Houston, Colorado battle to scoreless draw in MLS action

Photo by Darla Tamulitis-La Vita Loca Photography

 

By Robert H Kelly

Copyright 2015 TexSport Publications

HOUSTON, TEXAS (March 28, 2015) Coming into Saturday’s game against the winless and scoreless Colorado Rapids, the Houston Dynamo were looking for quick ninety minute game and an easy win in their second home game of 2015. The Rapids had other plans as both teams battled to a scoreless draw in front of a nearly packed BBVA Compass Stadium on March 28, 2015. With the win the Dynamo raise their record to 1-1-2 (5 points) while the Rapids take a 0-0-3 record back to their Rocky Mountains’ home.

The Dynamo, who played the entire game with a noticeable command of the field, had 11 shots-on-goal, with none of them able to get into the net. In contrast, the Rapids drilled six shots towards the Dynamo net and none of them were able to put points on the score board.

Three yellow cards issued to the Houston Dynamo, the first in the 43rd minute to Ricardo Clark. Alexander Lopez received his in the 68th minute and KofiSarkodie was carded in the 84th  minute. The Rapid was not carded for any misconduct the entire game.

With the draw, Houston received one point to raise their total to five after four games. The Rapid also tallied one point for the draw, giving them three points for the season.

The Dynamo will next face Seattle on Saturday, April 4 on the road before returning home to play Montreal on Saturday, April 11. Colorado will next play New England at home on April 4 with a April 10 match-up against FC Dallas on April 10 in Dallas.

No. 3 Vanderbilt remains undefeated at Southland Bowling League Championsip

Photo by Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2015 All Rights Reserved

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2015 TexSport Publications

HOUSTON, TEXAS (March 21, 2015) The Southland Bowling League Championship continued on Saturday afternoon, March 21. 2015 Del-Mar Lanes in Houston with four matches; one in the championship bracket and three in the consolation bracket. Match nine was the first of the afternoon with the No. 5 Valparaiso Crusaders facing No. 7 Monmouth Hawks. Both teams came into the match with 1-1 records. The Crusaders overcame the Hawks by the score of 4-0 (183-164, 168-122, 163-158, 214-190).

In the second consolation matchup, match 10, the No. 2 Stephen F. Austin LadyJacks faced the No. 4 Sam Houston State Bearkats. In the end, the Bearkats came out on top by the score of 4-2 (190-179, 186-173, 246-201, 176-184, 176-179, 171-191). The SHSU win setup a rematch of a round one game with the Bearkats facing Valparaiso. In that game (match 12) the Crusaders came out on top by the score of 4-3 (145-154, 187, 217, 193-173, 201-166, 199-149, 202-174).

Prior to the Sam Houston vs. Valparaiso match, the two undefeated teams, No. 1 Arkansas State and No. 3 Vanderbilt played to a 4-3 outcome with the Commodores coming out on top. The win gave Vanderbilt a 3-0 record while the Red Wolves fell to 2-1. As a result, the Red Wolves will face Valparaiso at 9:35 a.m. on Sunday, March 22 with the winner advancing to the final against Vanderbilt. Should the Commodores should lose in the noon match, a 1:45 p.m. match would be schedule since Vanderbilt would have only one loss. The championship round will be streamed live at Bowl.com/BowlTV.

Arkansas State, Vanderbilt undefeated through two rounds of SBL Championship

Sam Houston and Stephen F. Austin will face off in the
third round of the SBL Championship.
Photo b y Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2015 All Rights Reserved.

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2015 TexSport Publications

HOUSTON, TEXAS (March 21, 2015) Day one of the Southland Bowling League Championship was contested at Del-Mar Lanes in Houston on Saturday, March 21, 2015 and saw No. 1 Arkansas State and No. 3 Vanderbilt advancing to the third round, both having defeated their first and second round opponents to remind undefeated. 

In the first round, Arkansas State downed No. 8 seed Louisiana Tech by the score of 4-1 (264-156, 147-187, 189-178, 204-166, 212-199) while Vanderbilt took down Tulane 4-1 (157-126, 168-149, 176-186, 199-161, 204-142).

In other first round matches, No. 4 Sam Houston State defeated No. 5 Valparaiso 4-2 (234-170, 194-173, 167-176, 195-234, 179-176, 220-241) while No. 7 Monmouth beat No. 2 Stephen F. Austin 4-1 (204-198, 170-203, 194-185, 218-184, 206-179).

The second round found Valparaiso eliminating Louisiana Tech 4-2 (215-181, 197-210, 191-195, 185-159, 237-174, 244-135). SFA also sent Tulane home with their second loss of the day by the score of 4-3 (156-169, 202-190, 202-174, 173-174, 189-183, 181-200, 214-202).

The third round, which kicks off at 2:30 p.m. CDT on Saturday, March 21 will see the two undefeated teams, Arkansas State and Vanderbilt, facing off. The four teams who stand at 1-1 will bowl, with the losers going home. The consolation bracket consists of Valparaiso facing Monmouth and SFA facing SHSU.

