University of Houston Athletics
Baseball Plays Host to No. 31 UAB This Weekend
3/24/2005 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 24, 2005
HOUSTON - The University of Houston baseball team opens its 2005 Conference USA home schedule this weekend to play host to No. 31 UAB in a three-game series at Cougar Field.
The series begins with 7 p.m. games on both Friday and Saturday before wrapping up at 1 p.m., Sunday. All three games can be heard live on the Internet at www.UHCougars.com with former UH letterwinners Nick Torina and Pat Cauley calling all the action. Fans can follow play-by-play action by clicking on the "Gametracker" link on the schedule at www.UHCougars.com.
UH enters this weekend's series after 9-2 loss against No. 14 Texas A&M on Tuesday.
Despite that loss, the Cougars bring some momentum from last weekend's C-USA season opening series at Memphis. UH played well in all three facets against the Tigers and will be looking to continue that surge against the Blazers.
Junior infielder Kevin Roberts leads the Cougars with a .358 batting average and has hit safely in his last nine games. That streak is a UH season best and only one away from tying Roberts' personal high.
Junior outfielder Travis Tully leads the Cougars with three home runs, while sophomore infielder Brad Lincoln is tops with 13 RBIs. Lincoln is one of six Cougar players with at least 10 RBIs but no more than 13.
Junior southpaw Matt Farrington will make his team-leading seventh start of the season when the Cougars tackle the Blazers in the series opener. He is the only lefthander to start for the Cougars since Brian Henderson in the championship game of the 2003 NCAA Super Regional at Reckling Park on June 9, 2003.
This season, Farrington has emerged as the staff ace. WIth a 4-0 record, .222 opposing batting average and paltry 1.95 ERA in 37.0 innings, the Sugar Land, Texas, native tops the Cougar staff in all four categories while his 26 strikeouts are third best on the team.
In his last start, Farrington was dominating in holding C-USA rival Memphis to only four hits with seven strikeouts in a 4-0 shutout. It was the first shutout of his collegiate career and helped earn him C-USA Pitcher of the Week honors for March 20.
This will be the first time that Farrington has faced UAB from the mound. However, he has compiled a .200 batting average (3-for-15) with a triple and RBI at the plate.
Junior righthander Kevin Roberts and sophomore righthander Brad Lincoln are slated to throw the final two games of the series for the Cougars.
For the ninth consecutive season, the Cougars will meet UAB on the baseball diamond. UH owns a 20-4 (.833) all-time lead in the series, which began in 1997 when both teams began competing as Conference USA members and has been played at least once every season.
The Cougars currently own a six-game winning streak against the Blazers and have won 19 of their last 20 games against UAB heading into this weekend's series. Only a 7-2 setback in the finale of the 2002 regular-season series prevents the Cougars from a longer streak.
UH owns a 13-2 (.867) lead in the all-time series at Cougar Field against the Blazers. The Cougars have reeled off nine consecutive home wins against UAB entering this weekend's series. However, those games have been extremely close with UH claiming victory by only one run in six of those games.
UAB (16-5, 3-0 C-USA) comes into the game after taking a 6-3 win over Birmingham Southern on Wednesday. That win pushed the Blazers' winning streak to 10 games.
Junior righthander Randy Mills is scheduled to start the series opener for UAB. This season, Mills has posted a 2-0 record with 18 strikeouts and a 4.12 ERA in 24.0 innings.
Senior righthanders Jeff Brown and Adam Price are slated to throw the final two games of the series for the Blazers.
