CLEARWATER, Fla. – Houston's Ryan Hernandez hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the bottom of the seventh to break a 7-7 tie, and the Cougars held off Wichita State 10-7 on Tuesday night at BayCare Ballpark in the opening round of the American Athletic Conference Championship.

Hernandez provided the final momentum swing in a back-and-forth affair that saw both teams rally from multi-run deficits. After Houston took a 1-0 lead in the first on a Santiago Garcia RBi double, the Shockers battled back with a three-run third to take the lead at 3-1. Brock Rodden put Wichita State in front with a two-run homer, and on the next pitch Sawyre Thornhill cranked a solo blast of his own. Rodden's home run was his 17th of the season, most in a single campaign at Wichita State since Drew Moffitt hit 26 in 2004. 

The lead proved to be short-lived, however, as Houston immediately fired back with four runs in the bottom of the inning. Garcia provided the big blow with a two-run double, as the Cougars regained a 5-3 advantage.

Houston added single runs in the fourth and fifth, though Seth Stroh prevented further damage by cutting down Hernandez at the plate in the fifth. Still, the Shockers found themselves trailing 7-3 entering the top of the sixth against Houston pitcher Nathan Medrano, who had retired nine straight. The WSU offense roared to life with five straight baserunners, grabbing three runs on a Chuck Ingram infield single, a Rodden bases-loaded walk, and a Thornhill RBI groundout. Houston escaped the inning with the bases loaded, but the Shockers had pulled within 7-6.

Wichita State evened the game in the seventh, as Ross Cadena worked a leadoff walk, moved to third on a double from Xavier Casserilla and scored when Ingram drove a fly ball to deep center. But once again Wichita State left three runners aboard, as Houston reliever Jose Torrealba (1-0) stranded a trio of Shockers with a strikeout. 

After Hernandez put the Cougars in front with his two-run blast, Brandon Burckel added an insurance run with a solo homer of his own in the eighth for the final margin. Torrealba finished the game with three hitless, scoreless innings, striking out six while walking two.

Jace Kaminska (3-9) took the loss for the Shockers, allowing three runs on five hits over three innings.

Wichita State looks to keep their season alive on Wednesday night as they battle UCF in the loser's bracket. The other loser's bracket game between Tulane and South Florida is scheduled for 3:00 pm ET; the Knights and Shockers will start 47 minutes after its conclusion.