University of Houston Athletics
Baseball Ready to Go at Minute Maid Park Classic
2/13/2003 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Feb. 13, 2003
HOUSTON - The University of Houston baseball team returns to action in Houston this weekend with three games at the Minute Maid Park College Classic.
The Cougars, ranked No. 13 in both the Collegiate Baseball and Baseball America polls this week, start the tournament at 3 p.m., Friday, as they face 10th-ranked Baylor. UH faces Alabama at 11 a.m., Saturday and closes out its stay at the tournament with a 7 p.m., showdown Sunday against Texas A&M.
All three games this weekend can be heard live on 88.3 FM KAXF or over the Internet at www.UHcougars.com with C.B. Devoy and Nick Torina calling all the action.
Junior righthander Brad Sullivan will make his second straight start against Baylor after an impressive performance last weekend at the Battle at the Beach. In 6.0 shutout innings of work, the Nederland, Texas, native allowed only two hits and struck out six but did not receive a decision against UC Santa Barbara.
However, Sullivan extended his consecutive inning scoreless streak to 30.2 innings dating back to last season and moved past Bobby Hollman into third place in the UH record book.
Junior DH Thanos Papavasiliou was the team's leading hitter last weekend, posting a .400 batting average (4-for-10) with two doubles and two RBIs.
Junior third baseman Hyung Cho, a Preseason All-Conference USA honoree, is second on the squad with a .385 average and one double. The Toronto, Canada, native joined shortstop Stuart Musslewhite as the only Cougars to hit safely in all three games last weekend.
This will be the third consecutive year that the Cougars have competed at the Minute Maid Park Classic but it is the first time that UH has not opened its season there. In both 2001 and 2002, the Cougars posted 2-1 records at this tournament with wins coming over Baylor and Texas A&M a year ago.
In last year's contest against BU, Chris Snyder blasted a solo home run in the bottom of the ninth to break a 2-2 tie and give the Cougars the win. UH would go on to sweep the season series against the Bears.
Baylor comes into this weekend after winning the final two games in a series at Arizona on Feb. 8-9.
Senior southpaw Jared Theodorakos is expected to start against the Cougars. In his first start of the season, Theodorakos gave up five hits and four runs in 4.0 innings against Arizona.
Sophomore Michael Griffin leads Baylor with a .500 batting average (10-for-20) with a double, home run and eight RBIs.
