Houston Drops Red Raiders

HOUSTON, Texas - Houston's Bryan Tally closed the door on a bases-loaded Red Raider rally in the bottom of the ninth to give the Cougars a narrow 5-4 win over Texas Tech on Friday afternoon in the Houston College Classic at Minute Maid Park.

The loss drops Texas Tech to 2-4 on the season while Houston improved to 4-2.

Trailing 5-3 in the bottom of the eighth, sophomore shortstop Chris Hall and junior center fielder Willie Rueda put together a pair of back-to-back one out hits while second baseman Joey Kenworthy reached on a walk to load the bases. Houston right fielder/reliever Bryan Tully ended the game when he induced third baseman Jason Seefeld into a fielder's choice groundout.

Texas Tech took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom half of the first inning as the Red Raiders scratched out a run on an RBI groundout by Seefeld. Seefeld's groundout brought home Doug Thennis who reached on a lead off walk and moved to third on a wild pitch and a groundout by Joey Kenworthy.

Tech starter AJ Ramos walked the bases loaded in the top of the third and Bryan Pounds made him pay for it as he laced a two-RBI single on a 0-2 pitch into right field that gave Houston the lead at 2-1.

The Cougars rode the arm of left-hander Wes Musick who put together five shutout innings and the Houston offense scored runs in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings to build a 5-1 lead. Musick (2-0) held the Red Raiders to just one run over 6 2/3 innings and struckout four to earn his second win of the season.

Ramos (0-2) was charged with the loss for Texas Tech after giving up three runs on three hits along with four walks and four strikeouts. Joey Kenworthy, a product of Houston's Cypress Falls High School, led the Tech offense as he went 2-for-4 with two RBIs.