Houston infielder Aaron Lugo (1) walks off home plate after striking out during an NCAA baseball game, Tuesday, March 18, 2025 in Sugar land, Texas. | Raphael Fernandez/The Cougar
Houston baseball played back-to-back games against the Sam Houston State Bearcats on March 18 at Constellation Field in Sugar Land, Texas.
Through a combined 20 innings of baseball, the Cougars lost each game by one run.
Sam Houston State rallied late in both games to beat the Cougars, winning on a walk-off single and an 11th-inning score.
Houston has lost five straight games, and their record is now 11-9 overall.
Bearcats defeat Houston in extra innings to win season series
Sophomore infielder Addison Smith homered in the top of the 11th inning to give Sam Houston a 4-3 lead late in the game.
Junior infielder Connor McGinnis scored on a fielder’s choice to tie the game again.
Senior infielder Hunter Autrey singled in the top of the 12th inning, and the Bearcats went up 5-4.
Houston managed to get a runner on base in the bottom of the inning, but could not score him, leading to a series loss against Sam Houston.
The Cougars recorded nine hits, leaving eight runners on base in the matchup.
The Bearcats struck first in the series’ final game with a bases-loaded walk by freshman pitcher Chris Perez in the top of the second inning.
Houston responded with a run in the bottom of the inning with a sacrifice fly by junior infielder Carsten Sabathia III.
Autrey singled in the top of the fifth and scored freshman outfielder Sam Lee to take a 2-1 lead.
Junior infielder Tyler Cox answered with a single that scored senior infielder Aaron Lugo and tied the game 2-2.
Sophomore infielder Blake Brown hit a hard line drive to right field, scoring sophomore infielder Jace Martinez, and the Bearcats led 3-2.
McGinnis hit a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the eighth to tie the game at 3-3.
Houston’s offense had several opportunities to walk away with a victory but did not score runs when needed.
This matchup marked the first extra-inning game between the two teams since 1992.
Sophomore infielder Tre Broussard also has stolen 15 straight bases safely with two stolen bases in this game and four on the day.
Cougars drop game one on walk-off single
Redshirt sophomore outfielder Xavier Perez blasted a two-run homer to tie the game at 11 in the top of the eighth inning.
Houston could not plate a run despite having two runners on in the top of the ninth.
In the bottom of the ninth inning, the Bearcats started strong with a double by junior catcher Ty Marthiljohni.
Later in the inning, Autrey hit a single to right field to defeat Houston 12-11.
Marthiljohni and Autrey were key players in Sam Houston’s victory, combining for six hits, six RBIs and four runs scored.
Sophomore pitcher Connor Zaruba pitched three solid innings for the Bearcats, finishing with three strikeouts, two earned runs and four hits.
Junior pitcher Danny Valadez closed the game for Sam Houston and earned the win in his one inning in relief.
Despite scoring 11 runs off of 13 hits, including four home runs, the Cougars could not come away with a victory.
Perez, Lugo, sophomore catcher Riley Jackson and junior infielder Cade Climie all homered in the game. They also combined for 11 of the team’s 13 hits.
Game one began in the fifth inning because lightning cut the game short in the original matchup in Huntsville, Texas.
Play resumed with Houston leading 9-6 in the fifth inning. The Bearcats quickly flipped the lead, scoring five runs in the bottom of the fifth to go up 11-9.
Despite several chances for Houston to take the lead, the Cougars’ offense failed to score runs when needed in both games.
Next, Houston takes on the UCF Knights in Orlando, Fla. The series’ first game will be on Friday, March 21, at 5 p.m.
