University of Houston Athletics
2010 Houston Baseball Season Preview
2/16/2010 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Feb. 16, 2010
HOUSTON - The 2010 Houston Baseball season is just a few days away. The Cougars kick off the year against Texas State on Feb. 19-21 against Texas State at Cougar Field.
Below is an in-depth look to the Cougars this season.
Depth is the name of the game in 2010 for the University of Houston baseball team. After a lot of movement and uncertainty in the lineup a season ago, the Cougars are back with depth and a competitiveness that head coach Rayner Noble says is key to their success.
"The most noticeable thing is that we have a pretty good amount of depth, and there will be a lot of competition at the positions," Noble said.
Houston will also look to build off of the 2009 season. After a slow start, the Cougars finished the year with a 13-11 mark in league action and the fourth seed in the Conference USA Tournament. Of last season's squad, 20 members return in 2010, led by the senior group of Barry Laird, William Kankel, Zak Presley and Chris Wallace.
Also back this season are Blake Kelso, Jared Ray and Michael Goodnight. Kelso, Ray and Wallace were each named to the All C-USA Second Team, while Goodnight was named to the All-Freshman Team in 2009.
Bringing depth to the squad is the addition of 14 newcomers. Looking to see their first action in a Cougar uniform in 2010 are Alex Anastas, Joel Ansley, Eric Brooks, M.P. Cokinos, James Conlee, Matt Creel, Dakota Dill, Ryan Eastman, Austin Gracey, Erik Pesek, Kevin Peters, Tanner Shiflett, Ryan Still and Travis Trial.
PITCHING
The Cougars return to the pitching staff in 2010, junior Jared Ray and freshman Michael Goodnight, both weekend starters in 2009. Also returning for another season are junior Chase Dempsay, sophomore Mo Wiley, senior William Kankel, sophomore Mo Wiley, senior Barry Laird and junior Ty Stuckey. Junior Taylor Hammack also returns to the lineup after a redshirt season to recover from shoulder surgery.
Goodnight looks to take the role of Friday night starter. During his freshman campaign, he moved into the weekend rotation at the start of Conference USA action and remained there for the duration of the season. The Houston native finished the season with a 5-5 record, pitching 65 innings, allowing 34 runs and 58 strikeouts.
Probably his best performance of the season came during the C-USA tournament where Goodnight pitched a career-long 8.1 innings with a career-high 10 strikeouts while surrendering just one run against UAB. He hopes to pick up in 2010 where he left off in 2009.
While Goodnight has a hold on the Friday night start, the rest of the rotation is up for grabs. The obvious choice to earn one of those spots is Ray, who finished with a 4-4 record in 2009, pitching 62.1 innings while allowing 47 runs and 52 strikeouts. The Waco, Texas native put together a string of 31 consecutive scoreless innings, the third longest in school histoy. Ray also pitched a shutout and joined with former Cougar Donnie Joseph for a combined shutout.
With all of his credentials, Ray is recovering from a shoulder injury suffered this summer and may not make a return to the rotation until late March.
"Jared will start throwing when practice begins and his return depends on how he reacts to his throwing program," Noble says.
After serving as a midweek starter during his freshman campaign, sophomore Mo Wiley could move into the weekend rotation. The Katy, Texas, native earned the start against No. 15 Texas A&M last season, going 5.1 scoreless innings with six strikeouts on the was to a 9-2 Cougar win.
Kankel served as a relief pitcher last season while sharing the role of rightfielder. In 2010 he will see the majority of action from the mound, while providing a bat off the bench, according to Noble. The Brenham, Texas, native joined the Cougars squad last season after spending two years at Seminole State College. As a Cougar he pitched in 14 contests with one start. His lone start of the season came against McNeese State, going four scoreless innings. He also had two games with six strikeouts.
Laird and Stuckey each had a limited role in the rotation as relief pitchers. That will prove to be the same role for Laird, while Stuckey may earn the starting nod for the Cougars' Tuesday contest.
Adding to the roation is Hammack, who returns from a shoulder injury that took him out of the lineup last season. During his first season at UH, Hammack made 12 appearances on the mound in 17.1 innings with 22 strikeouts.
Moving back into the closing role will be junior Chase Dempsay. The Baytown, Texas, native was named to the 2008 All-Conference USA Freshman Team and earned multiple preseason award nominations in 2009 after finishing his freshman campaign with 11 saves and eight wins, which are still UH freshman records and placed among the C-USA leaders in both categories. He moved into a relief role in 2009 after the emergence of Donnie Joseph, but after Joseph was selected in the MLB draft, Dempsay will return as the team's closer. Last season, in relief, Dempsay went 4-0 with two saves and 39 strikeouts.
Others looking to make an impact on the mound include, sophomore Codey Morehouse, freshmen James Conlee, Alex Anastas, Eric Brooks, Erik Pesek and sophomorre transfers Tanner Shiflett Matt Creel.
CATCHING
Senior Chris Wallace will return for his final season as the Cougars' starting catcher. Wallace led the team a season ago in home runs (nine) and sluging percentage (.542) despite missing a month of the season after being struck in the cheek by a ball early in the year. In addition to being an All C-USA Second Team selection, Wallace was also named to the Houston College Classic All-Tournament Team. The Cypress, Texas, native was the only Cougar in 2009 to record a multi-home run game with two.
Providing backup to Wallace last season and again in 2010 will be sophomore John Cannon, who started 23 games at catcher a year ago.
The Houston coaching staff also have freshmen M.P. Cokinos and Kevin Peters to provide support at the plate. In addition to abilities as catcher, Cokinos is also expected to make a splash as a power hitter for the Cougars.
