by Catherine Taylor
Staff Writer
With Southern Mississippi right on the heels of the Conference USA-leading Cougars, Houston picked up a much-needed three-game sweep over the UNC Charlotte 49ers Saturday and Sunday at Cougar Field.
Due to rain, Friday's game was postponed and the series began Saturday with a doubleheader in front of 552 fans.
In game one, the two teams were tied at 2-2 going into the sixth when 49ers second baseman Gerald Parr singled in third baseman Bo Robinson.
Houston catcher Bruce Rios answered back, blasting his sixth home run of the season to even the game at 3-3.
"He came in with his fastball first, and I was kind of surprised," Rios said. "He tried to come in again on me and I was just sitting on it."
The Cougars took their first lead of the game in the seventh with a RBI single from shortstop Shaun Skrehot, bringing in second baseman Ryan Ware. Skrehot later scored on a sacrifice fly from third baseman Dustin Carr, giving UH some breathing room.
The Cougars added two in the eighth with an RBI from both right fielder Eric Lee and Skrehot to clinch the game for Houston.
Freshman pitcher Shane Nance pitched a complete game, striking out all three batters in the ninth and finishing with a career-high 11 strikeouts.
"I've been waiting to come out and have a good start, and today I did," Nance said. "It gives you confidence on the mound when you know your offense is coming through."
It was all UH in game two.
Tomlinson started things off with a solo blast in the first. Catcher Scottie Scott hit a two-run homer in the fourth, his first at UH, putting the Cougars up by five.
In the fifth, Tomlinson whacked his second homer of the game and his eighth of the season to give Houston a 6-0 lead.
The 49ers managed to squeak one run in on UH starter Robb Kirkland with an RBI single from shortstop Joey Hammond, but that was it for the UNCC offense.
In the seventh, the Cougars had a hitting spree, scoring five runs on four hits, including a double and two RBIs each for Carr and Tomlinson.
"Hitting is contagious," Carr said. "Once Rios got us started in the first game, everyone followed."
The 12-1 Houston victory gave Kirkland his fifth win of the season as he gave up only two hits and one run in his five and two-thirds innings of play.
Sunday, the Cougars completed the sweep with a narrow 5-4 victory.
Scott McLeod started the game for Houston, and went six and one-third innings for the Cougars, picking up his third win for Houston.
"The key to any ballclub that's doing well is solid pitching," Houston coach Rayner Noble said. "We faltered a little bit in Louisville, but we came back strong this week."
Down 3-2 in the bottom of the fourth, the Cougars took the lead for good with a double by left fielder Brandon Caraway that brought in Lee and Jason Schreiber.
Tommy Marik closed for Houston, earning the save. In five C-USA appearances, Marik has two wins and two saves with an ERA of 0.75.
"This was as good a three games as we've played this year," Noble said. "The sweep really affords us some breathing room."