University of Houston Athletics
Red Team Wins Series in Come-from-Behind Fashion
11/5/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
HOUSTON â€" Down 2-1 in the series, Houston Baseball's Red Team found a way to bounce back and win the doubleheader on Thursday evening to clinch the 2015 Red-White World Series at Cougar Field.
Game 1: RED 1, WHITE 0
Game 1 saw another dominant pitching outing, led by Red's starter junior John King, who threw 4.0 hitless frames, while not surrendering a walk with one strikeout for the win.
He was relieved in the final fifth inning by teammate Chris Reed, who worked a scoreless final fifth inning, surrendering just one hit â€" the only hit of the game for White (a Jordan Stading single).
It only took one run to win behind the Red's dominant pitching as senior Josh Vidales sparked the only run of the game when he led off the contest with a triple into right center. Senior Michael Pyeatt followed with an RBI-single for the game's lone run.
White started Andrew Lantrip and he gave way to reliever Nathan Jackson, as the duo combined for just one run allowed, and five scattered hits in the loss.
Game 2: RED 8, WHITE 2
Game 2 was highlighted by the offense and the Red team showcased a strong night at the plate, tallying nine hits in Game 2 alone.
Red jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead in the first inning after Pyeatt and sophomore Corey Julks drew back-to-back one-out walks, which gave way to senior Jacob Campbell, who belted his second homerun of the season â€" a three-run shot to left field.
Red starting pitcher Marshall Kasowski was strong, going 3.1 innings, allowing just three walks, while not surrendering a hit â€" but striking out four in his outing for the win.
Holding a 3-0 lead through three innings, Red added to it with a three-run fourth, sparked by a an RBI-triple off the bat of freshman Grayson Padgett. Junior Jon Tauzin got the offense going with a one-out single, scored on Padgett's triple before freshman Allonte Wingate walked and came around to score on an RBI-single by sophomore Zac Taylor.
Up 6-0, Red handed the ball to freshman Tanner Lawson, but White would strike for two runs on a two-out, two-run homerun by sophomore Clay Casey, making it a 6-2 game heading into the final inning of play.
Red wasn't done yet as Julks opened the fifth with a leadoff infield single. With one out, Tauzin singled to put runners at first and second for freshman Riley Richert, who recorded his second double of the night, plating a pair to make it an 8-2 game late.
Tauzin led the offense with two hits and two runs scored, while Campbell drove in three on a three-run homerun. Padgett and Richert added three combined RBI on two extra base hits, while Taylor drove in a RBI on a single and Vidales, Wingate, Julks all added hits.
Sophomore lefty Aaron Fletcher closed out the fourth and returned in the fifth to finish the game for Red, tossing 1.1 innings without allowing a run.
White starter Trey Cumbie allowed three runs on two hits, while relievers Jud Kinzy, Bubba Maxwell and Taylor Marin made appearances late.
The Red-White World Series caps off the 2015 fall season for Houston Baseball. The team will prepare for its season opener on Feb. 19-21 vs. Villanova at Cougar Field.
BUY SEASON TICKETS
Houston Baseball will play 32 home games at Cougar Field this upcoming 2016 season and fans can purchase season tickets for as low as $99 online by visiting UHCougars.com/tickets and following the appropriate links or by clicking here.
To purchase tickets in person, fans can visit the Athletics Ticket Stadium Office located on the northeast corner of TDECU Stadium, just outside of Gate 1 off Cullen Boulevard. Parking is available in the TDECU Stadium parking garage with the first 30 minutes free of charge. Regular business hours are Monday through Friday, 10 a.m., to 5:30 p.m.
All UH main campus students are admitted FREE to regular-season baseball home games with a valid student ID.
2016 SCHEDULE QUICK HITS
Highlighted by 32 home games, 38 in the city of Houston, a neutral site matchup against the University of Texas, home contests against Texas A&M and Baylor and three first-time opponents, Houston Baseball and head coach Todd Whitting have unveiled an exciting 2016 schedule.
