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Sports

Feisty Cougars maul Bearkats, 16-9

UH scores 15 runs in three innings to overcome deficit 
against Sam Houston

by LOUIE VERA
The Daily Cougar

Down 6-0 in the bottom of the third inning, the Houston Cougars were looking at three consecutive losses right in the face.

Yet, the Cougar offense would have none of that as they scored five runs in three consecutive innings en route to a 16-9 victory over the Sam Houston Bearkats in nearly four hours of a pure offensive game.

"About three hours ago it didn't look too good," head coach Rayner Noble said. "I think you have to tip your hat to the offense tonight, they did a great job."

It might be only be the fifth game of the season, but after suffering back-to-back losses prior to the win over Sam Houston (1-3), the Cougars (3-2) felt this was a must win game.

"We go about it with the idea that it's a must win every game," Noble said. "56 games in a season: You can't take anybody lightly, and I tell the guys we just got to come and play every night. This was a good win for us."

In the bottom of the fifth and up 10-7, the Cougars slammed the door on the Bearkats led by freshman outfielder Zak Presley, who drove in two runs on a single up the middle. Sophomores Luis Flores and Josh Stirneman scored to extend Houston's lead to 13-7.

 Sophomore Felix Fanaselle tacked on two more runs later in the inning with his single to center field, bringing Presley and freshman Austin Goolsby safely across the plate to put the Cougars up 15-7.

Despite the offensive outburst, the Cougars committed three defensive errors in the victory. Noble said the defensive play must get better if the Cougars plan to be consistently successful the rest of the season.

"We are going to make some adjustments on defense," Noble said. "We can't afford to be making an error a game at shortstop (because) that's not going to get us very far. We'll make some adjustments on defense and figure out who needs to be where."

The Bearkats opened the offensive floodgates early when outfielder Todd Sebek hit a triple to left and advanced home on a Flores fielding error as he was unable to get a solid grip on the ball in right field to hold Sebek back, which gave Sam Houston a 1-0 led.

Scoring continued in the top of the third for the Bearkats as they batted around their order, knocking in five runs for their biggest lead at 6-0.

The Bearkats lead would be short-lived as the Cougars answered with five runs of their own in the bottom of the third.

UH took the lead and never looked back in the bottom of the fourth, scoring the second of their three consecutive five-run innings.

Both teams utilized a combined 13 pitchers, which tallied up 365 total pitches. Flores made his first pitching appearance of the season when he came in relief in the top of the ninth.

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