University of Houston
<b>McNEESE STATE</b>
Baseball Takes 7-4 Win over McNeese State on Tuesday
4/22/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 22, 2008
Houston-McNeese State Game Book (April 22, 2008) in PDF Format 
HOUSTON - Junior infielder Jimmy Cesario went 4-for-5 with a double, home run and two RBIs to help lead the 28th-ranked University of Houston baseball team to a 7-4 win over McNeese State on Tuesday in a non-conference game at Cougar Field.
Cesario extended his hitting streak to a season-high nine straight games and moved his season batting average to .304, the first time it has eclipsed the .300 mark in 2008. The Metairie, La., native also homered for the third time in the last four games.
The Cougars jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning and never looked back in winning their ninth straight game over the Cowboys. McNeese State pulled to within a run in the fourth inning on Nick Eubanks' three-run homer, but UH added single insurance runs in the fifth and sixth innings for the final margin of victory.
Senior infielder Bryan Pounds went 2-for-3 with a run and RBI, while sophomore centerfielder Zak Presley went 1-for-2 with an RBI to extend his career-high hitting streak to 13 straight games. Freshman shortstop Blake Kelso went 0-for-1 from the leadoff spot but scored two runs after drawing a game-high four walks.
Freshman righthander Jared Ray earned his second straight win despite allowing four runs off six hits and four walks with a career-high-tying eight strikeouts in only five innings. Relievers Barrett Bruce and Ty Stuckey combined to hold the Cowboys to only two runs with four strikeouts in the final four shutout innings with Stuckey collecting his second save.
McNeese State starter Dallas Smith collected the loss and fell to 2-3 after giving up six runs (four earned) off six hits and seven walks with a pair of strikeouts in five innings.
With the win, the Cougars improved to 26-14, while McNeese State fell to 10-30.
The Cougars return to action this weekend when they meet Conference USA rival Southern Miss in a three-game series at Pete Taylor Park at Hill Denson Field in Hattiesburg, Miss. That series begins at 6:30 p.m., Friday, continues at 4 p.m., Saturday and wraps up at 1 p.m., Sunday
Fans can hear all Cougar Baseball games live at UHCougars.com by clicking the appropriate links. Jeremy Branham will call the play-by-play action while former letterwinner Pat Cauley provides color analysis.
Fans always can follow live stats by clicking on the Gametracker link.
The Cougars jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning when Jake Stewart hammered an 0-2 offering over the wall in left center. The rally continued when Pounds drew a walk, moved to second following Bryan Tully's sacrifice bunt and scored on Ryan Lormand's single through the left side for a 3-0 UH lead.
In the second inning, Kelso drew a leadoff walk and advanced to third on an errant pickoff attempt. Pounds then lifted a sacrifice fly into center field to push the Cougar advantage to 4-0.
McNeese State put its first mark on the scoreboard in the third inning on Sam Merrill's two-out, RBI-single.
In the bottom of the frame, the Cougars gained that run back. Cesario reached on his second hit of the night, moved into scoring position following a wild pitch, advanced to third on Presley's bunt single down the third-base line and scored on a Cougar infield miscue.
The Cowboys pulled to within a run at 5-4 when Eubanks smashed a three-run home run in the top of the fourth inning.
Cesario pushed the Cougar lead back to 6-4 in the fifth inning with a towering leadoff home run to right field.
In the sixth inning, Cesario struck again with a two-out double to right center that scored Lormand who reached on a MSU error and stole second to move into scoring position.
