Tigers Drop Close Contest At Houston

A decisive five-run second inning by the University of Houston was the difference for the Texas Southern University baseball team as they dropped an 8-5 decision on Tuesday evening.

TSU (7-3) fell behind early thanks to an opposite field home run to right in the bottom of the first, but the Tigers responded with a pair of runs for the game’s first lead change in the second. Chase Cromer sent a pitch back up the middle with one-out to bring in Alexander Olivo from third to tie the game at one. Olivo led off the inning with a double to center and was followed by Jaden Jones, who doubled down the left field line for runners at second and third with no outs. Jordan Vidato drew a two-out walk to load the bases before CJ Castillo was plunked with a pitch to plate Jones and give Texas Southern a 2-1 advantage.

A costly infield error on a pop fly at the leadoff spot in the bottom of the second allowed UH’s Brandon Uhse to reach second followed by his stolen base and a walk. Houston (3-5) quickly responded in a big way thanks to an unconventional run-scoring opportunity when TSU’s starting pitcher Domenic Martinez balked with runners on the corners and no outs to push across the game-tying run. A caught stealing and foul out later had the nearly 1,300 in attendance thinking that Texas Southern was going to get out of the jam, but the Cougars would string together two run-scoring singles and a double that brought in a pair of its own to put Houston up 6-2.

TSU’s Daalen Adderly took matters into his own hands in the third as he beat out a throw for an infield single, stole second, moved to third on a wild pitch before eventually scoring on a wild pitch as TSU trailed 6-3.

Small ball would help Houston score two runs in the bottom of the fourth. The Cougars plated consecutive runs on a ground out to right then a sacrifice fly to right.

A pair of hit by pitches and a walk would load the bases for the Tigers with one out in the top of the fifth. Jones would then smack a pitch into right field deep enough to drive in Castillo to cut the deficit down to 8-4.

The bullpens for both teams then took over and proved how strong they were on the night with multiple 1-2-3 innings.

It wasn’t until the top of the ninth with Gabriel Vasquez leading off the inning and pummeling a 2-2 pitch over the wall in right center for what would prove to be the final run of the game. TSU’s Ron Brown nearly answered Vasquez’s homer with a hard shot to center but the ball fell just short of the fence.

TSU may have had a better overall hitting percentage on the night .242-.233, but it was Houston that was more successful with two outs .333-.000 and with runners in scoring position .333-.143.

UP NEXT
A quick turnaround is on hand for the Tigers as they will travel on Thursday for a three-game set in Columbia, Mo., with the University of Missouri of the SEC as the first game is set to begin on Friday at 6:30 p.m. CT.