4-1)
Loss: Austin Pruitt (7-4)

PITCHING

Houston	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
Austin Pruitt	8.0	10	5	5	1	4




UCF	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO

Ben Lively	6.0	3	4	1	5	6

Spencer Davis	3.0	2	0	0	0	2

BATTING

NUMBERS OF NOTE

19 Houston's Josh Vidales hit his second triple of the year and the Cougars' league-leading 19th three-bagger, which drove in two runs in the fourth inning.

Houston fell to 27-16 and evened its league record at 7-7 with the loss, while the Knights improved to 24-19 and 10-7. The Cougars dropped their fourth straight weekend series with Saturday's fall.

The Cougars stranded eight runners on the day, while tallying just five hits - two of which came off the bats of junior Landon Appling and sophomore Michael Pyeatt.

Pyeatt (2x2, RBI, BB) drove in a run and recorded two hits and a walk to lead the offense, while Appling (2x4, R) scored a run and had two base knocks.

Freshman Josh Vidales (1x4, 2 RBI, 3B) had the biggest swing of the day for Houston as he roped a two-out, two-RBI triple down the right field line in the fourth inning for his second three-bagger of the year and 19th total for the Cougars.

Houston chased UCF ace Ben Lively (6.0,3,4,1,5,6) after six innings, as he allowed four runs on three hits, five walks with six strikeouts - elevating his pitch count to 123 to receive the no decision.

However with runners in scoring position, the Cougars weren't able to execute with multiple runs - stranding six at either second or third.

UCF plated the game's first run following three hits in the third, but the Cougars responded with a four-run fourth inning, sparked by Vidales' triple. Houston went on to take advantage of two Knight miscues to grab two more runs for a 4-1 lead.

UCF bounced back after the poor defensive inning to trim Houston's lead to one run with two more of its own.

Houston starter Austin Pruitt (8.0,10,5,5,1,4) went on to retire the next eight Knights before allowing a two-out single in the sixth. Nothing showed for the hit as the senior retired the next hitter to control the UCF threat.

A leadoff single by the Knights opened the seventh inning followed by a sacrifice bunt. Two hits and a wild pitch followed to score two runs - including the tying run and eventual winning run.

Appling made things interesting in the ninth when he opened the frame with a leadoff single, moved up a base on a sacrifice bunt by Vidales and to third on a wild pitch, but was stranded with a strikeout and groundout to end the game.

Pruitt would be tagged with the loss, falling to 7-4 after allowing five runs on 10 hits and one walk with four strikeouts as he went the distance for the Cougars for his fourth complete game of the year.

UCF reliever Spencer Davis (3.0,2,0,0,0,2) picked up the win in relief, improving to 4-1.

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UP NEXT
Houston and UCF will meet for the series finale at Noon CT Sunday before returning home to host UL-Lafayette Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at Cougar Field.

Josh Vidales

Michael Pyeatt

Landon Appling