Baseball Falls, 8-6, In Series Finale At East Carolina

May 22, 2010

Greenville, N.C. - Despite a career-high nine strikeouts from Eric Brooks, the University of Houston baseball team could not overcome a late rally by the East Carolina Pirates, falling in the series finale, 8-6.

Brooks finished the contest going six innings, surrendering five runs on six hits. Barry Laird was charged with the loss, going 0.1 innings while giving up three runs. He is now 1-2 on the season.

At the plate, Austin Gracey finished 2-for-3, including a home run, with three RBIs and two runs scored.

After jumping out to a 6-4 lead through five and a half innings, Houston surrendered a run in the sixth inning and three in the seventh to allow the Pirates to take an 8-6 win in the series finale, avoiding the series sweep.

However, for the first time in the series, the Cougars jumped out to the early lead, scoring two runs in the top of the third inning. With one out, Ryan Still earned a walk and stole second before scoring on a fielding error by ECU shortstop John Wooten, which put Joel Ansley at first base. Blake Kelso put runners at the corners with a single through the left side and the pair advanced a base on a balk by pitcher Shawn Armstrong, putting the Cougars up 2-0.

The Pirates would answer in the bottom of the inning. After Zach Wright led off with a walk, he would score when Chris Gosik doubled to right center during the next at bat. East Carolina then would go on to take a 4-2 lead off Corey Thompson's three-run home run.

The lead would not stay in the Pirates hands for long as M.P. Cokinos hit a two-run home run in the top of the fourth inning to tie the contest, 4-4. Still would then put the Cougars back on top, reaching base on a walk and scoring when Ansley reached on a fielding error by ECU second baseman Cameron Freeman.

Houston added a run in the sixth inning, when Gracey plated Chris Wallace on a sacrifice bunt to the pitcher, while Devin Harris answered for the Pirates in the bottom of the inning with a home run to left field.

With the loss, Houston falls to 24-30 on the season and 11-13 in Conference USA action.

UP NEXT
Houston will host the 2010 Conference USA Championship at Cougar Field, May 26-29. The Cougars clinched a spot in the tournament with their 7-6 win over the Pirates on Friday night. Seeding for the championship and the complete scheduled will be released on Saturday following the conclusion of all the day's action.

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