Box Score
The Patriots suffered a 9-5 loss in the first game of the NCAA College Station Regional Tournament on Friday afternoon. DBU, who was leading 3-0 going into the top of the fourth inning, made three mistakes, which allowed the Cougars to score five runs and proved to be the difference in the game.
The loss dropped the Patriots to 37-18, while Houston improved to 40-22 on the season.
Head Coach Dan Heefner said, “You have to give Houston the credit they are great team and hit the ball really well. We just have to correct our mistakes and come ready to play baseball tomorrow. The fourth inning was rough and we were fortunate to get out of the inning with only allowing five runs.”
Sophomore Austin Knight and Senior Nick Santos each singled to lead off the bottom of the first inning. With the base runners on first and second base, Junior Trevor Head stepped to the plate with two outs, and, belted a three run homerun over the left field wall, to give the Patriots a 3-0 lead.
The Cougars used four hits and two DBU errors to score five runs in the top of the fourth inning, which gave them a 5-3 advantage. Two of the runs were earned, while the rest of the runs were unearned runs charged to DBU's starting pitcher, Junior Jordan Meaker.
Sophomore Ryan Thompson led off the bottom of the seventh inning with a double to the left centerfield gap and advanced to third base on a sacrifice bunt by Junior Clay Kelly. Thompson scored the first run of the inning on a wild pitch. Sophomore Ryan Enos then blasted a solo homerun to right centerfield, which tied the score at 5-5.
Houston answered right back in the top of the eighth inning after they led off with back to back doubles to score the go ahead run. With one out and a runner on third base, Houston squeezed the second run of the inning home. The Cougars scored the third run after Senior Tyson Bagley beamed a Houston batter, which gave U of H an 8-5 lead.
The Cougars extended their lead in the top of the ninth inning to 9-5 after they scored one run on three hits. A single up the middle with the Patriots infielders in to cut the run at home allowed the lone run to score from third base.
The Cougars closer, Chase Dempsay was awarded the victory, after he pitched 2.2 innings, allowing one hit, no runs, and striking out one. Freshman Chris Haney suffered the loss for DBU going 1.1 innings, allowing two runs, on three hits and striking out two. Meaker's final line was 6.0 innings pitched, while allowing five runs (two earned), on seven hits, and four strikeouts.
Enos finished his day three for five, with a RBI, and a run scored to lead the Patriots at the plate, while Knight and Santos, each had two hits and a run scored.
DBU now has to win four straight games to advance to a Super Regional, with the long road starting tomorrow at 12:30, against the loser of Texas A&M and Illinois-Chicago, who play Friday night at 6:30.
