University of Houston
26-17, 0
USF
20-21, 0
Houston Evens Series at USF Behind 7-1 Victory
4/27/2019 9:31:00 PM | Baseball
Brad Burckel finishes single shy of the cycle; Clay Aguilar tosses 6.2 innings in win
TAMPA, Fla. -- The University of Houston Baseball team avenged its series-opening loss with a 7-1 victory over USF on Saturday night at USF Baseball Stadium.
With the win, the Cougars, who are receiving votes in the latest NCBWA Top 30 poll, even the series and improve to 26-17 on the season and 9-8 in American Athletic Conference play, while the Bulls move to 20-21 overall and 3-11 in league action.
KEY INNINGS
2nd | For the second straight game of the series, Houston scored a pair of runs in the top of second inning. With one out, senior left fielder Rey Fuentes III singled up the middle. Following a flyout, freshman second baseman Brad Burckel tripled home Fuentes III with a ball down the right-field line before scoring himself on a wild pitch in the next at-bat.
5th | The Cougars doubled their lead with two more runs in the fifth. Burckel opened the inning with a double down the left-field line and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt from sophomore catcher Kyle Lovelace. Junior third baseman Jared Triolo plated Burckel with a single through the left side of the infield, and junior center fielder Tyler Bielamowicz followed with a single to left field. The pair moved up to second and third base on a wild pitch, before senior first baseman Joe Davis scored Triolo with a sacrifice fly in the same at-bat.
6th | USF used a leadoff double and single to get on the board in the bottom of the sixth.
7th | Houston added an insurance run in the seventh. Lovelace singled to left field to open the inning, and Davis walked to put two on with two outs. Cherry delivered Lovelace with a single to center field to reclaim the four-run advantage at 5-1.
8th | The Cougars put up another crooked number in the eighth. Freshman center fielder Johnathon Thomas singled through the left side of the infield with one out. Two batters later, Burckel cleared the bases with a two-out, two-run home run to right field for the 7-1 final.
HOUSTON NOTES
Offense:
• Burckel led all players finishing a single shy of the cycle in a 3-for-4 effort with three RBI and three runs scored. His three hits and three RBI were career highs, while his three runs scored tied his career high set earlier this season against Army on March 10 at Don Sanders Field at Darryl & Lori Schroeder Park. The home run was the first of his career.
• Cougars Davis (1-for-2, 2 BB, RBI), Fuentes III (1-for-3, R), Lovelace (1-for-3, R), Cherry (1-for-4, BB, RBI),Triolo (1-for-4, BB, RBI, R), Bielamowicz (1-for-5) and Thomas (1-for-1, R) all singled, respectively.
Pitching:
• Sophomore southpaw Clay Aguilar (5-3) picked up his fifth win of the season. The native of Deer Park, Texas, held the Bulls to just one run on four hits across six and two-third innings. He walked three and struck out five.
• Junior Fred Villarreal tossed the final two and one-third innings scattering two hits and recording one strikeout.
The Cougars will go for the series win in the noon CT rubber game on Sunday.
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: Aguilar, Clay (5-3)
L: SULLIVAN, Collin (3-4)
Batting:
2B: Burckel, Brad 1
3B: Burckel, Brad 1
HR: Burckel, Brad 1
RBI: Triolo, Jared 1 ; Davis, Joe 1 ; Cherry, Derrick 1 ; Burckel, Brad 3
SH: Lovelace, Kyle 1
SF: Davis, Joe 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Triolo, Jared 1 ; Fuentes III, Rey 1 ; Thomas, Johnathon 1 ; Burckel, Brad 3 ; Lovelace, Kyle 1
CS: Fuentes III, Rey 1 ; Hyland, Kobe 1
Batting:
2B: SANTOS, Jordan 1
RBI: GENORD, Joe 1
Base Running:
RUNS: SANTOS, Jordan 1