For the 10th consecutive season, Houston will open its slate at Cougar Field. In the five seasons under Whitting, Houston has accumulated a winning record of 14-1 in those season-opening series, which includes four weekend sweeps.
"We are excited about the challenges that are ahead during the 2016 season. Not only will we compete in the American Athletic Conference, which is one of the toughest leagues in the nation (#3 RPI in 2015), but we will once again play an aggressive schedule against non-conference opponents," Whitting, who will begin his sixth season at the helm said. "With 20 games against 2015 NCAA Regional teams, we must diligently prepare for success during this offseason. We are excited to build off back-to-back 40+ win seasons against some of the best competition in the country."
Houston will open the season hosting the Big East's Villanova Feb. 19-21. The Cougars and Wildcats will meet for the first time in the program's history.
OUR CITY
• 32 home games; 38 in the city of Houston
• First 12 games of the season will be played in the city of Houston
• 21 of the first 25 games will be played in the city of Houston
• 18 of the first 25 games will be played at Cougar Field
OPENING WEEKEND
• Houston will host Opening Weekend for the 10th consecutive season
• Cougars are 14-1 all-time during Opening Weekend under Todd Whitting
• Cougars have swept four of the five Opening Weekend series under Whitting
COLLEGE CLASSIC
• Houston to make 16th straight appearance in Houston College Classic at Minute Maid Park
• Cougars to face Texas Tech, Arkansas and TCU
• Cougars own a 20-25 all-time record in tournament; has earned seven wins over Top 30 teams
FIRST-TIME OPPONENTS
• Houston has three first-time opponents on the schedule: Villanova, Grand Canyon, George Washington
RICE & TEXAS IN SUGAR LAND, TEXAS AT CONSTELLATION FIELD
• Houston will meet both Texas (April 12) and Rice (May 17) for non-conference, midweek games at Sugar Land's Constellation Field.
NCAA TOURNAMENT COMPETITION
• 20 games this season will be played against an NCAA-tournament team from 2015
• Arkansas, TCU, Texas Southern, Rice, Texas A&M, East Carolina, Texas, USF, Tulane
A LOOK AT 2015
Houston is coming off its second straight 40-win season in 2015 as it captured its first American Athletic Conference regular-season title, first league title since 2002 and eighth in program history after recording a 16-8 mark among the toughest conference in the nation.
The Cougars, led by head coach Todd Whitting, who was named the ABCA South Central Regional Coach of the Year, notched its second straight 40-win season, finishing with a 43-20 record and ranked No. 18 in the nation.
With its impressive regular-season play, Houston was awarded an NCAA Regional hosting bid and the No. 1 seed at Cougar Field - the first time hosting since 2000 and just the third time ever in program history.
Houston finished the year with a 26-8 mark at home, tallying the most home wins ever, while earning five weekend sweeps and eight shutouts on the season - a number that ranks among the nation's Top 10. Houston went on to capture its second straight Silver Glove series - the first time since trophy was established in 1998.
Cougar Field saw a program-record 1,832 fans on average in 2015.
The Cougars were highlighted by sophomore Andrew Lantrip's Third Team All-America honor by Perfect Game and freshman Seth Romero, who led the league with a 1.94 ERA and was tabbed a Freshman All-American and the American Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year.
Three Cougars were named to the All-Region Team (Survance, Lantrip, Iriart) and seven Cougars earned All-Conference honors with Kyle Survance leading the way as a First Team selection.
Eight Cougars were selected in the 2015 MLB First-Year Player Draft (Lemoine, Weigel, Survance, Iriart, Dowdy, Cobb, Fulmer, Rice) - the most since 11 in 2000.
Houston Baseball, once again, excelled in the classroom - posting a program-record 3.09 cumulative GPA and the fourth-highest spring GPA at 2.97 as 24 student-athletes posted a 3.0 GPA or better.
STAY CONNECTED
Stay up to date with all Houston Baseball news and highlights by following us on Twitter @UHCougarBB or on Facebook at /HoustonCougarBaseball. Fans can also follow head coach Todd Whitting @toddwhitting on Twitter.
