May 23, 2008

Box Score

The Houston combination of Bryan Tully and Chase Dempsay fanned six and allowed just one run on four hits, and the offense plated a pair of runs in the sixth inning, as the fourth-seeded Cougars defeated No. 5 seed East Carolina, 2-1, in day three of the 2008 Entergy Conference USA Baseball Championship Friday evening at the new Greer Field at Turchin Stadium.

East Carolina claimed the early lead as centerfielder Harrison Eldridge hit a leadoff homer in the bottom of the first, but that would be final tally of the day for the Pirates. Houston out-hit ECU, 8-4, but none was bigger than right fielder Caleb Ramsey's two-out single to center in the sixth which plated Tully from second to break a 1-1 tie and account for the final score.

Houston tied the game earlier in the stanza when first baseman Jimmy Cesario opened the stanza with a walk, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt and touched home plate courtesy of an RBI-triple to left central off the bat of centerfielder Zak Presley.

The Pirates made things interesting in the final frame as Brandon Henderson was plunked to open the inning and catcher Corey Kemp followed with a walk to put two runners on with nobody out. From there, Dempsay erased the lead runner on a sacrifice bunt attempt and fanned the next two ECU hitters to earn his 11th save of the year.

Cesario was 2-for-3 with double and a run scored, while Bryan Pounds had a pair of hits. The Cougars had eight hits and stranded 12 runners on base.

Tully (5-3) earned his fifth victory of the season, allowing just three hits and fanning three in 5.1 innings of work. Dempsay went 3.2 innings, allowing only one hit and striking out three.

Sthil Sowers (4-4) took the loss, giving up two earned runs on six hits over 5.1 innings. He fanned seven and walked two.

With the win, Houston (36-22) advances to take on UAB on Saturday at 12:30 p.m.

Houston advances to a rematch with UAB game at 12:30 p.m. CT on Friday. East Carolina (40-19), meanwhile, was eliminated from tournament play.

NOTES: Friday's four games were decided by seven total runs, which matches the tournament single day record for smallest total victory margin (2005 in Hattiesburg).

Houston became the first team in tournament history to lose a one-run game and win a one-run game in the same day.