Houston baseball finishes regular season with series loss to Arizona

Similar to last weekend at Arizona State, Houston baseball dropped its final two games of the three-game set against cross-state Arizona at Schroeder Park to wrap up its regular season.

Despite limiting Arizona to six runs on Thursday, the Cougars were outscored 22-7 across Friday and Saturday’s contests.

On the season, Houston finished 11th in the Big 12 with its 12-17 conference record, while going 29-24 overall in the regular season.

Although Houston saw a five-win improvement in conference play, UH finished 5-10 at home against Big 12 opponents, only one game better than its 4-9 record from the season prior.

Cougars take series opener behind record-setting offense in Houston Blue debut

Back-to-back five-spots in the fifth and sixth innings gave Houston the cushion it needed to seal a series-opening 13-4 comeback win against Arizona on Friday night. 

Houston’s 13 runs equaled a program record in Big 12 play, and the 16 hits marked the highest total by the Cougars since joining the conference two years ago. 

The game also marked the debut of the Houston Blue uniforms, which was initially set for Houston’s May 6 matchup versus Texas A&M before inclement weather forced a cancellation.

After falling behind 3-2 through three innings, senior infielder Garen Caulfield launched a one-out 2-RBI home run to left field in the fourth inning, giving Arizona its second lead of the game.

With UH having gone 1-for-7 in their previous two innings, senior two-way player Malachi Lott doubled to lead off the sixth. Junior infielder Coby DeJesus walked on four pitches, setting up a double-steal that put them both in scoring position.

In the next at-bat, junior shortstop Tyler Cox delivered a 2-RBI single to right-center field to give the Cougars their third and final lead of the game.

Senior infielder Aaron Lugo then singled to right field, putting runners on the corners for sophomore centerfielder Tre Broussard, who hit a line-drive opposite-field home run to plate three more runs.

After graduate reliever Antoine Jean retired the Wildcats in order during the seventh inning, Houston had its second five-run inning in consecutive frames. 

With one out, Lott again doubled, this time down the left field line on a 1-1 pitch. Five consecutive singles followed, which scored four more runs for the Cougars. 

Needing a home run to complete the cycle, junior infielder Connor McGinnis missed a 1-1 pitch and instead settled for a sacrifice fly, his third RBI of the game.

“I was just trying to stick to my approach and just be on time for the fastball and adjust to everything else,” McGinnis said of his performance.

Jean and graduate reliever Andres Perez combined for five shutout frames to close the contest, allowing two baserunners and one hit combined.

As a result of his three hitless innings, Jean earned the winning decision for Houston, lowering his season ERA to 2.32 and improving to 5-1 on the season.

Broussard and McGinnis finished with three hits apiece, going a combined 6-for-9 at the plate.

Onslaught from Arizona forces rubber match

Despite five runs across the seventh and eighth innings, Arizona’s 10-run outburst through three frames was too much to overcome for Houston in its 14-6 loss on Friday. The 14 runs scored by Arizona were tied for their season-high. It was the 11th time UH’s pitching staff had surrendered double-digit runs in a game this season.

Houston also honored three of its seniors on the first of two senior days, celebrating Perez, Lugo and pitcher Brady Fuller. 

Houston strung together their best offensive output of the game in the eighth frame, when junior outfielder Jake Tatom’s single and Lott set the table for a 2-RBI double from DeJesus. 

Broussard’s second extra-base hit of the game, a 2-RBI double, trimmed Arizona’s lead to 14-6, but was ultimately the final run-scoring hit in Houston’s lopsided loss. 

Following a leadoff walk in the second inning issued to junior third baseman Maddox Mihalakis, who then advanced to second base on a successful steal attempt, Caulfield doubled down the left field line to plate the game’s first run.

In the next at-bat, sophomore infielder Andrew Cain elevated a pitch for just his fourth home run of the season, giving Arizona an early 3-0 lead. 

A throwing error to first base then allowed sophomore outfielder Easton Breyfogle to advance to second. After only three outs and 41 pitches, sophomore starter Alex Solis was lifted in favor of senior reliever Graysen Drezek.

The second-inning mishaps would continue for Houston after a bases-loaded wild pitch from Drezek allowed junior outfielder Aaron Walton to score Arizona’s seventh run of the inning.

By the third out, Arizona had 12 batters on the plate and recorded five hits, including four extra-base hits and three walks. 

With one out in the third inning, Breyfogle’s solo home run off the scoreboard gave Arizona a 10-0 lead, their largest of the game to that point.

Houston’s first run in the contest came in the home half of the inning. Junior catcher Kenneth Jimenez, who replaced sophomore catcher Riley Jackson after he could not return due to a foul ball injury, hit a fly ball for his first home run of the season.

Arizona quickly answered back when Caulfield led off the fourth inning with a solo home run to left field. 

Staring down a 12-1 deficit in the seventh inning, Broussard’s second home run of the series delivered the Cougars’ first run since the third frame.

Broussard led the Cougars with three RBIs, a double and a home run. He and Lott accounted for half of Houston’s 10 hits.

Walton, Caulfield, and senior catcher Tommy Splaine led the way for the Wildcats, driving in seven runs on ten hits combined. Caulfield came a triple shy of hitting for the cycle.

Senior relief pitcher Matthew Martinez earned the winning decision for Arizona, tossing 1.1 innings of hitless baseball and improving to 3-0 on the season.

Houston drops regular-season finale and the series 

Broussard’s third home run of the series, which led off the first inning, turned out to be Houston’s only run in Sunday’s rubber match against Arizona. The Cougars managed just four hits and seven baserunners over the next eight innings, ultimately losing 8-1 in the regular-season finale.

In the second of two senior days, Houston honored Lott, Jimenez, Jean and Drezek.

Arizona got their scoring started at the top of the second inning when Breyfogle singled in Cain with a ground ball to right field to even the matchup 1-1.

Splaine followed with a go-ahead RBI double to left field, where he was thrown out attempting to stretch the hit out to a triple.

Perez, coming in relief of senior starter Kendall Hoffman, could not keep Arizona’s steady lineup at bay in the third frame, allowing four runs on three hits, including a hit-by-pitch.

With runners on the corners and one out, junior catcher Adonys Guzman roped a ball to right field, which got past a diving redshirt junior outfielder Evan Haeger for a standing 2-RBI double.

What followed was a two-run home run from Cain for his second round-tripper of the series.

Over the remaining six frames, Houston only managed three base hits, all singles by Lott, who also pitched a scoreless ninth inning, striking out the side in his final appearance at Schroeder Park. 

Freshman starter Bailey Smith delivered his first career quality start, tossing six innings of one-run baseball alongside five strikeouts, earning the winning decision. 

Lott finished 3-for-4 with three strikeouts on the pitching side, while sophomore reliever Richie Roman threw three innings, allowing only one hit while fanning five hitters.

Houston will have the next three days off as they head to Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, for the first round of the Big 12 Baseball Championship on Wednesday, May 21 where No. 11 Houston will face No. 6 Kansas State at 8:00 p.m. CT on ESPN2.