Bobcat Bats Too Much for Cougars

[Guest UHCoog14]

Feb. 25, 2012

HOUSTON—Despite tallying 10 hits in Game 2 of the three-game set with Texas State, the University of Houston baseball team struggled to plate runs, while the Bobcat offense was hot in a 6-1 victory over the Cougars on Saturday at Cougar Field.

With the Saturday loss, Houston fell to 4-2 on the year and evened the series at 1-1, while Texas State sits at 3-3 heading into the final game of the set on Sunday.

“We didn’t catch a break. We try and do things aggressive, but we aren’t executing. We just need to keep getting better and working hard,” said second-year head coach Todd Whitting.

Junior Jacob Lueneburg continued to swing the hot bat for Houston, notching a career-best three hits in a 3-for-4 effort at the plate to pace the Cougar offense. Sophomore Landon Appling finished with a 2-for-5 performance to record his second straight multi-hit game.

Senior Jake Runte (1x4) extended his season-long hit streak to six games on a single, while senior John Cannon (1x3), freshmen Price Jacobs (1x3) and Zack Gibson (1x2) and junior Chase Jensen (1x3, RBI) each recorded a base knock.

Texas State jumped on board early in the fourth inning, connecting on three doubles and a homerun for a quick three-spot. Down 3-0, Houston wasn’t able to catch any breaks as it played aggressively on the base paths, along with stranding nine base runners on the day.

The Cougars picked up their only run of the game in the latter half of the fourth on an RBI single off Jensen’s bat, scoring junior Casey Grayson, who walked.

Houston stranded seven runners over the next five frames, while Texas State added two more runs in the seventh on two hits and two walks and one run in the ninth on two walks and a hit.

Cougar starter Jordan Lewis (4.0,6,3,3,0,1) suffered the loss, falling to 1-1 on the year after allowing three runs on six hits with one strikeout.

Relieving Lewis on the bump was senior Codey Morehouse (2.2,3,2,2,3,2), freshmen Ryan Vruggink (0.1,0,0,0,0,0), Logan Piper (1.0,1,0,0,0,0), and sophomores Dustin Fuerst (0.1,0,1,1,2,0) and Chase Wellbrock (0.2,1,0,0,0,1).

Texas State starter Travis Ballew (5.1,7,1,0,4,4) earned the win.

“Once we learn to deal with adversity, which is the demon in this game, we are going to be fine. We did not play well today and I don’t expect us to play like that tomorrow. We will be fine,” said Whitting.

UP NEXT
Houston wraps up the three-game set with Texas State on Sunday at 1 p.m. at Cougar Field. Sunday is Kids’ Day at the ballpark; therefore all kids can enjoy bounce houses, face painting and autographs at the conclusion of the game.

http://www.uhcougars.com/sports/m-basebl/recaps/022512aac.html