The Houston Cougars won in spectacular fashion on Thursday night, thanks a walk-off single in the bottom of the 10th inning. | File photo/The Cougar
The No. 19 Cougars rallied late in a back-and-forth battle to take a 5-4 victory over the UConn Huskies Thursday night at Cougar Field.
Houston came from one score down in the 10th inning to steal a walk-off win over UConn, thanks to a timely single by freshman shortstop Connor Wong.
The scoring started early for Houston, as junior center-fielder Ashford Fulmer tallied an RBI-single in the bottom of the second frame, driving in junior catcher Ian Rice for the run.
UConn responded in the top of the fourth inning, and the Cougars looked like they were in trouble as bases were loaded with one out.
The Cougars rallied late at the bottom of the ninth, as Rice hit his third homerun this season to tie the game, 3-3, and force it to go into extra innings.
In the top of the tenth, with the bases loaded, the Huskies’ Jack Sundberg was the only one to put up a run on freshman pitcher Aaron Fletcher, to take the lead back, 4-3.
Houston would hold UConn to just one run in the tough situation, giving their offense a chance to come back.
The Cougars rallied in the bottom of the tenth, as junior Rober Grilli pinch-ran for junior first-baseman Chris Iriart and scored on a double by freshman left-fielder Corey Julks, tying the game at 4-4.
Wong clinched the game for the Cougars with a walk-off single, driving in pinch-runner Zac Taylor.
Freshman relief-pitcher Aaron Fletcher picked up his first career victory for Houston, pitching one inning, striking out one and walking two.
The Cougars will once again face UConn on Friday night at 6:30 p.m., before closing out the series on Sunday.
With a win Friday, Houston can secure a first-place finish in the AAC regular season in their final series of the season, while looking forward to the conference tournament in Florida.
