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HOUSTON – Texas Southern scored four first inning runs that held up for a 5-2 victory over HBU in non-conference baseball Tuesday afternoon at MacGregor Park.
 
Junior designated hitter Austin Saenz went 2-for-3 with a double, while junior shortstop Louie Payetta went 2-for-4 for HBU (21-17). Senior centerfielder Zach Nehrir led off the game with a home run on the first pitch for the second time in the last three games. Senior second baseman Clayton Vaughn singled and drove in the Huskies' other run.
 
Joel Rosario doubled and had two RBIs for the Tigers (20-17), while Zach Howell singled and drove in a pair. Zach Welz was 1-for-2 with two walks and scored twice.
 
Ryan Rios (4-1) earned the win for TSU, allowing one run on six hits with five strikeouts and four walks in five innings. Robert Pearson earned the save for the Tigers.
 
Weston Wick (0-2) took the loss for HBU, giving up four runs on two hits with two strikeouts and three walks in two-thirds of an innings. Junior Brody Toal held the Tigers to one run on four hits with four strikeouts in five and one-third innings of relief.
 
Nehrir smacked the first pitch high over the fence in left for his third home run of the season, all of which have come in the last five games.
 
In the bottom of the first, Wick walked the bases loaded, then Rosario laced a doubled inside the first base bag. Howell added a two-run single to rightcenter to give the Tigers a 4-1 lead.
 
HBU left two runners on in the next three innings, and TSU added a run in the second when Welz singled, stole second and scored on Robert Garza's single to right.
 
Senior rightfielder Thomas Clay led off the sixth with a double, then junior leftfielder Christian Cokinos followed with a single to put runners on the corners with no outs, but the Huskies managed just one run on a sacrifice fly to center by Vaughn to cut the deficit to 5-2.
 
The Huskies return to action and Southland Conference play when they host league-leading Southeastern Louisiana Friday through Sunday at Husky Field. Friday's opener begins at 2 p.m., followed by a 1 p.m. start Saturday and a 2 p.m. first pitch in the finale Sunday. Video, audio and live stats for each game are available on HBUHuskies.com.