University of Houston
21-15, 6-6
Wichita State
18-18, 3-6
Houston Sweeps Series at Wichita State
4/14/2019 6:08:00 PM | Baseball
Cougars take 7-4 win in finale, score 27 runs across series
WICHITA, Kan. -- The University of Houston Baseball team defeated Wichita State, 7-4, on Sunday afternoon at Eck Stadium.
With the win, the Cougars sweep the series and improve to 21-15 on the season and 6-6 in American Athletic Conference play, while the Shockers move to 18-18 overall and 3-6 in league action.
KEY INNINGS
3rd | Houston scored one run in the top of the third inning. Freshman second baseman Brad Burckel walked to open the frame. After stealing second base and advancing to third on a wild pitch, Burckel came home on a two-out single off the bat of senior center fielder Grayson Padgett.
4th | Sophomore catcher Kyle Lovelace doubled home junior shortstop Kobe Hyland, who reached on an error, in the fourth.
5th | Both teams scored one run in the fifth. With one out, senior left fielder Rey Fuentes III singled up the middle and junior right fielder Tyler Bielamowicz reached on a hit by pitch. In the next at-bat, junior designated hitter Lael Lockhart Jr. plated Fuentes III with a single through the right side of the infield. WSU scored on a RBI double in the bottom frame.
6th | For the fourth straight inning, the Cougars scored a run with one in the sixth. Padgett reached on a fielder's choice, and senior first baseman Joe Davis singled to put runners at the corners. Fuentes III followed with a squeeze bunt to give Houston a 4-1 advantage.
7th | The Shockers tied the game with a bases-clearing triple in the bottom of the seventh.
8th | Houston scored two runs on WSU miscues in the eighth to retake the lead. With two outs, Bielamowicz reached on a single through the left side of the infield and quickly stole second base. Freshman Derrick Cherry followed with a pinch-hit walk, and a wild pitch on ball four allowed Bielamowicz to move up to third base. In the next at-bat, Bielamowicz scored on another wild pitch and Cherry came home on a fielding error at second base.
9th | The Cougars added an insurance run in the ninth on a RBI single to left center from Padgett for the 7-4 final.
HOUSTON NOTES
Offense:
• Nine Cougars recorded a base hit, as Houston totaled 13 hits as a team.
• Fuentes III (2-for-3), Davis (2-for-5), Lovelace (2-for-5) and Padgett (2-for-6) all recorded two hits with one RBI. Fuentes III and Padgett each added one run scored, while Lovelace doubled for one of his two base knocks.
• Burckel (1-for-3), Bielamowicz (1-for-4), Lockhart Jr. (1-for-4), Hyland (1-for-5) and Triolo (1-for-5) all singled, respectively. Lockhart Jr.'s hit was a RBI single, while Bielamowicz, Burckel, Hyland and Triolo all crossed home plate.
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Pitching:
• Junior right-handed pitcher Fred Villarreal (4-1) picked up his fourth win of the season as the pitcher of record when Houston retook the lead in the eighth.
• Junior Brayson Hurdsman, making his second appearance of the series, scattered four hits and one run across a season-long four and one-third innings in the start, his first of the season. Hurdsman, who retired the side in the third, fourth and fifth innings, walked one and struck out four in a no-decision.
• Junior Sean Bretz retired all four batters he faced across one and one-third scoreless innings of relief.
• Junior Tristen Bayless walked one in a left-on-left matchup.
• Making his fifth appearance in as many games, junior Devon Roedahl closed the game allowing just one hit across the final four outs to record his third save of the season.
ON DECK
After a 4-0 week on the road, the Cougars return to Don Sanders Field at Darryl & Lori Schroeder Park for a four-game homestand.
PARKING IN 2019
Gameday parking is offered in a different capacity than in prior years. Anyone entering Lot 16B (across the street from right field) will be subjected to paying a third party company employed by campus. This lot will no longer be an option for free parking on gamedays. All other lots surrounding the stadium will be free of charge two hours prior to first pitch.
STAY CONNECTED
Follow Houston Baseball on Twitter and Instagram at @UHCougarBB, and “Like” UHCougarBB on Facebook.
JOIN DUGOUT CLUB
Fans can help support the Houston Baseball program by joining the Dugout Club. To find out more information about the Dugout Club, visit UHCougarPride.com or call Cougar Pride at (713) 743-GoUH.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Villarreal, Fred (4-1)
L: WALTERS, Mitchell (1-2)
S: Roedahl, Devon (3)
Batting:
2B: Lovelace, Kyle 1
RBI: Padgett, Grayson 1 ; Davis, Joe 1 ; Fuentes III, Rey 1 ; Lockhart Jr., Lael 1 ; Lovelace, Kyle 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Triolo, Jared 1 ; Padgett, Grayson 1 ; Fuentes III, Rey 1 ; Bielamowicz, Tyler 1 ; Cherry, Derrick 1 ; Hyland, Kobe 1 ; Burckel, Brad 1
SB: Bielamowicz, Tyler 1 ; Hyland, Kobe 1 ; Burckel, Brad 1
CS: Hyland, Kobe 2
HBP: Fuentes III, Rey 1 ; Bielamowicz, Tyler 1
Batting:
2B: WALLACE, Paxton 1 ; KATZFEY, Jacob 1
3B: BOYER, Jordan 1
RBI: BOYER, Jordan 3 ; KATZFEY, Jacob 1
Base Running:
RUNS: KOCIS, Garrett 1 ; CADENA, Ross 2 ; SIGRIST, Jack 1
HBP: CADENA, Ross 1
