TUCSON, Ariz. - Tony Lira recorded a pair of doubles and Beau Sylvester drove in a run, but the Arizona baseball team fell to Houston, 7-4, in the opener of a three-game series on Friday night at Hi Corbett Field.
The Wildcats (17-31, 7-18 Big 12) totaled 10 hits in the contest, while Houston finished with 13 hits.
Lira paced the Arizona offense, going 3-for-4 with two doubles, two RBI, and one run scored. Andrew Cain and Nate Novitske each collected two hits, while Sylvester added an RBI single. Cash Brennan recorded a hit and stole a base for the Wildcats.
Owen Kramkowski was charged with the loss after allowing six runs, four earned, across 5.1 innings. Corey Kling entered in relief and tossed 3.2 scoreless innings while striking out three.
Houston struck first in the opening inning, using a stolen base and an RBI single from Xavier Perez to take an early 1-0 lead.
Arizona answered immediately in the bottom half of the frame. Cain opened the inning with a single before Novitske reached on a Houston error. Lira followed with an RBI single to plate Cain and even the score at 1-1.
The Cougars regained control in the third inning. After putting two runners on base, Riley Jackson delivered an RBI single up the middle before a sacrifice bunt from Blake Fields brought home another run to extend Houston's lead to 3-1.
Arizona cut into the deficit in the bottom of the third as Novitske singled and Lira ripped a double down the left field line. Sylvester then brought home Novitske with a groundout to trim the score to 3-2.
Houston created separation in the sixth inning with three runs on three hits. Jackson started the rally with a single before Jackson LaLima lined an RBI double through the left side. Tyler Cox followed with a two-run double to left field, extending the Cougars' advantage to 6-2.
The Wildcats mounted a response in the eighth inning. Novitske singled to right-center field before Lira delivered his second double of the night to score him from first. Sylvester followed with an RBI single up the middle to bring Arizona within 6-4, but Houston escaped further damage and held on for the win.
Arizona returns to Hi Corbett Field on Saturday night for game two of the series against Houston. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.
