The winds of west Texas once again blew the way of Texas Tech as they completed the three-game sweep of Houston 12-8 in Lubbock on Sunday.
In the opening frame, Houston batters were doing a nice job of working deep counts and they drew two walks early, though one of the walks was erased on a caught-stealing . . . The other walked batter, Anthony Tulimero, was at first base when Harold Coll hit the second pitch of his at-bat over the wall in left-center field for a 2-0 Houston lead.
After the Red Raiders got a run back in the bottom of the first inning, Jacob Schoenvogel, a left-handed batter, bit a high floater the opposite way that looked destined for foul territory, but the carry of the ball led it to hit the left field foul pole for a leadoff home run and a 3-1 Houston lead.
For the second day in a row, Texas Tech plated three runs in the bottom of the third inning, with a grand slam as part of the mix on both days, and the Red Raiders took an 8-3 lead.
Trailing 11-3, Cary Arbolida was hit by a pitch to lead off the top of the fifth inning when led Texas Tech to go to their bullpen for the first time in the game . . . Ace Reese then doubled into right-center field to score Arbolida all the way from first base . . . Jonathan French (3-for-5) then drove a 2-2 pitch over the left field wall for a two-run home run on his team-leading eighth home run of the season and his second of the series.
Kenneth Jimenez came off the bench to deliver a run-scoring single in the seventh inning.
Texas Tech led 12-7 going to the top of the ninth inning . . . Arbolida led off with his second home run of the series, and fourth of the season, to right-center field . . . It was the start of what looked like another ninth inning rally, but like Saturday, the Red Raiders were able to close out the game and complete the series sweep.
Right-hander Cade Citelli was tremendous out of the bullpen for Houston on Sunday . . . Citelli inherited the bases loaded and a 2-0 count on a batter when he entered the game in the bottom of the fifth inning . . . Despite being behind in the count, Citelli got the strikeout, the first of four-straight strikeouts and six total . . . Citelli pitched the final 3 1/3 innings without allowing a hit or a walk.
Houston had 10 hits on the day, with seven different hitters reaching base . . . Tulimero was 2-for-3 Sunday, the only other Cougars hitter besides French to have multiple hits in the game.
The Red Raiders offense scored double-digit runs in all three games in the series.
Houston returns home tonight and will be off Monday before traveling to Huntsville for a midweek against Sam Houston on Tuesday night . . . Houston leads this year’s Don Sanders Cup series 1-0 after winning game one at Schroeder Park back on March 5 . . . First pitch in Huntsville is scheduled for 6:30pm.
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Houston Cougars Baseball Beat 