University of Houston Athletics
Baseball Opens 2006 Season Tuesday vs. Texas-San Antonio
2/6/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
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Feb. 6, 2006
HOUSTON - The University of Houston baseball team opens its 2006 season at 2 p.m., Tuesday when it plays host to Texas-San Antonio at Cougar Field.
The Cougars, who were ranked No. 32 in Collegiate Baseball's preseason poll, begin their 60th season of collegiate baseball when they take on the Roadrunners in the season opener for both teams.
Houston will be looking to return to the NCAA postseason for the first time since 2003. Under the leadership of head coach Rayner Noble, who begins his 12th season at UH, the Cougars should be among the most veteran ballclubs in the country. All but five letterwinners and seven position starters return from the 2005 campaign.
Tuesday's game can be heard live over the Internet at www.UHCougars.com. For the fourth consecutive season, Nick Torina will call the play-by-play with Pat Cauley providing color analysis. Fans also can follow live stats by clicking on the "Gametracker" link at www.UHCougars.com
Fans also will receive a treat as they walk into the ballpark with the first 500 fans receiving a free 2006 UH Baseball magnet schedule.
Junior righthander Brad Lincoln will get the Opening Day start against Texas-San Antonio. It will be the second Opening Day start of his career after facing No. 10 Baylor in the first game of the Minute Maid Park College Classic a year ago.
After a successful summer season in the prestigious Cape Cod League, Lincoln has garnered attention nationally after earning Preseason All-America Second Team honors from Baseball America. In addition, he was listed as a Player to Watch by Conference USA and was named to the Clemens Award Watch List.
A year ago, Lincoln finished with a 4-7 record, 4.76 ERA and team-high 106 strikeouts in 102.0 innings of work. He became only the seventh pitcher in school history with at least 100 strikeouts in a single season. In addition, he proved to be an offensive asset with a .337 batting average seven home runs and 52 RBIs.
This will be Lincoln's first career appearance on the mound against UTSA.
Junior infielder Dustin Kingsbury returns as the team's leading offensive player after posting a .341 batting average with six home runs and a team-best 52 RBIs. He was one of only three players to start all 59 games a year ago.
As the Cougars prepare for Opening Day, the team looks to improve on a 35-24 (.593) record on Opening Day.
UH has split its last four games on Opening Day, including an 8-6 loss to No. 10 Baylor on Feb. 11, 2005, in the opener of the Minute Maid Park College Classic.
The Cougars have enjoyed tremendous success on Opening Day and reeled off 13 consecutive wins during the first game of the season from 1975-87.
For the fourth time in the last six years, the Cougars will meet Texas-San Antonio on the baseball diamond. The Cougars have a 9-4 (.692) lead in the all-time series, which began in 1992 and has been played once every year since 2002 with the exception of 2005.
The Cougars enter today's game on a six-game winning streak against the Roadrunners and have not lost to UTSA since a 10-2 decision on March 2, 1994 in the second game of a doubleheader in San Antonio, Texas.
The Cougars are an impressive 7-2 (.778) all-time against Texas-San Antonio at their home facility. In addition, the team is a perfect 4-0 in the friendly confines of Cougar Field.
