Rhett Stafford went a perfect 3-for-3 at the dish and Victor Gomez launched a two-run homer, however three unearned runs in the top of the eighth for the University of Houston proved to be the difference as the Cougars captured the series finale 10-7 on Sunday at Power Park. UH took two-of-three in the series after splitting a doubleheader on Friday.
Marshall (14-20, 2-7 C-USA) recorded nine hits as a team as Victor Ramos joined R.Stafford with a multi-hit performance with two doubles and a RBI. R.Stafford also walked twice, scored twice and knocked in a run as he reached base five times in five plate appearances.
Chase Jensen, M.P. Cokinos and Matt Creel combined for seven of the Cougars 11 hits and knocked in eight of the 10 runs as UH improved to an even 19-19 overall and 6-3 in league play.
The Cougars would retake the lead by scoring five runs over the next three innings, highlighted by RBI doubles form Cokinos and Creel, while Cannon successfully executed a suicide squeeze.
Down 7-4, MU would not go down without a fight in the bottom of the seventh. Ramos and Ballou reached base thanks to a double and walk and both moved up 90 feet on stolen bases. On the steal attempt, the UH catcher airmailed a throw to third, allowing Ramos to scamper home with the Herd’s fifth run. Later in the inning, R.Stafford hit a bouncer back through the box easily scoring Ballou, slicing the deficit to a run at 7-6. The Gomez brothers (Victor and Nathan) drew consecutive walks to load the bases for Thor Meeks. The catcher hit a hard sinking ball to left field that appeared to give the Herd the lead, but UH outfielder Joel Ansley was able to haul in the catch to end the frame.
UH would push across three unearned runs in the top of the ninth, with the back-breaking hit coming on a two-run triple from Jensen to center. Houston would take a 10-6 to the ninth.
N.Gomez roped an RBI double in the bottom half and the Herd brought the tying run to the plate, but Chase Wellbrock induced a fly out to center to end the game.
Chase Dempsay (1-2) picked up the win working 1.1 innings for the Cougars, while Jesse Fernandez (2-2) was tagged with the loss, not recording an out in the sixth.