Aaron Fletcher allowed one run over 7.1 innings lifting Houston to a 3-1 American Athletic Conference win over No. 7 ECU Saturday afternoon at Lewis Field inside Clark-LeClair Stadium. With the win the Cougars secured a series win and improved to 27-16 overall and 12-5 in league play, while the Pirates dropped to 30-11 on the season and 8-6 in the conference.

How It Happened:
Houston used small ball and got some help from a couple of ECU miscues scoring two runs in the second inning for a 2-0 lead. With runners on first (Grayson Padgett) and second (Tyler Bielamowicz), the Cougars dropped down three consecutive bunts to help score both their runs. Cooper Coldiron’s bunt moved the runners up 90 feet. Wendell Champion reached on a throwing error by Alec Burleson on his suicide squeeze allowing Bielamowicz to cross home. Padgett scored the second run on a wild pitch for a two-run advantage. Spencer Brickhouse’ sixth home run of the season, second of the series, pulled ECU within one, 2-1, in the seventh. The Cougars got a much-needed insurance run in the ninth on Connor Hollis’ RBI single to right field that scored Coldiron from third to cap the scoring.

Pirate Pitchers:
Burleson (2-1) got the loss allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits with a walk and four strikeouts in his 4.2 innings. Davis Kirkpatrick tossed three scoreless frames surrendering a pair of hits, one walk and punched out one, while Ryan Ross pitched one-third of an inning. Zach Barnes closed out the game giving up on run (earned) on two hits in one inning of relief.

Cougars Staff:
Fletcher (5-2) got the win giving up one run (earned) on seven hits with a walk and three strikeouts in 7.1 innings. Joey Pulido notched the save working the final 1.2 innings surrendering one hit.

ECU Bats:

Connor Litton and Packard accounted for half of ECU’s eight hits collecting two apiece. Nick Barber, Brickhouse, Turner Brown and Jake Washer each added one on the day. Brickhouse belted a solo homer in the seventh, which was his sixth of the season.

Things To Know:

  • Packard extended his hit streak to 19 games, which is tied for the sixth-longest in program history … He has also reached base in 24-straight games and tallied his team-leading 17th multi-hit game of the year …
  • Brickhouse has homered in consecutive games and now stands third on the team in homers …
  • Washer pushed his on-base streak to 16 games with his single in the fifth …
  • Litton’s 2-for-4 performance pushed his multi-hit game total to 14 games …
  • Houston extended its winning streak over the Pirates to seven-straight games and handed the Pirates just their second series loss of the year (other: vs. USF – also at home) …


Up Next:
ECU will try to avoid the series sweep when it returns to the field Sunday, April 29 for Game 3. First pitch is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. (ET).