Feb. 24, 2008

Final Stats

HOUSTON - Senior outfielder Jake Stewart's two-out RBI single in the bottom of the ninth inning capped a five-run rally as the University of Houston baseball team earned a 10-9 win over Pacific on Sunday at Cougar Field.

Freshman Chase Dempsay led off the ninth inning with a home run to tie the game at 9-9. Two batters later, senior infielder Bryan Pounds continued the rally with a single up the middle - his fourth hit of the contest - and sophomore catcher Austin Goolsby pushed Pounds into scoring position with a single through the left side.

Following a flyout and pitching change, freshman infielder Blake Kelso drew a two-out walk to load the bases. Falling behind 0-2, Stewart laced an outside fastball that fell into fair territory down the right-field line to score Pounds and give the Cougars the series win.

The Cougars (2-1), who trailed 9-4 heading into the bottom of the seventh, scattered seven hits and two home runs during the final three innings. UH rapped out 17 hits, including four home runs and a double during the first meeting between the two teams.

Stewart went 4-for-6 with a run and RBI, while Pounds batted 4-for-5 with two runs, two RBIs, a double and home run to spearhead the offensive attack. Senior outfielder Bryan Tully batted 2-for-4 with a run and RBI, while senior infielder Ryan Lormand added three RBIs on a two-out home run in the bottom of the eighth inning that pushed the Cougars to within a run and set the stage for the ninth inning.

UH closer John Touchton collected the win and improved to 1-0 after striking out both batters he faced in the top of the ninth. Pacific reliever Larry Holscher picked up the loss and fell to 0-1 after surrendering five runs off six hits in 1.1 innings.

Mike McKeever went 4-for-6 with a run, double and RBI to lead Pacific, which posted 11 hits in the loss. Wideman went 2-for-4 with a double, run and two RBIs, while Brian Martin went 2-for-2 with a pair of RBIs. Greg Murray and Adam Ching also added two RBIs apiece.

The Cougars return to action at 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, when they play host to Texas State at Cougar Field. Fans can hear Cougar Baseball games live at UHCougars.com by clicking the appropriate links. Jeremy Branham will call the play-by-play action while former letterwinner Pat Cauley provides color analysis.

Fans always can follow live stats by clicking on the Gametracker link.

For the third straight game, the Tigers grabbed the early lead, scoring three unearned runs in the first inning. With the bases loaded, Joe Oliveira scored from third following Greg Murray's groundout, and Kurt Wideman followed with a two-out, two-run double for an early 3-0 Pacific lead.

The Cougars cut into that lead in the second inning when Pounds - appearing in his first game of the season - blasted the second pitch he saw over the left-field wall for a 3-2 Pacific lead.

In the fourth inning Ching drew a two-out, bases-loaded walk to score Wideman. But the Cougars answered in the bottom of the frame when junior infielder Jimmy Cesario laced a 1-2 pitch over the right-field fence.

One inning later, Martin entered as a pinch hitter and laced a two-out single to left field to score Murray. UH again rallied in the next half-inning with a single run. After Stewart reached on a single to center and moved into scoring position when Lormand was hit by a pitch, Tully smashed an RBI-single to left field for a 5-4 Pacific lead.

The Tigers appeared to grab all the game's momentum in the sixth inning, scoring three runs off two hits and a Cougar error. McKeever's RBI-double and Murray's RBI-single brought in the first two runs, and Martin's bases-loaded walk to score Murray gave Pacific an 8-4 lead.

Ching's RBI-single to center field in the top of the seventh inning, scoring Matt Fuson who led off with a single to right center and then stole second, gave the Tigers a 9-5 advantage.

In the bottom of the frame, Tully and Dempsay drew back-to-back, one-out walks. Tully then came around to score when an errant throw on a double-play attempt sailed into the dugout.

In the eighth inning, pinch hitter Matt Murphy slapped a single into left center to start the rally and moved up a base following Kelso's single to center field. Two batters later, Lormand smashed the first pitch he saw down the line in left field to trim Pacific's lead to 9-8.