Arkansas State is currently ranked number three in the nation by the National Tenpin Coaches Association (NTCA) poll. SFA is ranked fifth nationally in the poll, with Vanderbilt ranked sixth and defending NCAA champion Sam Houston is ranked seventh.

Semi-final and final matches will be contested on Sunday, March 22 beginning at 9:30 a.m. CDT.

Houston downs cross-town rival Rice in first game of Silver Glove Series

Photo by Darla Tamulitis-La Vita Loca Photography
Copyright 2015 All Rights Reserved

By Robert H Kelly

Copyright 2015 TexSport Publications

HOUSTON, TEXAS (March 17, 2015) Exploding for five runs in the fourth inning, the No. 21 Houston Cougars added insurance runs in the seventh and eighth innings to down the No. 8 Rice Owls by the score of 8-3 at Cougar Field on Tuesday, March 17, 2015. The match-up was the first of the three-game series to determine the winner of the Silver Glove Series.

Rice scored two runs in the sixth inning and added one run in the eighth inning in the loss. Rice fell to 15-7 for the season. The Cougars raised their record 14-7.  The two cross-town rivals will again face-off on April 14 at Rice’s Reckling Park and May 12 at Constellation Field in Sugar Land.

The Cougars clobbered off 11 hits in route to the win with Chris Iriart going 2-of-3 and raising his batting average to .338.   Center fielder Zac Taylor was 3-of-3, scoring one run and knocking in one RBI.  Starting pitcher Seth Romero, pitching 6.1 innings, gave up two earned runs and struck out nine. He raised his record to 2-1. Rice starter Jordan Stephens received the loss, dropping his record to 1-1. Aaron Garza, pitching 1.1 innings in relief, received his first save of the season. Houston stranded six runners on base, while Rice left nine on base. Rice used seven pitchers in the loss, while Houston used three pitches in relief.

Houston will now hit the road for a three-game series in Albuquerque against New Mexico on March 20-22, 2015. They will return to Cougar Field on March 25 to face the Lamar Cardinals before again hitting the road for an eight-game road trip. 

HBU comes up short against Iowa bats; falls 7-2

Photo by Robert H Kelly

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2015 TexSport Publications

HOUSTON, TEXAS (March 16, 2015) Iowa jumped out to an early four-run lead, and HoustonBaptist University was unable to overcome the deficit and dropped the third game of their current four-game series against the Hawkeyes by the score of 7-2 at Husky Field on Monday, March 16, 2015. With the loss, HBU falls to 2-1 versus Iowa. The final game of the series scheduled for 1 p.m. Tuesday, March 17.

The Hawkeyes scored one run in the first inning and added three runs in both the second and eighth innings before the Huskies got on the board in the bottom on the ninth inning with two runs. Iowa tallied 15 hits in route to their win. HBU managed to get six hits in route to their two runs. Shortstop Louie Payetta was 2-for-4 while starting pitcher Curtis Jones struck out five in the loss. Jones fell to 1-3 on the season in pitching six complete innings.

Iowa starter Calvin Mathews got his second win of the season, pitching 5-1 innings and giving up four hits. Iowa went to 11-4 on the season while the Huskies fell to 9-10. The Huskies won the two previous games in the series 7-1 and 5-1. After the final game against the Hawkeyes the Huskies will host Central Arkansas in a three-game conference series. Game time will be 2 p.m. on Friday, March 20 and Sunday, March 22 with a 1 p.m. first pitch on Saturday, March 21. 

Eric Church, BP Super Series kicks off opening day of Rodeo Houston

By Robert H Kelly

Copyright 2015 TexSport Publications

HOUSTON, TEXAS (March 3, 2015)  Rodeo Houston kicks off today, March 3, 2015 at NRG Stadium with the BP Super Series 1, Round 1 and the evening concert by Eric Church. The BP Super Series included tie-down roping, bareback riding, team roping, saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling, barrel racing bull riding and the calf scramble.

Eight competitors will take to the dirt on the floor of NRG Stadium in each event, with eight teams competing in team roping. In the calf scramble, 30 high schools representing their school’s FFA, will compete to capture and rope 15 released calves. Eric Church will take to the revolving stage in NRG Stadium after the evening’s rodeo competition is completed.

In addition to the rodeo activities, the main arena of the NRG Center will host the Maine Anjou Cattle Show, Braunvieh, Braunvieh Beef Builder Cattle Show, Charlolais Cattle Show, Red Angus Cattle Show and the Celebrity Dairy Goat Milking Contest. The NRG Arena will play host to seminars on cattle markets, optimizing grazing, and grazing and wildlife.

Additional music for the evening includes the Matt Caldwell Band at 6 p.m. in the Champion Wine Garden and Justin van Sant at 10:15 p.m. in The Hideout.