Baseball To Host Rice Sunday In Fall Scrimmage
10/6/2011 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Oct. 6, 2011
HOUSTON - The University of Houston baseball team will play host to the Rice Owls on Sunday in a fall scrimmage that is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.
Houston will play a 14-inning scrimmage at Cougar Field. The contest is free and open to the public. However, fans are encouraged to donate to the Send-A-Kid program, which helps provide baseball tickets to at-risk and underprivileged youth in the community.
"The players are really excited to play Rice this weekend mainly because they are tired of playing each other," head coach Todd Whitting said. "We have scrimmaged three times a week for the last five weeks so they are ready to mix it up. It's a good time to do something different and get some competition in here and they are excited about that."
Sunday's scrimmage is the first of two fall scrimmages for the Cougars. They will travel to Austin, Texas for a contest against Texas at 1 p.m., Oct. 16. The scrimmage is scheduled to air on the Longhorn Network.
The Oct. 9 scrimmage is part of the team's fall practice schedule that began on Sept. 6 and runs through the scrimmage on Oct. 16. The team meets each afternoon for practice and intrasquad scrimmages.
With 20 newcomers on the roster this season, the fall practice schedule has been important to the team. In addition, the two scrimmages with provide a chance for the team's newcomers to have their first experience of live game action at the Division I level.
In addition to the 20 newcomers, Houston returns 14 letterwinners from last season's squad that advanced to the Conference USA Championship title game.
Season ticket deposit forms for the 2012 season will be available for fans to secure their tickets for the upcoming season.
UH opens the 2012 season at 6:30 p.m., Feb. 17 against Delaware at Cougar Field. The weekend series will continue at 6:30 p.m., Feb. 18 and conclude on 1 p.m., Feb. 20.