Houston returned home after four games on the road and the bats were alive on Friday night at Schroeder Park as Houston topped UT Arlington 17-7 in a non-conference series.
Coby DeJesus walked to lead off the bottom of the first inning and the Cougars offense was off and running . . . Justin Murray (3-for-5) singled into left field and Anthony Tulimero followed with an RBI single to center field to score DeJesus.
Tulimero was erased on the basepaths before Harold Coll (3-for-5) doubled to right field with one out . . . Cary Arbolida then clubbed his ninth home run of the season 361 feet over the left field wall and Houston led 4-0 going to the second inning.
After the Mavericks got a run back in the top of the top of the second inning, the Houston offense responded.
Kenneth Jimenez (3-for-4) walked to lead off the inning and Jonathan French followed with a single . . . DeJesus singled to load the bases and a wild pitch plated Jimenez . . . A two-run single by Justin Murray, his second hit in as many innings, was followed by a run-scoring single to center field, the second for him in as many innings and Houston had built an 8-1 lead.
Tre Jones doubled to lead off the bottom of the third inning and he eventually scored as the ninth Houston run.
Coll homered to left field with one out in the bottom of the fourth inning, launching a ball 380 feet . . . Jones and Jimenez sent back-to-back blasts over the left field wall in the bottom of the fifth inning and Houston led 12-2.
Arbolida hit his second home run of the game in the bottom of the sixth inning, a ball that traveled 361 feet . . . When the Cougars did not score a run in the bottom of the seventh inning, it was the first inning in which they did not plate a run in the game.
The Mavericks scored three runs in the top of the seventh inning and two runs in the top of the eighth inning to close in on Houston’s lead, but Houston kept adding as well.
Alex Lopez led off the bottom of the eighth inning with a single . . . Coll doubled to the wall in left-center field to bring home the run . . . Ace Reese doubled to left-center field, the third straight hit to start the inning . . . Arbolida followed with a walk, the fourth straight batter to reach base, and all four of them scored as the Cougars took a 17-7 lead to the top of the ninth inning.
Brendan O’Donnell took the mound for the top of the ninth inning and retired the three out he needed, facing four batters and striking out two batters.
Citelli earned the win with his five-inning performance to improve to 3-1 . . . Citelli allowed just two runs and struck out four batters.
The Houston offense pounded out 20 base hits on Friday night . . . Seven Cougars racked up multiple hits.
With an odd number of teams in the Big 12, all teams have a weekend where they do not play a conference opponent, and this is the one and only weekend of this season for Houston.
The Cougars and the Mavericks will resume their series on Saturday at Schroeder Park . . . Richie Roman will be on the mound for Houston, the first start for the freshman, look for Roman to serve as an opening pitcher with the bullpen pitching the majority of the game . . . First pitch is set for 6:30pm.
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