The Cougar baseball team’s series win over Rice is the fifth such win under head coach Todd Whitting. | Oscar Herrera/The Cougar
The UH baseball team took home the season-long Silver Glove Series against the Rice Owls after a 12-inning 8-5 victory.
In the top of the first inning with bases loaded, a walk allowed senior outfielder Brandon Uhse to cross home plate for UH’s first points of the game.
Soon after, senior third baseman Zach Arnold scored on a wild pitch to give the Cougars a lead of 2-0.
However, Rice responded with two runs of their own to tie it up at the end of the first.
At the top of the fourth, graduate transfer Drew Bianco knocked a double to center field, allowing freshman infielder Thomas Lyssy to score. Arnold then hit a single to bring in Bianco to extend UH’s lead to 4-2.
Rice answered again however with a homerun to left field end of the fourth and a fifth-inning sacrificial grounder, to tie the game up again at four runs apiece.
In the sixth inning, the Cougars Ian McMillan scored on a wild pitch to put the Cougars back on top for the third time.
At the bottom of the ninth, The Owls tied up the game with a bases-loaded fielder’s choice to send the game to extra innings.
The score remained at 5-5 until the top of the twelfth, when junior utility player Justin Murray singled to left field, allowing sophomore infielder Brandon Burckel to score. Another single by sophomore outfielder Cameron Nickens drove in junior catcher Anthony Tulimero before Murray stole home.
The three-run inning was enough to clinch the season series over Rice and improve UH’s record to 26-19.
The Cougars will play a three-game series against Wichita State at home starting on May 5.
