University of Houston Athletics
Baseball Plays Host to Texas-San Antonio on Tuesday
4/29/2002 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 29, 2002
HOUSTON, Texas - After sweeping Conference USA rival Saint Louis in a shortened series last weekend, the University of Houston baseball team returns to action at 7 p.m. Tuesday as it plays host to Texas-San Antonio at Cougar Field.
The game begins a busy home week for the Cougars (32-12), who are ranked No. 9 in the latest Baseball America poll. Following Tuesday's game with the Roadrunners, the league-leading Cougars entertain South Florida in a three-game series at Cougar Field, beginning Friday.
Fans can hear all Cougar games on KGBC Radio 1540 AM or through the Internet at www.kgbcradio.cc.
UH comes into Tuesday's game on the heels of a 9-5 thumping of Saint Louis last weekend at the Billiken Sports Center. Despite losing a game in the series to wet weather, UH extended its lead in the C-USA standings to 1.5 games with only nine league contests left to be played.
Senior southpaw Keith Whatley is scheduled to start on the mound for the Cougars after a busy week. In his last start on the hill, Whatley scattered two hits and one unearned run in five innings on the way to his eighth win of the season against Sam Houston State on April 23.
However, the Atlanta, Texas, native was an offensive asset against the Billikens last weekend as well. In two games against SLU, Whatley batted .556 (5-for-9) with two doubles, a home run, two runs and two RBIs. In addition, he blasted the first home run of his collegiate career with a solo shot to center field in Sunday's game.
Junior catcher Chris Snyder continues to lead the team with a .361 batting average and 46 RBIs and is one of only four C-USA players to rank among the top nine individual leaders in all three Triple Crown categories. Brett Cooley has blasted 13 home runs, including home runs in back-to-back games at Saint Louis and has also hit safely in his last 15 games with at least one RBI in his each of his last 12 games.
UTSA (23-22) comes into the game after winning two of three at Southland Conference rival Louisiana-Monroe last weekend. Senior third baseman Mark Schramek ranks as one of the nation's leading hitters with a .446 batting average and has pounded out 11 home runs and 47 RBIs to top the Roadrunners in all Triple Crown categories.
This will be the first time in five years that the Cougars and UTSA have met on the diamond. In their last meeting, the Cougars took a 7-2 during the 1997 season.
UH owns a 7-4 advantage over the Roadrunners in the all-time series, which began in 1992. In addition, the Cougars are riding a three-game winning streak into Tuesday's game and have won three of the last four.
