Houston, Texas – The Houston Cougars broke open a 3-3 game with a four-run bottom of the sixth inning as a part of scoring 10 unanswered runs in handing Western Carolina an 13-3 loss on Friday evening in the nonconference series opener at Schroeder Park.
 
The Catamounts (10-12) capitalized on an error and a run-scoring double by Will Prater for a short-lived advantage in the first inning and added solo home runs by Pascanel Ferreras and Immanuel Wilder to account for its three runs in the losing effort.
 
Wilder collected a pair of hits in the loss, joined by classmates Prater (2-for-4) and Bryson Parks (2-for-3), who tallied a couple of singles including one on a bunt.
 
Zebby Matthews (0-4) was the tough-luck loser for the Catamounts, exiting the game with the go-ahead marker on first base after an infield single. That inherited runner eventually scored on a wild pitch with what proved to be the game-winning run, pushing the Cougars ahead 4-3 at the time. Matthews struck out three against a walk in five complete innings, allowing four runs on eight hits with one hit batter.
 
Reliever Cameron Prayer (2-0) collected the victory after starter Jaycob Deese was chased in a tie ball game in the top of the sixth inning. Prayer tossed a pair of scoreless, one-hit innings out of the bullpen, striking out four. Deese fanned five in the starting role as the Catamounts struck out a combined 12 times in the opener.
 
Houston (15-7) finished with 15 hits in the win, eight going for extra bases including six doubles and two home runs. The Cougars had five batters post multi-hit games with Anthony Tulimero finishing 4-for-5 with a double and Brandon Uhse doubling twice in a 3-for-4 effort.
 
The three-game nonconference series continues Saturday evening with a 7:30 p.m. start in Houston, live on ESPN+ (paid subscription required) with live audio and live stats available online at UHCougars.com.