University of Houston
9-4
Texas State
6-9
Cougars Unload in Opener
3/12/2021 9:45:00 PM | Baseball
Houston Baseball scored three runs in four different innings including three straight frames while Ian McMillan swatted a three-run home run as the Cougars took the series opener against Texas State, 12-3.
On the mound, Houston starter Robert Gasser (2-1) struck out a career-high 10 batters and allowed just one run on three hits in 6.0 innings. The 10 strikeouts were the most for a Houston pitcher since Aaron Fletcher fanned 11 against USF on April 7, 2018.
The Cougars (9-4) used three hits in the third inning including an RBI-double from Brandon Uhse and RBI-single from Ryan Hernandez to erase a 1-0 deficit. An inning later, Brad Burckel laced an RBI-triple into right center and came home to score on an RBI-groundout.Ladies and gentlemen -- @robertgasser5.
— Houston Baseball (@UHCougarBB) March 13, 2021
That's 🔟 strikeouts for the southpaw.#M64 x #GoCoogs pic.twitter.com/mBVAPCSGHB
Houston continued to pressure Texas State (6-9) in the fifth as Hernandez (3-for-5) singled and Benjamin walked. Two batters later, McMillan walloped a 1-0 pitch off a flagpole in left center for a three-run homer and 9-1 advantage. The homer was McMillan's second of the season and fourth of his career.
Houston produced 13 hits, reaching the double-digit mark for the seventh time this season. The Cougars batted .368 (7-for-19) with runners aboard. Batting in the seventh and eighth spot respectively, McMillan and Burckel combined to go 3-for-8 with five RBIs and three runs.
Tyler Bielamowicz roped an RBI-ground-rule double into left center in the eighth and Steven Rivas shot a two-run single into right field. With the Rivas base knock, all nine Cougar starters recorded at least one hit.
Texas State starter Zachary Leigh (0-3) allowed nine runs on as many hits while striking out six in 5.0 innings. The nine hits and nine runs were the most allowed by a Bobcat starter in 15 games this season.
Meanwhile, Gasser has gone five-plus innings and allowed two or fewer earned runs in all four starts. Led by the southpaw, Houston pitching held Bobcat batters to 2-for-19 (.105) with runners aboard.
The series continues Saturday with first pitch set for 2:30 p.m. Houston will send right-hander Ben Sears (1-0, 3.12 ERA) to the mound against righty Cameron Bush (0-1, 4.50 ERA). The contest can be seen on ESPN+ and heard on Stretch Live.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Gasser, Robert (2-1)
L: Leigh, Zachary (0-3)
Batting:
2B: Uhse, Brandon 1 ; Bielamowicz, Tyler 1
3B: Burckel, Brad 1
HR: McMillan, Ian 1
RBI: Uhse, Brandon 2 ; Bielamowicz, Tyler 1 ; Rivas, Steven 2 ; Hernandez, Ryan 1 ; McMillan, Ian 3 ; Burckel, Brad 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Uhse, Brandon 2 ; Bielamowicz, Tyler 2 ; Hernandez, Ryan 1 ; Benjamin, Samuel 1 ; Pendergrass, Will 1 ; McMillan, Ian 2 ; Burckel, Brad 1 ; Lovelace, Kyle 2
SB: Benjamin, Samuel 1 ; Pendergrass, Will 1 ; Burckel, Brad 1
HBP: Bielamowicz, Tyler 1 ; Burckel, Brad 1
Batting:
2B: Thompson, Justin 1
HR: Hollis, Will 1
RBI: Hollis, Will 2 ; Redden, Tucker 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Hollis, Will 1 ; Shuffield, Dalton 1 ; Redden, Tucker 1
HBP: Thompson, Justin 1 ; McClain, Ben 1
