PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas – HBU senior designated hitter
Samm Wiggins rocked a three-run home run in the top of the third inning to lift the Huskies to their fourth-straight victory, 6-2, over Prairie View A&M Tuesday afternoon at Tankersley Field.
Wiggins went 2-for-4, driving in three, hitting his team-leading third home run of the season and the seventh of his career for the Huskies (13-11). Freshman catcher
Zac Garcia made his first start behind the dish and went 2-for-3 with a pair of RBIs and a run. Senior centerfielder
Zach Nehrir was 2-for-5 with a double and a run and junior shortstop
Louie Payetta scored twice.
Junior righthander
Matt Harding (1-0) picked up the win for HBU, throwing an inning and a third of relief. Junior lefthander
Weston Wick started for the Huskies and gave up two runs on three hits in four and two-thirds innings. Junior
Dylan Zarosky and seniors
Brandon Hammerly and
Chris Garza each tossed a scoreless inning.
Grant Dougherty went 2-for-3 with a home run for the Panthers (7-15), while Cody Den Beste drove in the other run.
Charles Philpott (1-3) took the loss for PVAMU, allowing five runs on five hits with four strikeouts and five walks in five innings. Jordan Johnson and Dougherty each threw two innings, with Dougherty allowing an unearned run.
Philpott walked the bases loaded in the top of the first and Garcia lifted a sacrifice fly to center to give the Huskies the lead. Dougherty answered in the bottom of the frame with an opposite-field solo shot down the rightfield line to tie the game.
Nehrir led off the third with a single, stole second, then Payetta drew a walk. Senior third baseman
Curtis Jones sacrificed them over with a bunt, then Wiggins unloaded a bomb to left to put the Huskies ahead, 4-1.
HBU added a run in the fifth when Jones drew a lead-off walk and Wiggins and Garcia delivered back-to-back singles to make the score 5-1. Connor Wrye drew a leadoff walk and Kevin Lehaie followed with a single as PVAMU threatened in the bottom of the inning, but managed to only score one on a sacrifice fly by Den Beste.
The Huskies put one more on the board in the eighth as Garcia walked and junior
Christian Cokinos laid down a sacrifice bunt, but a throwing error put both runners in scoring position. Senior
Clayton Vaughn lifted a pinch-hit sacrifice fly to center for the game's final tally as the Huskies swept the four-game season series from the Panthers.
The Huskies return to action when they travel to face Incarnate Word in a three game Southland Conference series Friday through Sunday at Daniel Sullivan Field in San Antonio. All three games will be broadcast live on HBUHuskies.com.
