At the Kleberg Bank College Classic, Houston Cougar baseball went 1-2, defeating Utah on Friday before losing to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and Incarnate Word the following two days.
Game 1
After starting the season 1-3, the Cougars opened the Kleberg Bank Classic against Utah.
The Cougars opened up the scoring in the first inning, picking up two runs thanks to a triple from junior catcher Anthony Tulimero.
After two more runs in the second inning, Tulimero blew the game open with a two-run shot to bring in junior DH Alex Lopez for his second run of the game and make it 6-2. Later in the inning junior third baseman Zach Arnold scored the Cougars’ eighth run on an error.
An inning later, sophomore infielder Brandon Burckel gave UH some insurance with a solo knock to stretch the lead to seven.
To cap it off, graduate Drew Bianco hit a three-run home run in the 9th, as the Cougars won 14-5. five different players recorded extra-base hits, and Tulimero was the game’s best payer, going 3-4 with three RBIs.
Senior pitcher Maddux Miller also grabbed his first win of the season after 3.1 no-hit innings.
Game 2
Following the win against Utah, Houston was unable to slow down in-state opponent Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, losing 12-2 in seven innings.
The Cougars were first on the board and were up 2-0 midway through the fourth inning.
But the Islanders went on a rampage starting in the bottom of the fourth.
Two five-run innings and two-score frames in the next three innings doomed the Cougars, who were unable to muster any runs in response.
The game ended in seven innings via run rule.
Game 3
After taking a five-run lead midway through the game, the Cougars failed to hold on and fell to Incarnate Word 10-8 on Sunday.
Once again, UH got on the board first with two runs in the second inning, and went up 4-2 after three.
In the bottom of the fifth, junior first baseman Justin Murray hit a solo homer to spark a four-run inning that put the Cougars on top 8-3.
However, Incarnate Word would mount a furious comeback, starting with two home runs in the sixth inning to close the gap to one.
The Cardinals would then tie it at eight in the seventh with another homer, before taking the lead for good in the eighth on an RBI double.
The Cougars, at 2-5, return to Houston to play fellow Third Ward rival TSU on Tuesday.