Cavanaugh's walk-off homer lifts ECU

By News-Argus Staff
Published in Sports on May 26, 2005 1:46 PM

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HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- Brian Cavanaugh hit a walk-off solo home run in the bottom of the ninth inning as East Carolina won in dramatic fashion over Houston, 6-5, in the first game of the 2005 Conference USA Baseball Tournament at Pete Taylor Park Wednesday.

After Billy Richardson popped up to second to lead off the ninth for ECU, Cavanaugh ended a 5-5 tie with his game-winning blast over the wall in right.

In addition to the homer, Cavanaugh finished just a double short of the cycle, collecting two singles and a triple in a 4-for-5 performance at the plate.

Mike Grace also finished with multiple hits for ECU (35-22), going 2-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI. Four other Pirates drove in a run for the Pirates in their tournament-opening victory over the Cougars.

T.J. Hose earned a no-decision in eight innings of work. The freshman right-hander allowed five runs, four of which were earned, on nine hits while striking out five and walking just one. Kevin Rhodes came on in the ninth and faced two batters before giving way to Scott Andrews.

Cougar starter Kevin Roberts lasted just an inning, allowing four runs on six hits while striking out two and walking one. Ricky Hargrove came on in the top of the second and tossed six innings in relief for Houston (27-29).

Bryan Pounds finished 3-for-4, while Stephen Whalen finished 2-for-4 to lead the Cougar offense.

East Carolina will now play the winner Tulane/UAB at 5 p.m. EST on Thursday, May 26. Houston will play the loser of the Tulane/UAB contest at 10 a.m. EST in the first game Thursday.

TCU 4, Louisville 2

Kyle Dahlberg drove in the go-ahead run in the seventh, Sam Demel threw a three-hitter and defending champion TCU beat Louisville.

Dahlberg's two-out single to center off B.J. Rosenberg scored pinch-runner Ryan Pack and broke a 2-all tie for the Horned Frogs (38-18).

Demel (5-4) struck out nine and walked three in his first career complete game for TCU, which won the C-USA tournament last year in Houston.

Louisville fell to 32-23.

Tulane 8, UAB 6

Nathan Southard's two-run single capped a five-run fifth inning and lifted Tulane past UAB.

The Green Wave (48-9) trailed 6-3 midway through the fifth before roughing up UAB starter Jeff Brown. Tulane rallied behind run-scoring singles from Greg Dini and Scott Madden, a bases-loaded walk to Matt Barket and Southard's clutch hit to left.

UAB (31-26) rallied from a 3-1 deficit with five runs in the top of the fifth, but Tulane answered in the bottom of that inning.

Southern Miss. 5, South Florida 3

Trey Cuevas' RBI double in the sixth scored the go-ahead run in Southern Mississippi's 5-3 win over South Florida in the first round of the Conference USA tournament on Wednesday night.

South Florida trailed 5-1 after eight innings, but rallied in the ninth. The Bulls pulled to within two on Brian Baisley's two-out, two-run single, but Southern Miss reliever Matt Caire struck out Matt McHargue to end the game.