Photo GalleryHOUSTON – HBU senior centerfielder
Zach Nehrir went 2-for-5 with a triple, four RBIs and three runs to lead the Huskies in a 13-3 rout of Prairie View A&M in the baseball season-opener Friday afternoon at Husky Field.
Junior shortstop
Louie Payetta went 3-for-5 with a double, a pair of RBIs and a pair of runs in his HBU debut, while senior catcher
Samm Wiggins went 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI and scored three times for the Huskies (1-0). Senior rightfielder
Thomas Clay went 2-for-5 with a triple and scored a run, and junior first baseman
Andrew Alvarez singled, scored three times, and made two sparkling defensive plays, in his first game as a Husky.
Senior righthander
Taylor Wright (1-0) earned the win for HBU, allowing three runs on five hits with a pair of strikeouts and a walk. Senior
Chris Garza, junior
Brody Toal and junior
Matt Harding each tossed a scoreless inning of relief for the Huskies.
Cody Den Beste homered and drove in a pair of runs for PVAMU (0-1), while Walter Wells singled and drove in the other. Kevin Macias singled and scored for the Panthers.
Alberto Aveytia (0-1) took the loss for the Panthers, allowing seven runs, four earned, on seven hits in five innings. Cassidy Land threw the final three, giving up six runs, two earned, on seven hits.
The Panthers took a 1-0 lead in the third as Connor Wrye led off with a triple and Wells followed with a single to left, but it was all Huskies after that.
HBU scored three in the fourth as senior third baseman
Curtis Jones drew a leadoff walk, Wiggins followed with an infield single, both runners moved up on a passed ball, then Nehrir knocked them in with a line drive in the gap in leftcenter. Nehrir scored as junior designated hitter
Austin Saenz singled to right.
The Huskies scored four more in the fifth when Clay led off with a triple to center, then Payetta singled to left. Nehrir added a two-run triple, then scored on a throwing error as HBU took a 7-1 lead.
Den Beste cut the Panthers' deficit to 7-3 with a two-run homer to right in the top of the sixth, but the Huskies answered with six runs in the bottom of the frame.
Payetta and Wiggins each had RBI doubles in the inning, then Alvarez delivered a three-run single to leftcenter, as the runners were moving on a full count with two outs, to put the Huskies up, 13-3.
The series continues Saturday with a 1 p.m. start, followed by a 2 p.m. first pitch in the finale Sunday.
