PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas – Samm Wiggins' three-run home run in the top of the third inning broke a 1-1 tie and gave Houston Baptist a lead it would not relinquish Tuesday as the Huskies defeated Prairie View A&M 6-2.
 
The Huskies (13-11) won their fifth consecutive game and claimed a season sweep of Prairie View A&M.
 
Grant Dougherty hit his first home run of the season for Prairie View A&M (7-15). He knocked a solo shot down the right field line in the bottom of the first inning to tie the game at 1-1.
 
Charles Philpott (1-3) started and pitched five innings for the Panthers, giving up five earned runs and walking five batters while striking out four. He scattered five hits during the game.
 
The Panthers got two strong relief appearances by Dougherty and Jordan Johnson. Johnson allowed only one base runner over two innings of work, giving up a single in the top of the sixth inning.
 
Dougherty, who is embracing his role as the Panthers' closer in addition to starting in right field, did not allow an earned run over his two innings pitched Tuesday. He gave up a sacrifice fly in the top of the eighth inning, but the Huskies had been able to extend their inning with a Panther error earlier in the frame.
 
HBU starting pitcher Weston Wick pitched four and two-thirds innings, allowing only three hits and two earned runs. After giving up a walk to Connor Wrye and a single to Kevin Lahaie, Wick faced runners at second and third when Josh Jefferson completed a successful sacrifice bunt. PVAMU's Cody Den Beste then knocked a sacrifice fly to score Wrye and cut HBU's lead to 5-2.
 
Despite having a low pitch count and two out and only one runner on base, HBU coach opted to remove Wick from the game, denying him a chance for the win. Relief pitcher Matt Harding's first pitch to Dougherty was knocked to the left field fence, but HBU's Josh Leonhardt robbed the Panthers of at least one additional run with a leaping catch on the warning track.
 
Dougherty's two base hits accounted for half of PVAMU's hit total on Wednesday.
 
The Panthers' Walter Wells, who entered Tuesday's game as the team's leading hitter, went 0-for-4 at the plate. By not reaching base against the Huskies, Wells saw his 29-game on-base streak dating back to last season snapped.
 
Harding picked up the win in relief for Houston Baptist.
 
The Panthers return to action this weekend when they start a three-game series at in-state rival Texas Southern. First pitch of Saturday's doubleheader is scheduled for noon.