University of Houston Athletics
University of Houston
18-15
No. 29 Sam Houston State
20-10
Houston Clinches Don Sanders Cup
4/9/2019 11:55:00 PM | Baseball
Cougars defeated Sam Houston State, 12-7, to take series
HUNTSVILLE, Texas -- The University of Houston Baseball team clinched the Don Sanders Cup behind a 12-7 victory over No. 29 Sam Houston State on Tuesday night at Don Sanders Stadium.
With the win in the late-night affair, the Cougars improve to 18-15 overall, while the Bearkats fall to 20-10.
KEY INNINGS
1st | Houston struck first, scoring one run in the opening frame. Junior third baseman Jared Triolo doubled to center field open the game. Senior first baseman Joe Davis was intentionally walked with one out to put runners on first and second, before senior left fielder Rey Fuentes III plated Triolo with a single to right field. SHSU scored two runs in the bottom frame to take a 2-1 lead.
2nd | The Cougars rallied with seven runs in the top of the second. Junior shortstop Kobe Hyland homered to right center to open the inning. Junior right fielder Blake Way followed with a double to left field, and freshman second baseman Brad Burckel reached on a fielding error on a sac bunt. After Burckel stole second base, sophomore catcher Kyle Lovelace delivered Way with a sacrifice fly. Burckel stole third base and came home on a single to left center from Triolo. Following a passed ball that allowed Triolo advance to third, he scored on a RBI single to left center from junior designated hitter Lael Lockhart Jr. Lockhart Jr. collected the third stolen base of the frame before making the trot home on a triple from Fuentes III. Junior center fielder Tyler Bielamowicz capped the scoring with a two-run home run down the left-field line.
3rd | The Bearkats scored three runs in the third to make it 8-5.
4th | Davis homered to left center in the fourth.
5th | SHSU scored two runs in the fifth.
7th | Houston scored two runs in the seventh. With one out, Bielamowicz singled to center field. Hyland followed with a RBI double to right center, and he too scored one batter later on a RBI single from freshman Johnathon Thomas to take an 11-7 lead.
8th | The Cougars added one more run on a leadoff home run from Triolo in the eighth for the 12-7 final.
HOUSTON NOTES
Offense:
• Four different Cougars homered in the same game for the first time since a 24-6 win over Rice on May 17, 2016.
• Triolo tied his season high with a three-hit effort. The Austin native finished 3-for-4 with a single, double and home run, two RBI and three runs scored.
• Bielamowicz was 3-for-5 with two singles, one home run, two RBI and two runs scored.
• Hyland turned in a 2-for-4 showing with a double and home run. He also recorded a walk and had two RBI and two runs scored.
• Davis was 2-for-4 with a single, home run, walk, RBI and run scored.
• Fuentes III finished 2-for-5 with a triple, two RBI and one run scored.
• Way was 2-for-2 with a double and run scored.
• Lockhart Jr. finished 1-for-5 with one RBI, run scored and stolen base.
• Thomas, who came off the bench as a pinch runner in the third inning, recorded an RBI single to highlight a 1-for-2 showing.
• In total, eight Cougars hit safely in the win.
• Burckel stole two bases with both coming in the second inning.
Pitching:
• Junior southpaw Brayson Hurdsman (1-0) picked up his first win of the season. The native of St. George, Utah, tossed two and one-third innings of relief. He surrendered two runs (one earned) on three hits while striking out the side in the fourth inning.
• Senior Ryan Randel was taxed for five runs in the start, recording one walk and one strikeout.
• Junior Devon Roedahl came on for the final out of the fifth inning and lasted into the eighth. He limited SHSU to just two hits and one walk while fanning three.
• Junior Fred Villarreal logged the final inning and two-thirds to clinch the Don Sanders Cup.
The Cougars return to American Athletic Conference play with a three-game series at Wichita State starting Friday.
PARKING IN 2019
Gameday parking is offered in a different capacity than in prior years. Anyone entering Lot 16B (across the street from right field) will be subjected to paying a third party company employed by campus. This lot will no longer be an option for free parking on gamedays. All other lots surrounding the stadium will be free of charge two hours prior to first pitch.
STAY CONNECTED
Follow Houston Baseball on Twitter and Instagram at @UHCougarBB, and "Like" UHCougarBB on Facebook.
JOIN DUGOUT CLUB
Fans can help support the Houston Baseball program by joining the Dugout Club. To find out more information about the Dugout Club, visit UHCougarPride.com or call Cougar Pride at (713) 743-GoUH.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Hurdsman, Brayson (1-0)
L: Gossett, Riley (2-2)
Batting:
2B: Triolo, Jared 1 ; Hyland, Kobe 1 ; Way, Blake 1
3B: Fuentes III, Rey 1
HR: Triolo, Jared 1 ; Davis, Joe 1 ; Bielamowicz, Tyler 1 ; Hyland, Kobe 1
RBI: Triolo, Jared 2 ; Lockhart Jr., Lael 1 ; Davis, Joe 1 ; Fuentes III, Rey 2 ; Bielamowicz, Tyler 2 ; Hyland, Kobe 2 ; Thomas, Johnathon 1 ; Lovelace, Kyle 1
SH: Burckel, Brad 2
SF: Lovelace, Kyle 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Triolo, Jared 3 ; Lockhart Jr., Lael 1 ; Davis, Joe 1 ; Fuentes III, Rey 1 ; Bielamowicz, Tyler 2 ; Hyland, Kobe 2 ; Way, Blake 1 ; Burckel, Brad 1
SB: Lockhart Jr., Lael 1 ; Hyland, Kobe 1 ; Burckel, Brad 2
CS: Thomas, Johnathon 1
Batting:
2B: Cowser, Colton 1 ; Rogers, Jack 1 ; Hearn, Hunter 1
HR: Rogers, Jack 1
RBI: Rogers, Jack 2 ; Hearn, Hunter 1 ; Johnson, Gavin 3
SH: Cannon, Jordan 1
SF: Hearn, Hunter 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Cowser, Colton 1 ; Rogers, Jack 2 ; Cannon, Jordan 1 ; Hearn, Hunter 2 ; Harp, Clayton 1
HBP: Cannon, Jordan 1
