University of Houston
2-0
Binghamton
0-2
Newcomers Hit, Cougars Win Again
2/17/2024 7:32:00 PM | Baseball
Houston pitchers strike out 12, win season opening series for first time since 2021
HOUSTON – Continuing its Opening Weekend series, the Houston Cougar baseball team kept its early season momentum with an 8-2 win over the Binghamton Bearcats on Saturday from Sanders Field at Schroeder Park, winning its Opening Weekend series for the first time since 2021.
Binghamton (0-2) took the lead first in the second inning on a lead-off triple and RBI groundout. Houston (2-0) responded in the third inning when senior second baseman Harold Coll doubled to open the inning and then scored to tie the game on freshman designated hitter Ace Reese's sacrifice fly.
The Cougars scored a pair of runs to reclaim the lead in the fourth via a lead-off double from senior first baseman Justin Murray and an RBI single by senior right fielder Tre Jones. A few batters later, Coll singled in center fielder Cameron Nickens.
The Bearcats had a chance to tie the game with the bases loaded in the sixth but junior pitcher Graysen Drezek struck out the side to leave the bases loaded. The Houston pitching staff did a great job of holding the Bearcats at bay over the course of the game, striking out 12 batters for the staff's second straight game with 10+ strikeouts.
Senior shortstop Jake Rainess hoisted the home run hammer first for the Cougars with an opposite field two-run home run in the seventh inning.
In his first appearance since April 7, 2023, graduate pitcher José Torrealba had a near perfect inning in the eighth striking out a pair of Bearcats before striking out two more in the ninth for a six-out save.
Houston scored three more runs in the eighth inning without needing a hit to do so. A pair of walks and a hit by pitch loaded the bases before a ground out, passed ball and wild pitch scored junior left fielder Jacob Schoenvogel, Nickens and senior catcher Jonathan French.
Game Highlights:
- Houston scored 8 runs for the second-consecutive game of the season. The first time since Todd Whittings first year as a head coach in 2011.
- Houston pitchers tallied 12 strikeouts.
- Newcomers account for six of Cougars' seven hits.
Player highlights:
- Justin Murray: 17-game hitting streak
- Jake Rainess: 2 H, HR, 2 RBI
- Harold Coll: 2 H, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB
- Ace Reese: 2 RBI
UP NEXT
Houston and Binghamton close out Opening Weekend on Sunday with an 11 a.m. first pitch. The Cougars will look to right-handed senior Duncan Howard to guide them to a possible series sweep against Binghamton's lefty Nelson Berkwich. The game will air on Big 12 Now on ESPN+ at Schroeder Park.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Drezek, Graysen (1-0)
L: Bates, Ryan (0-1)
S: Torrealba, José (1)
Batting:
2B: Bade, Devan 1 ; Reilly, Kevin 1
3B: Tan, Andrew 1
RBI: Bade, Devan 1 ; Stellrecht, Mike 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Gunning, Mike 1 ; Tan, Andrew 1
SB: Gunning, Mike 1
HBP: Stellrecht, Mike 1
Batting:
2B: Murray, Justin 1 ; Coll, Harold 1
HR: Rainess, Jake 1
RBI: Rainess, Jake 2 ; Jones, Tre 1 ; Coll, Harold 1 ; Reese, Ace 2
SF: Reese, Ace 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Rainess, Jake 1 ; Murray, Justin 1 ; Schoenvogel, Jacob 1 ; Nickens, Cameron 2 ; Coll, Harold 2 ; French, Jonathan 1
SB: Rainess, Jake 1 ; Jones, Tre 2 ; French, Jonathan 1
CS: Schoenvogel, Jacob 1
HBP: Coll, Harold 1
