Photo GalleryHOUSTON – HBU junior lefthander
Matthew McCollough struck out a career-high eight and did not allow an earned run to hurl the Huskies to an 8-3 victory over Prairie View A&M in non-conference baseball Saturday at Husky Field.
McCollough (1-0) gave up one unearned run on three hits and did not allow a walk in six innings of work for the Huskies (2-0). Senior
Chris Garza tossed two shutout innings, while junior
Weston Wick gave up a pair in the ninth.
Senior
Zach Nehrir went 3-for-4 with a triple and scored a run, while junior first baseman
Andrew Alvarez went 2-for-4 and drove in a pair for HBU. Junior shortstop
Louie Payetta doubled and drove in two, and senior rightfielder
Thomas Clay singled and scored twice.
Connor Wrye homered and drove in two for PVAMU (0-2), while Joseph Mack drove the Panthers' other run.
Jordan Stewart (0-1) took the loss for the Panthers, allowing five runs, none of them earned, on seven hits with three strikeouts in six innings. Pedro Maldonado worked the final two innings, yielding three runs, two earned, on four hits.
The Huskies struck early as they batted around in the bottom of the first. Clay reached on an error by PVAMU third baseman Angel Avalos, then he stole second. Senior third baseman
Curtis Jones fouled out to the catcher for the second out, but senior catcher
Samm Wiggins delivered an RBI single to leftcenter. Nehrir singled up the middle and junior designated hitter
Austin Saenz was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Alvarez ripped a two-run single to leftcenter, then Saenz scored on a passed ball to stake HBU to a 4-0 lead.
PVAMU got on the board in the top of the fourth when Cody Den Beste led off with a single, stole second and scored on Mack's RBI single. HBU answered with a run of its own in the bottom of the frame as Clay singled and scored on a double by Payetta.
The Huskies tacked on three in the eighth on an RBI single by junior leftfielder
Brandon Morones and sacrifice flies by Payetta and Jones to extend their lead to 8-1.
David Drake drew a pinch walk in the ninth, then Wrye smacked a two-run home run to left off Wick to provide the final margin.
The series concludes Sunday with a 2 p.m. first pitch.
