The trio of games at Cougar Field saw three scores reflecting three different situations that each ended in a victory for the home team.
UH perhaps saved their best for last after turning a 6-1 deficit into a 7-6 walk-off win against Towson on Sunday. After junior outfielder Michael Pyeatt’s sixth-inning grand slam, the Cougars grew closer. UH scored two runs in the ninth inning after freshman Jordan Stading drove in the winning run and the sweep.
The team’s third sweep of the season gives UH (15-3) an undefeated home record.
Friday night featured a normal 6-3 win, while Saturday was a 20-3 shellacking followed by a Sunday win that saw the team erase a five-run deficit. The sweep saw UH perform in the same style of deliberate focus that head coach Todd Whitting has advocated all season.
“Great weekend — it’s good anytime you can sweep a good team like Towson,” said head coach Todd Whitting. “The game got out of hand for them yesterday, but I told the team what we saw yesterday is not that team. What we saw Friday and today is what they’re about. They play extremely hard, and they don’t give in. They are as good a team hitting with two strikes as I’ve ever seen.”
UH pitching was solid for the series as junior righthander Aaron Garza got his fifth win of the season and senior righty Chase Wellbrock got his fifth save of the season and his 17th in his career, breaking the school record for saves in a career, while another reliever, senior lefty Tyler Ford, got the win on Sunday. The twice-rain-delayed match on Saturday saw sophomore Jake Lemoine earn his third win.
“We’re just playing really well as a team right now,” said senior righthander Chase Wellbrock, “and I want us to keep that going.”
UH batters had more than a few banner moments. Both senior catcher Caleb Barker and Pyeatt had grand slams, with Barker’s on Saturday and Pyeatt’s being essential to keeping UH in the game on Sunday. Freshman infielder Jordan Stading had the game-winning hit in the 7-6 series finale.
Whitting, who is looking at five games in the coming weeks, said the Sunday game would be an invaluable learning experience for the team.
“I tell the team all the time: ‘It’s a nine-inning game, you have to play all nine innings and we have to learn from this.’ We have to learn to keep grinding away and to show up every day,” Whitting said.
Excellent performances by the Coogs. Here’s wishing continued successes this season. Eat Em Up!