Cougar sports services
The No. 19 Cougars retained first place in Conference USA baseball by beating the Louisville Cardinals in two of three games at Derby City Field in Louisville, Ky., this weekend.
Louisville (14-18 overall, 6-6 C-USA) got the upper hand early in the series, picking up the Friday game 8-3. Cardinals starter Scott Stauffer pitched a complete game and struck out 10 to pick up the win.
Down 3-1 in the top of the fifth, Houston started to make some noise. Dustin Carr scored Goeffrey Tomlinson on a double, followed by an RBI single by Jason Schreiber to tie the score at three.
But the Cardinals roared back with five runs in the bottom of the fifth and shut the Cougars out down the stretch.
Louisville had 10 hits, including homers by Matt Berger, Danny Haas and Tim Harper.
"Houston is a very strong club, and anytime you beat the leading team in the conference, it helps your team confidence-wise," Cardinals coach Lelo Prado said after the game.
Houston (21-11, 9-3 C-USA) was not to stay quiet offensively for two straight games, though.
Cougars catcher Bruce Rios had three hits and four RBI to lead Houston to a 12-6 win Saturday.
Defensively, Rios also had eight putouts.
UH pounded the Cardinals for 18 hits.
After heavy showers delayed the start of the game for more than an hour, the Cougars showered Louisville starter Josh Salmon for eight hits and four runs in two and two-thirds innings before he was pulled.
The Cougars had their way with the UL relievers also, blasting Jason Snyder for three runs on four hits in two and one-third innings and David Ramirez for four hits, three walks and five earned runs in one and a third-innings.
Cougars starter Shane Nance (3-4) picked up the win, sandwiching six scoreless innings around a four-run boo-boo in the third.
UH second baseman Ryan Ware (three hits, two RBI) and left fielder Brandon Caraway (4-for-5 hitting) also had solid games for Houston Saturday.
Schreiber was the man of the hour Sunday with three hits, including a homer, and two runs scored as the Cougars closed the series with a 7-4 win.
Houston starter Robb Kirkland (4-2) pitched five scoreless innings as the Cougars jumped out to a 7-0 lead.
Down 7-4 in the ninth with two outs, Louisville had two men on base and the tying run at the plate, but Cougars reliever Tommy Marik struck out Haas to end the game and pick up the save, his first of the season.
Nearing the midway mark of C-USA play, Houston has won all four of its conference series.
The Cougars will be home to face the Rice Owls at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Cougar Field.