WICHITA, Kan. – The University of Houston Cougars scored two runs in the eighth inning and another in the ninth to break a 4-4 tie, and defeat the Wichita State University baseball team, 7-4, in the series finale of a three-game American Athletic Conference series Sunday, April 14, at Eck Stadium, Home of Tyler Field.

Wichita State (18-18, 3-6 American) is slated to host UCF for a three-game conference series starting Thursday evening, April 18, at 6 p.m.

Junior Jacob Katzfey and sophomore Paxton Wallace each went 2-for-4 at the plate with a double, while senior Jordan Boyer drove in three runs on an RBI triple, leading the Shockers offensively.

WSU reliever Mitchell Walters (1-2) suffered the loss on the mound after allowing two earned runs on seven hits with one walk and three strikeouts in 3 1/3 innings of work.

The Houston Cougars (21-15, 6-6 American) scored at least one run in six of the nine innings in the game. They were led at the plate by senior left-fielder Rey Fuentes III, who went 2-for-3 with a RBI bunt-single, while sophomore catcher Kyle Lovelace went 2-for-5 with a double and RBI. Outfielder Grayson Padgett and first baseman Joe Davis also had a pair of hits in the contest.

Junior right-hander Fred Villarreal (4-1) picked up the win on the mound for the Cougars after giving up three earned runs on three hits with two walks and three strikeouts in 1 2/3 innings. Devon Roedahl came in and got the save for Houston, entering in the bottom of the eighth and only allowing one hit in 1 1/3 innings of work.