University of Houston Athletics
Baseball Opens C-USA Play Against UCF This Weekend
3/25/2010 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 25, 2010
HOUSTON - The University of Houston baseball team kicks off Conference USA play this weekend when they welcome the UCF Golden Knights to Cougar Field. The series marks the first game on Houston's home field since Feb. 28.
The series opener is slated for a 6:30 p.m. start on Friday, continuing at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, while the Sunday finale will begin at 1 p.m.
Live stats and live video streaming will be available for all three games at UHCougars.com. Fans can also listen to the online radio broadcast for the series through the UH Baseball page.
Houston enters the weekend with a 10-9 overall record, having defeated Stephen F. Austin on Tuesday, 10-3. Joel Ansley continues to lead the team with a .384 batting average, a team-high six doubles, two triples and a home run.
Michael Goodnight will make the Friday night start against the Golden Knights. He is 3-2 on the year with a 4.56 ERA in 25.2 innings. His 30 strikeouts are a team-high. Goodnight will face-off against UCF starter Nick Cicio, who is 2-0 with a 3.46 ERA in 26 innings.
William Kankel earned the starting on nod on Saturday against UCF's Owen Dew. Kankel is 0-1 with a save in 18.1 innings. Dew enters Saturday's game with a 3-1 record and a 4.25 ERA.
Making his second Sunday start in three weeks will be Eric Brooks, while UCF has not named a starter for the finale. Brooks is 1-2 this season in three starts. He provided 3.2 innings of relief last weekend against Arizona State, giving up one run on three hits with four strikeouts.
UCF is 14-8 on the year following a sweep of Presbyterian last weekend and win over No. 12 Miami on Tuesday. Chris Duff paces the Golden Knights at the plate with a .530 batting average, a team-high 11 doubles, a triple and 12 home runs.
The Cougars take a five game win streak in C-USA openers into the series with UCF. They are 10-3 in C-USA home openers and 30-18 all-time. Last season, UH knocked off UAB, 5-1, to improve to 17-5 in home conference openers.
Following the series against UCF, Houston will host a mid-week contest against UTSA before traveling cross-town for a series against Rice on April 1-3.
