May 15, 2008

Box Score

HOUSTON - Houston posted five runs in the first inning and allowed only three Marshall hits to hold on for a 6-2 victory over the Thundering Herd in game one of the final Conference USA baseball series of the regular season on Thursday at Cougar Field.

With the win, UH moves to 32-21, 12-10 C-USA while Marshall falls to 26-26-1, 10-11-1 C-USA.

Houston jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, thanks in part to three extra-base hits. Jake Stewart and Bryan Pounds hit back-to-back doubles and later, with one out and the bases loaded, Zak Presley hit a grounder to second baseman Kenny Socorro. The freshman appeared poised to turn the inning-ending double play, but the ball squeaked by before he could secure it to continue the frame.

UH's Bryan Tully then hit a two-RBI single followed by a run-scoring double by Chris Wallace to cap UH's big first inning.

The Cougars added a run in the third inning to claim a 6-0 lead.

Houston pitcher Wes Musick was dominant early, retiring the first eight Herd hitters he faced. The Cougar sophomore did not allow a Marshall hit until the first pitch of the fifth inning when Herd designated hitter Victor Gomez tagged Musick for his 11th home run of the season. Right fielder Ben Jurevicius later hit an RBI single to left that plated Jeff Rowley to cut MU's deficit to 6-2.

Herd starter Steve Blevins retired the Cougars in order in the bottom of the fifth. The Herd threatened in the top of the sixth after a pair of two-out walks brought Gomez to the plate. The freshman drove the ball deep, but Presley tracked down the ball on the warning track in center field.

After surrendering eight hits and six runs in the first three innings, Blevins (8-3) settled in to the tune of three hits and no runs over the next five frames. The right-hander recorded his second complete game of the season (127 pitches in eight innings), striking out seven Cougars with one walk in the loss.

Musick (8-4) was pulled after 7 1/3 innings. The left-hander allowed just two hits with five strikeouts and five walks.

Tully led UH with a three-hit game (3-for-4) with two RBIs. Stewart and Pounds also posted two-hit games as Houston recorded 11 hits on the night.

The Herd and Cougars will play the second of the three-game series on Friday at Cougar Field with first pitch slated for 7:30 p.m. ET.