Junior catcher Kyle Lovelace launched his first home run in his UH baseball career Wednesday night against Wichita State. | Andy Yanez/The Cougar
The 2021 Houston baseball season came to an end Wednesday night as the Cougars dropped their first two games at the American Athletic Conference Championship in Clearwater, Florida.
The Cougars, who entered the tournament as the No. 7 seed, went toe-to-toe with No. 2 Tulane through the first five innings of Tuesday’s tournament opener powered by a strong start from junior left-hander Robert Gasser, who opened up the game throwing five shutout innings and striking out eight.
The Green Waves’ bats eventually figured out Gasser, as they scored four runs on six hits over the UH ace over the next 2 and 1/3 innings on their way to handing the Cougars a 4-1 loss.
UH’s lone run of the game came in the top of the seventh when junior first baseman Ryan Hernandez sent an 0-1 pitch over the left center wall.
Looking to keep their season alive Wednesday night against No. 3 Wichita State, Cougars starter Jaycob Deese did his job to give his team a chance to come out with the victory. The sophomore right-hander tossed 6 and 1/3 innings allowing two runs while striking out eight.
But like many games this season, the UH offseason was nowhere to be found, putting a goose egg on the scoreboard in each of the game’s first eight innings.
After the Shockers added three insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth to go up 5-0, UH’s bats finally came alive, sparked by junior catcher Kyle Lovelace’s first career home run.
The Cougars followed Lovelace’s solo shot to left by plating an additional pair of runs but it was too little, too late as their season came to an end falling 5-3 to Wichita State.
UH finished the year with a 19-34 record.
