Conference USA recap for April 27-29

UCF completed its first-ever sweep of a Conference USA series with its 8-4 win over Tulane on Sunday. The Knights posted a season-high 15 hits in Sunday's contest, which followed a pair of one-run victories (7-6 on Saturday and 4-3 on Friday) over the Green Wave earlier in the series.

Rice also completed a three-game sweep, taking all three against UAB in Birmingham. The Owls, who allowed a total of just six runs in the series, have now won 10 games in a row. At 16-2 in league play, Rice has a 4 ½ game lead over second place Houston with two conference series left to play.

For the first time since joining C-USA last season, Marshall has posted back-to-back series wins in league play. The Thundering Herd took two-of-three from Houston, notching double-digit runs in both wins (10-4 on Sunday and 12-4 on Friday).

Southern Miss took the first two games of its series at East Carolina, before the Pirates captured the finale on Sunday. The win on Sunday allowed ECU to stay in sole possession of fourth place in the league standings.

Third place Memphis was idle this weekend.

Conference USA heads into the final three weeks of the regular season only Rice having clinched a berth in the conference tournament, May 23-27 in Greenville, N.C. A total of only six games separate the league's ninth place team from the league's second place squad.

*****

Southern Miss pitcher Barry Bowden has been named Conference USA Pitcher of the Week.
The junior right-hander threw he first nine-inning complete game of his career in a 5-1 win over East Carolina on. He allowed one run on four hits while striking out seven without a walk.
Bowden (5-3) retired 17 of the final 19 batters he faced. He is on a four-game C-USA winning streak.

Central Florida designated hitter Matt Horwath was named Hitter of the Week.
The senior was 11-for-16 (.688) in four games. He hit a home run, four doubles, the first two triples of his career and three RBIs. Horwath also scored eight runs.