Curveballs and junior catcher Caleb Barker were just a few of the keys to the Cougars’ 4-1 win tonight, their second in a row against the Huskies.
Right-handed senior pitcher Austin Pruitt, kept things rolling into a second straight win.
“My curveball was working well for me,” Pruitt said. “Early in the game, I wasn’t hitting my spots as much as I would have wanted too, but my curveball got me through the tough times.”
Pruitt’s curveball was clearly working late as he was able to shut-out the Huskies for six innings as well as surviving a bases loaded jam.
“The thing I love about Pruitt is that I know what I’m going to get out of him when he pitches,” said head coach Todd Whitting. “The challenge I made to the team was to play well last night, and come out and play well tonight.”
Pruitt, freshman pitcher Jake Lemoine and junior transfer Tyler Ford combined to scatter eight Huskie hits and only one run over nine innings. The trio also accumulated seven strikes on the road to the victory and Ford’s first career save as a player at UH. The pitching staff has, so far this season, recorded a 1.50 ERA.
The scoring started early, as freshman second baseman Josh Vidales and junior center fielder Landon Appling both earned walks, followed by an error and a Barker groundout that scored another run.
“If the guys are getting on base, I love driving them in,” said Barker, a transfer from Grayson Community College.
Vidales continued his impressive debut in scarlet as got a hit, and RBI and a scored a run. Through two games, Vidales has reached based seven out of his last ten plate appearances.
“He’s making me look like a genius putting a freshman in the one hole,” said Whitting. “He’s a gritty player and he’s done exactly what we’ve asked him to do.”
Freshman left fielder Kyle Survance got his first collegiate hit and a stolen base.
“All the newcomers know their role and know what’s going on,” Barker said. “They’ve really accepted that. It’s a team first and team last type deal and everything is about Houston Cougar baseball. Everyone has accepted that and is working towards it.”
