University of Houston Athletics
Softball Season Begins At Texas
2/3/2005 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 3, 2005
HOUSTON -
Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
Houston softball swings into gear this weekend with its season opening series against in-state rival Texas in Austin this Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 5-6 at Red & Charline McCombs Field.
The three-game series with the Longhorns marks the second straight season that the Cougars will open their season with games in Austin. Last season Houston traveled to face Sam Houston State, Texas Arlington and Texas in the Texas Round Robin Tournament.
The Cougars are looking to earn their first win over the Longhorns who are ranked No. 6 in the preseason ESPN.com/USA Today Poll, and are also the preseason favorite to win the Big 12.
Last season, Houston completed its fourth season as a Division I program and picked up its first victory in its first visit, at the NCAA Regionals. The team finished 2004 with a school best 39-24 record and was the runner-up at the Conference USA Championships.
Texas turned in a 24-25 record and finished in eighth place in the Big 12 for the 2004 campaign. The team returns All-American pitcher and Team USA member senior Kate Osterman who skipped the 2004 season with the Longhorns and brought home Olympic Gold from Athens.
Since Houston Softball began in 2001, the Cougars and Longhorns have squared off in seven games. Of those seven, the Cougars have come close but have fallen short in taking one away from Texas.
One year ago the Cougars fought to an 8-7 extra-inning loss and then a 4-2 defeat by the Longhorns.
For volunteer coach Lindsay Gardner the game will be a homecoming of sorts as Gardner played for Longhorns from 2000-2003, where she was also a member of Team USA and an All-American.
Action gets underway on Saturday, Jan. 5, with a doubleheader beginning at noon and Game 2 being played at 2 p.m. The two teams face off again on Sunday, Jan. 6 at 1:00 p.m.
