
By Steve Parkhurst
Houston lost its second game of the Frisco Classic on Saturday afternoon, this time losing to Iowa 6-4.
With the Cougars trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the second inning, Dylan Maxcey (3-for-4) singled through the right side to reach base with one out . . . Two pitches later, Carsten Sabathia III turned on a pitch and sent it over the left field wall 375 feet and Houston took a one run lead to the third inning.
After the seventh inning stretch, Sabathia (3-for-4) led off the frame with a double that went to the wall in left-center field, his third hits in as many at-bats . . . Pinch-hitter Cade Climie doubled off the base of the wall in left-center field allowing Sabathia to score easily and Houston trailed by three, 6-3.
Blake Fields (2-for-4) led off the bottom of the eighth inning with a double down the left field line, his second base hit of the game batting second in the order . . . Xavier Perez chose a good time for his first hit of the game, he singled up the middle into center field to score Fields and the Cougars only trailed by two.
Houston loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning on two singles and a walk but was unable to capitalize as Iowa claimed the 6-4 victory.
Ryne Rodriguez gave Houston 3 1/3 innings of important relief work after getting the call from the bullpen in the top of the fourth inning . . . Rodriguez allowed just one earned run on two hits to go with four strikeouts on 55 total pitches . . . The right-hander worked two perfect frames and recorded fives outs on ground balls with just one fly ball, which was caught in center field.
Caden Cooper followed Rodriguez out of the bullpen . . . After a short start against Sam Houston on Tuesday in Huntsville, Cooper pitched a perfect eighth inning and retired the first four batters he faced, two on strikeouts, before giving the ball to Max Craray who recorded the final two outs.
Houston batters, after striking out 14 times on Friday against Oregon State, struck out 12 times against four Iowa pitchers.
Houston will conclude play in the Frisco College Classic on Sunday when it faces the Alabama Crimson Tide . . . The game at Riders Field is set to get underway at 3pm, but a slight delay is possible as the prior game, scheduled to begin at 11am, could run long.
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