Home clubs reign Saturday in College Classic
Houston, Tenessee, Rice all victorious at Minute Maid Park
HOUSTON -- First Tennessee was a victim. Add fourth-ranked Arkansas. For the second straight day, the Houston Cougars defeated a baseball team from the powerful Southeastern Conference.
On Saturday at the Houston College Classic at Minute Maid Park, the Cougars rode the starting pitching of Jordan Lewis and a home run from freshman Cory Kay to beat the Razorbacks, 4-1, on the home field of the Houston Astros.
The Cougars, who also received three scoreless innings of relief from Codey Morehouse, improved to 6-4.
"It doesn't matter who we're beating, we're winning," said Houston coach Todd Whitting. "That's what these guys need. Until today's game, even last night, we didn't play games to win.
"Today, they went out there and played to win. We were aggressive at home plate. If we continue to do that, we'll beat some people."
Kay's home run, his first career hit, off Randall Fant (0-1) in the third inning opened the scoring. Kay connected on a full-count fastball that landed in the Crawford Boxes in left field.
"I got hold of one," said Kay. "I knew I hit it good. I didn't know if I elevated it enough to hit it over the wall."
Kay made it 2-0 in Houston's two-run fifth when he singled in Price Jacobs, who doubled leading off the inning, just missing a home run to left by inches.
On Friday, Houston starter Jared Ray struck out 10 in a 7-4 win over Tennessee. On Saturday, Lewis (2-1) also was on his game. The left-handed Lewis allowed only one run and four hits in six-plus innings, striking out three with three walks.
"Today I had almost everything working for me," said Lewis, who had two assists off his body and switched to jersey No. 14 shortly before his start because his jersey No. 26 was too small.
Arkansas is an aggressive hitting team and Whitting felt Lewis would be a good matchup against the Razorbacks (10-2).
"They can really swing the bat," said Whitting. "I felt really good going into the game because [Lewis] never leaves anything over the plate. He did a great job of pitching around the middle. Which against a team like Arkansas that can swing the bat, he's got to do that."
Trailing, 3-0, Arkansas loaded the bases with one out in the seventh inning and Dominic Ficociello scored on a groundout by Jacob Mahan off Morehouse, who inherited two runners with no outs after replacing Lewis.
Morehouse struck out Matt Vinson on a changeup to end the seventh, stranding runners at second and third. In the eighth, Morehouse induced pinch-hitter Sam Bates to hit into an inning-ending double play with Houston up, 4-1. On Friday, Bates hit an upper-deck homer in a 3-1 win over Texas Tech. In gaining his first save, Morehouse allowed no runs and two hits with four strikeouts and one walk. It was another outstanding pitching performance from the Cougars, who nabbed two would-be basestealers with 1-3-6 relays.
Chase Jensen had two of Houston's eight hits including a RBI single in the fifth. Landon Appling scored the Cougars' final run in the seventh on an error.
Leadoff hitter Tim Carver reached base four times as he and Jake Wise had two hits each among the Razorbacks' six hits.
Tennessee 5, Texas 4
A four-run first inning gave Tennessee a comfortable lead over Texas. The Volunteers became uneasy when the Longhorns put the tying run on third base with two outs in the top of the ninth inning.
But the Volunteers' Nick Williams induced Mark Payton to popup to second for the final out, stranding Brooks Marlow at third base and securing the 5-4 win for Tennessee (8-2).
Texas (4-6) fought back after being down 4-0 and 5-1 through five innings with two runs in the seventh and one in the ninth. In the ninth, Marlow's two-out triple scored Jacob Felts from first, giving the Longhorns life before Williams stymied the comeback.
Starter Zack Godley (2-0) allowed three runs and eight hits in seven innings for Tennessee, which got two RBIS apiece from Drew Steckenrider and Davis Morgan, and two runs from Zach Luther.
Hoby Milner (1-2) took the loss for the Longhorns. Texas got a big game from Marlow, who went 3-for-3 with two RBIs. Felts had two of Texas' 10 hits.
Rice 6, Texas Tech 2
Aided by a three-run, first-inning home run from Michael Ratterree, fifth-ranked Rice rebounded from its first loss of the season to beat Texas Tech, 6-2, on Saturday in the College Classic.
Starting pitcher Matthew Reckling (2-0) earned the win for Rice (10-1), which lost to Texas 11-8 on Friday.
A first-inning single by Texas Tech's Barrett Barnes extended his hitting streak to 13 games in an inning the Red Raiders (8-3) scored their only two runs. Barnes, who had two hits, drove in Jamodrick McGruder and scored on Scott LeJeune's sacrifice fly after Barnes stole second and third. The Red Raiders had four hits -- two in the first and seventh inning.
Tyler Duffey relieved Reckling in the seventh with the bases loaded and two outs and Rice ahead 6-2. Duffey struck out Reid Redman swinging to end the threat.
Michael Fuda and Derek Hamilton had three hits each for Rice. Rusty Shellhorn (2-1) took the loss for the Red Raiders.
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