"M.P. is going to fit into the heart of the lineup," Noble said. "There is just too much at the plate for him not to play."
With Cannon, Cokinos and Peters, Noble is confident that there will be ample depth at catcher for Houston in 2010.
"If something happened to Wallace we would still be pretty young back there (at home plate) but with John getting the experience that he got last year and M.P. and Kevin being freshman and pretty good we have ample ability," Noble said.
INFIELD
Experience is the key to the infield in 2010. After starting multiple freshmen anchored by then-sophomore Blake Kelso, at the infield positions last season, experience and depth will provide the support in the infield that was missing in 2009.
Kelso will start his third consecutive season at shortstop, returning for his junior season after being named to the All C-USA Second Team and the C-USA All Academic Team in 2009. He led the team last season in batting average (.335), hits (85), runs (45), doubles (16) and was third on the team with 12 stolen bases.
Sharing the starting role at first base with Chase Dempsay and Ty Stuckey early in the season, sophomore David Murphy became a constant in that role late, starting the final 11 games. He will be looked to continue that role in 2010.
Murphy competed last season as a redshirt freshman. In his first full season back after being diagnosed with cancer in 2008, Murphy batted .271 with six doubles and a home run, which came against UAB at the Conference USA Tournament.
Second base was occupied by Taylor White last season, and he could contiue that during his sophomore season but the job could also fall in the hands of junior transfer Ryan Still.
White finished fourth on the team with a .292 batting average with five doubles, two triples and a home run.
The final infield position is the most competitive. After Jake Runte started the majority of the games at third base, he will have competition at the position as a sophomore. Providing that competition is sophomore transfer Austin Gracey.
Runte capped his freshman with five doubles, two triples and two home runs, including a grand slam.
"Third base is probably going to be the most competitive infield situation as we go into the season," Noble said. "Jake Runte did a great job for us last year (at third base). Austin and Jake will fight it out for the starting role at third base."
Others expected to provide support in the infield are junior Matt Murphy, sophomores Tom Wertz, Codey Morehouse and freshmen Derek Cloeren, Reed Watson and junior transfer Travis Trial.
The amount of depth at the infield positions may be a welcome change for the coaching staff but it may be a bit of an adjustment for some of the players.
"You will have some guys that have some experience that we are going to have to see how everything pans out and were they are going to plug in," Noble said. "We have some guys that are going to be sitting on the bench that are used to playing last year."
OUTFIELD
Two of the three outfield positions will be set when the seasons begins.
Starting at left field will be junior Caleb Ramsey. The Houston native started all 58 games in the outfield and finished second on the team with a .332 batting average, including 11 doubles, two triples, four home runs and 16 stolen bases, the second highest total on the team.
Maintaining center field will be senior Zak Presley. The Southlake, Texas, native teamed with Ramsey and Kelso to start all 58 games a year ago, all coming at the centerfield position.
Presley led the Cougars last season in stolen bases (17) and was third on the team in batting average (.301). He also contributed 10 doubles, two triples and two home runs.
In 2009 the right field duties went to William Kankel. With Kankel returning to his primary role of pitcher, the starting role is up for grabs and there are many people looking to fill it.
Returners that are expected to compete for the spot include Taylor White and Codey Morehouse. They will be joined by junior transfer Joel Ansley and freshmen Dakota Dill and Eric Brooks. Brooks' name has been thrown around for multiple positions this year, and Noble just hopes there is a spot for him to shine this season.
"Eric Brooks has a world of ability if we can plug him in somewhere," Noble said.
SCHEDULE
Seven home series highlight Houston's 2010 schedule that will kick off Feb. 19-21 with a series against Texas State at Cougar Field.
The Cougars, no stranger to competition, will face off against 10 teams that reached an NCAA Regional in 2009, including two that played in the College World Series.
After opening the season against the Bobcats, the Cougars welcome Santa Clara to Cougar Field on Feb. 26-27. The Silver Glove Series begins on March 2 at Reckling Field when Houston plays its first of five games against the Owls.
Houston then will once again participate in the Houston College Classic at Minute Maid Park. This season includes games against Missouri (March 5), Texas (March 6) and Texas Tech (March 7). Following the College Classic, Houston makes a trip west for spring break, opening at Cal Poly (March 12-14). UH will then play two midweek games at San Francisco (March 16) and California (March 17) before closing out the trip at Arizona State (March 18-20).
"The spring break trip will give us a good glimpse of what we are capable of doing," Noble said. "If we can come off of that trip better than .500, we have had a good trip."
The Cougars will then return to Texas and play back-to-back games against Stephen F. Austin on March 23 and 24, in Nacogdoches and Houston, respectively.
Conference USA play opens March 26-28, when the Cougars host UCF. Other home league series include, Memphis (April 16-18), Tulane (May 7-9) and Marshall (May 11-16). UH will travel to Rice (April 2-4), Southern Miss (April 23-25), UAB (April 3-May 2) and East Carolina (May 20-22).
"Conference USA is going to be a dog-fight this year with only six teams advancing to the conference tournament," Noble said. "I don't think any team is going to run away with the league title."
During the league bye-week, Houston will host TCU on April 9-11. The remainder of the Houston's mid-week games include contests at home against UTSA (March 30), Sam Houston State (April 6), Lamar (April 28), and Texas A&M (May 11) and the Silver Glove Series concludes at Cougar Field on May 18. Road non-conference games include UTSA (April 13) and Lamar (April 21).
UH will then close out the season by hosting the Conference USA Championship on May 26-30 for just the second time in league history. Houston has not hosted the annual tournament since 2004 when the Cougars finished with a 2-2 record.
