Houston Tops Stanford in RR Classic Inaugural
February 21, 2020
The Round Rock Classic brought together four of the nation’s top NCAA Division 1 baseball teams to compete in a three round robin format. This featured Stanford, Houston, Tennessee and Texas Tech. Event organizers marketed the series as a prequel to the College World Series held annually in Omaha, Nebraska.
The opening contest was between the Stanford University Cardinal (1-3) and the University of Houston Cougars (2-1). It was only the second meeting of the two teams with Stanford taking the 1967 match-up.
Stanford jump to the lead in the top of the first inning. Houston responded in the bottom of the second inning to tie the game.
Houston’s bats explode in the fourth inning, sending 10 batters to the plate and scoring 7 runs on 6 hits, leaving 1 runner on base. Stanford committed 3 errors in the inning and pulled starting pitcher Brendan Beck for Nicolas Lopez.
Stanford attempted a comeback in the seventh inning, scoring 3 runs on 5 hits, leaving 2 runners on base. Houston responded in the following inning with 3 runs on 3 hits.
Final score was Houston 11, Stanford 4.
Houston starting pitcher Lael Lockhart, Jr (1-0) earned the win, allowing 1 earned run on 4 hits in 4.2 innings. Lockhart struck out 3 and walked 1 batter.
Stanford starting pitcher Brendan Beck (0-2) endured the loss. The junior allowed 8 runs, 2 earned, on 7 hits in 3.2 innings.
Houston’s R. Hernandez led the team, going 2-for-4 with 1 hit and 3 runs batted in. Stanford’s Christian Molfetta led the Cardinal with 2 hits in 5 at-bats with a run and an RBI.