HOUSTON, Texas – HCU was bested by North Dakota State in Saturday's double-header at Husky Field in Houston, Tx. The Huskies fell in the first game, 10-7, before losing a nail biter second game, 6-5.
Freshman leftfielder Trent Baker went 4-for-8 with three runs, an RBI, a double, and a stolen base on the day. Junior center fielder Samuel Benjamin went 4-for-7 on the day with seven RBIs, two doubles, a homerun, a walk, and a stolen base for the Huskies (1-17). Senior infielder Diego Davila went 3-for-7 with three doubles, two runs, and two walks while senior designated hitter Parker Edwards went 1-for-4 with a homerun.
Senior righthander Chad Ricker (1-2) took the loss in game one, giving up three runs, no earned runs, on one hit in one inning of relief for HCU. Junior righthander Jarek Wells (0-2) took the loss starting game two for the Huskies, giving up three runs, three earned, on three hits, and two walks in four innings of work. Junior righthander Rye Gunter pitched 3.2 innings to start game one giving up six runs, three earned, on seven hits with seven strikeouts. Senior righthander Javan Smitherman pitched 2.1 shutout innings of relief in game two dishing out a strikeout with a walk.
HCU got things started in game one with a three-run home run for Samuel Benjamin in the bottom of the third inning scoring Diego Davila and Trent Baker. The Huskies added four runs in the bottom of the fourth inning starting with a Trent Baker double down the left field line scoring Reed Chumley before Austin Roccaforte singled to left field driving in Cash Benavidez. Benjamin followed up with a double to center field scoring Roccaforte and Baker. HCU got hot early in game two scoring two runs in the bottom of the first inning when Benjamin singled through the left side scoring Davila and Baker. The Huskies added two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning starting with a Parker Edwards solo home run before Damian Ruiz stole home on a throwing error by NDSU's catcher Stephen Lund. HCU's last run of the afternoon came in the bottom of the seventh inning when Cash Benavidez scored on a balk by NDSU's pitcher Joey Danielson.
Kyle Law went 3-for-6 with three RBIs, two runs, and two doubles for the Bison (3-16). Cadyn Schwabe went 4-for-8 with four runs, two RBIs, two stolen bases, a double, and a walk while Terrell Huggins went 4-for-10 with five RBIs, three runs, two stolen bases, a home run, and a double. Reliever Reese Ligtenberg (1-0) earned the win in game one pitching two shutout innings allowing a hit and recording a strikeout. Starting pitcher Max Loven (1-1) earned the win in game two pitching 5.2 innings giving up four earned runs on seven hits with three strikeouts and a walk.
NDSU scored six runs in the top of the fourth inning of game one starting with a double down the left field line by Kyle Law scoring Davis Hamilton and James Dunlap before Cadyn Schwabe singled to right field scoring Law to tie the game, 3-3. The Bison took the lead when Schwabe scored an unearned run on a fielding error by HCU's Austin Roccaforte followed by a single to right field by Druw Sackett scoring Peter Brookshaw and Terrell Huggins via a fielding error by HCU's Damian Ruiz. NDSU scored another run in the top of the fifth inning thanks to a single up the middle by Kyle Law scoring Will Busch. The Bison's final three runs of game one came in the top of the seventh inning when Huggins singled through the left side scoring Quigley and Huggins and Schwabe scored on a fielding error by HCU's Cash Benavidez. NDSU scored an early run in the top of the first when Huggins doubled down the left field line scoring Schwabe. The Bison added three runs in the top of the fifth inning when Huggins hit a three-run home run scoring Law and Schwabe. NDSU added a run in the top of the sixth when Schwabe singled to left field scoring Garret Hill, and another run in top of the seventh when Brookshaw scored on a wild pitch off the hands of HCU's Bryce Toney.
HCU will conclude the three-game series against North Dakota State on Sunday, March 19th, at 1:00 p.m. at Husky Field. Come out to cheer on your Huskies. Live stats will be available at HCUHuskies.com
