Cougar baseball secured the Silver Glove after defeating the Rice Owls in a two-game series, split between Houston’s Schroder Park and Rice.
Game 1
Junior pitcher Cade Citelli pitched four innings of one-hit baseball with seven strikeouts in Tuesday’s 4-1 win.
In relief senior pitcher Chris Stuart pitched four more, only giving up a hit and a homer.
Senior infielder Jake Rainess delivered offensively with a bases-loaded single in the second, opening the opportunity for senior infielder Harold Coll to score.
Senior outfielder Jacob Schoenvogel added a triple in the second, resulting in senior outfielder Tre Jones and redshirt catcher Jonathan French scoring two runs, making the score 3-0.
Scoring stalled for the next four innings, but in the seventh Houston scored their final run when sophomore catcher Kenneth Jimenez doubled to left field.
French advanced from third to home, giving the Cougars a comfortable 4-0 lead.
The Owls scored their lone run in the eighth inning, effectively sealing the deal in favor of the Coogs.
Game 2
Jimenez hit a home run to left field, giving the Cougars a 1-0 lead in the third to kick off their 4-2 win over Rice.
The eighth inning was where the Cougars separated themselves in Wednesday’s matchup.
Freshman infielder Ace Reese doubled to left center, allowing senior utility Justin Murray to score, giving the Cougars a 2-1 lead.
The next run came in credit to sophomore infielder Coby DeJesus and Jones when DeJesus singled to left field, which led to Jones scoring at home making the score 3-1.
Houston’s final run would come by a walk with bases loaded, as Murray advanced to second and sophomore infielder Thomas Lyssy scored, giving UH a 4-1 lead.
Rice loaded the bases in the eighth but three straight strikes out of the glove of sophomore pitcher Ryan Dollar stranded the runners.
Rice scored one run in the eighth inning but the Owls failed to strike any other momentum in the game as the Cougars advanced to win.
Next, the Coogs will compete in a three-game series at Schroder Park against Kansas State beginning on Friday at 6:30.