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University of Houston Athletics
Play Ball!
2/9/2006 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 9, 2006
Houston Game Notes (pdf)
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HOUSTON - The University of Houston softball team begins the 2006 season, welcoming four teams to the Bayou City playing host to the Wilson/DeMarini Invitational this weekend. This is the first of four tournaments that the Cougars will play in this season before heading into Conference USA action.
The Cougars will face No. 19 Florida twice and No. 22 Oregon once during the weekend. Houston will also have two match-ups with Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and will square off against Kansas who is receiving votes in the USA Softball Poll.
"Opening weekend is huge for us," head coach Kyla Holas said. "All four of our opponents this weekend made the NCAA's. To be the best, we have to go out and beat the best."
The Cougars have a 12-11 all-time record on opening weekend and a 2-3 mark in season openers. Houston dropped three games in Austin to start last season against No. 6 Texas.
The best start in program history came in 2002 when the Cougars started the season 5-0, winning the Texas State Tournament in San Marcos. UH picked up a 2-0 victory in the season opener against Oregon. The Cougars start the 2006 season against the Ducks.
Houston has a combined 6-10 mark against this weekends' competition The Wilson/DeMarini Invitational wil be the first time that Houston has started the season at the friendly confines of the Cougar Softball Stadium. UH has opened its first five seasons in the LoneStar State twice in San Marcos, once in Arlington and Austin but never at the Cougar Softball Stadium.
The Cougars have faced off against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 10 times with the all-time series even at five games apiece. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi swept a doubleheader against the Cougars last season, taking both games by one run.
Houston enters the weekend 0-2 all-time against Florida. This weekend is the second time that the Gators will travel to the Bayou City. UF picked up a 8-2 victory at the Crowne Plaza Classic in 2004.
The Cougars have lost three of four meetings against Oregon. Houston dropped a 6-3 decision at the Houston Invitational back in 2003 when the Ducks were ranked No. 22 by the USA Softball Poll. Oregon enters this weekend ranked No. 22 by the NFCA Poll.
This weekend will be the first time that Houston and Kansas have squared off on the softball diamond.
The Cougars were picked as the preseason favorite on Feb. 2 in Conference USA's preseason poll as voted on by the league's coaches.
"We are really fired up about being the preseason favorite in Conference USA," head coach Kyla Holas said. "This is another first for our program. We know there is a lot of attention that comes with this honor. Every team in the league is going to be gunning for us and is going to give us their best shot. We are excited about facing this challenge."
Houston tallied 67 points edging out East Carolina's 64 points and C-USA newcomer Marshall's 63 points for the top spot in the poll. The Cougars received only two first-place votes, while the Pirates and Thundering Herd registered three first-place votes apiece.
This season marks the inaugural campaign of five progams into C-USA. UCF made its first appearance in the NCAA Regionals a season ago representing the Atlantic Sun Conference, while Marshall finished second in the Mid-American Conference.
The 2006 C-USA Softball Tournament will be hosted by Tulsa University on May 11-13 at the Donna J. Hardesty Sports Complex.
A complete tournament schedule in addition to live stats via Gametracker is available on UHCougars.com
Houston opens the 2006 season against No. 22 Oregon in the Wilson/DeMarini Invitational. First pitch against the Ducks is slated for 4pm on Feb. 10 at the Cougar Softball Stadium. The Cougars face off against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 30 minutes after the conclusion of the season opener. UH students can catch all the action for free by showing their Cougar 1 Card
