University of Houston Athletics
Baseball Wraps up Homestand vs. Louisiana-Lafayette on Tuesday
3/12/2007 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 12, 2007
HOUSTON - The University of Houston baseball team wraps up its season-long, eight-game homestand at 7 p.m., Tuesday when it plays host to Louisiana-Lafayette at Cougar Field.
The Cougars have posted a 5-2 record during the stand (1-2 vs. Northwestern State, 1-0 vs. Lamar, 3-0 vs. Princeton). It was the longest homestand for the Cougars since UH played host to Michigan (4 games), McNeese State (1) and UCF (3) from March 2 to March 10, 1996.
UH brings plenty of momentum into the game after sweeping Princeton last weekend at Cougar Field to move to 11-9 in 2007 and extend their winning streak to a season-best four consecutive games. It marks the first time since UH started 2-0 that the Cougars stood two games above the .500 mark.
For Cougar fans, this will be their final chance to see their favorite team in action at home during a midweek game. In a scheduling quirk, Tuesday's showdown against the Ragin' Cajuns will be UH's final midweek home game.
Cougar Baseball games can be heard live on UHCougars.com with former UH letterwinner Nick Torina calling the play-by-play action and Pat Cauley providing color analysis. To access the free broadcast, fans should click on the "Schedules and Results" link on the baseball main page. From there, fans can click on the "Audio Broadcasts" link, which will bring up the 2007 radio schedule.
Fans also can follow live stats via the Internet by clicking the "Gametracker" link on the UH front page or on the Cougar Baseball schedule page.
Freshman southpaw Donnie Joseph will make his fifth start of the second and second straight midweek start when he toes the rubber against Louisiana-Lafayette on Tuesday. This season, the Buda native has assembled an 0-0 record with 10 strikeouts and a 6.63 ERA in 19.0 innings.
Making the first midweek start of his career, Joseph was impressive during the Cougars' 7-1 win over Lamar on March 6. He allowed only one unearned run off five hits with four strikeouts in 4.1 innings. However, Joseph did not collect a decision after being forced to leave the game when he was struck in the leg by a line drive.
His strikeout total was a personal single-game high.
Tuesday's game will be Joseph's first career appearance against Louisiana-Lafayette.
Sophomore DH Jimmy Cesario continues to lead the Cougars with a .377 batting average, while sophomore utility player Luis Flores is tops with five home runs. Senior shortstop Dustin Kingsbury, who has started 140 consecutive games entering Tuesday's contest, paces the Cougar offense with 21 RBIs.
Junior outfielder Bryan Tully enjoyed a tremendous week at the plate last week and is the only player in C-USA to rank among the Top 10 individual leaders in all three Triple Crown categories with a .364 batting average, three home runs and 16 RBIs.
For the first time since 2003, the Cougars will meet Louisiana-Lafayette on the baseball diamond. The Cougars own a 34-10-1 (.767) lead in the all-time series, which began in 1948.
In addition, the Cougars bring a six-game winning streak against the Cajuns into Tuesday's game. The Cougars have not lost to Louisiana-Lafayette since a 19-8 decision during the 1999 NCAA Houston Regional championship game.
The Cougars are 8-5-1 (.607) against the Cajuns in Houston and have won their last three games there after sweeping the 2003 regular-season series.
Louisiana-Lafayette (14-3, 3-0 SBC) comes into the game after sweeping Sun Belt Conference rival South Alabama last weekend to open league play. Junior southpaw Brent Solich is slated to take the hill for the Cajuns on Tuesday.
This season, Solich has compiled a 2-0 record with 15 strikeouts and a 3.60 ERA in 15.0 innings.
Junior outfielder Nolan Gislclair and sophomore catcher Scott Hawkins are tied for the team lead with four home runs apiece with Gisclair adding a team-best 20 RBIs. Senior utility player Jeffries Tatford is tops with a .300 batting average.
