Softball Faces BYU

March 29, 2013

Houston (19-10) at BYU
When:	Friday - 7 p.m. (CST) Saturday - 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.
Where:	Provo, Utah
Online	Friday: Live Stats Saturday (1): Live Stats Saturday (2): Live Stats
Social Media:
TV	BYUtv (Saturday's games)

HOUSTON - It's a Cougar showdown as the University of Houston travels to BYU to face their Cougars for a three-game series this weekend. The two teams play once Friday at 7 p.m. and play a doubleheader Saturday starting at 2 p.m.

LAST TIME OUT

Houston fell 6-3 to No. 4 Alabama in front of a Cougar Softball Stadium record-crowd of 1,793 on Wednesday. Alabama's (30-4) Jackie Traina hit two two-run homers in the game including one in the sixth inning to help the Crimson Tide pull away. Houston was tied 3-3 through the first five innings against the reigning national champions before Train's bomb pushed the game in favor of the visitors.

ON HOUSTON

Houston is 11-4 in their last 15 games and have started out 8-1 in conference action during that stretch, tying for their second best start to C-USA play in school history.

Freshman Katie St. Pierre has gotten into the swing of things as evidenced by her current 15-game hitting streak. Her average dipped to a season-low of .257 on March 1 before the streak started, and she's climbed all the way back to the top of the league leaders with her .375 clip. She has hit .486 during the stretch (18-for-37) and ranks No. 4 in the C-USA with her average, first among freshman.

St. Pierre trails Holly Anderson (.394) for the team lead in the category and C-USA Preseason Player of the Year, Haley Outon, isn't far behind either at .369. Outon has reached base safely in 23 straight games but has been avoided by opposing pitchers with a walk in 13 straight games, including 21 walks during that stretch while she's only recorded 23 official at bats.

Bailey Watts (11-2) has been aces for the Cougars inside the circle lately improving her record to 11-2 on the year and victorious in her last seven games as the pitcher on record. During her last 32.2 innings, Watts has allowed only three runs with 27 strikeouts.

ON BYU

BYU enters the weekend with a 14-15 record and 4-0 in Pacific Coast Softball League. The Cougars have won five straight including a sweep over conference foes San Diego last weekend, outscoring USD 19-2 in the four-game series.

Four batters are hitting over the four-hundred mark for BYU led by JC Clayton at .419. Clayton has the team-lead in hits (44) and runs (23). Katie Manuma has supplied over half the homeruns for BYU with five of the eight long balls on the year. Manuma has the team lead in RBI with 26. As a team, BYU has been effective on the base paths with 42-of-48 steals successful and Lacey Millett leads the team with a 12-for-13 mark.

Manuma also leads the pitching staff with a 1.47 ERA however Tori Almond (6-3) and Hannah Howell (5-10) have more starts and innings pitched. Howell has 75 strike outs in 98 innings and Almond has chipped in 67 K's in just over 62 innings.

ALL-TIME SERIES

Houston is 3-1 against BYU all-time and UH won the last time these teams met in 2011 (4-0).

FOLLOW THE COOGS

Follow along with Houston Cougar Softball this season on Facebook (HoustonCougarSoftball), Twitter (@UHCougarSB) and Instagram (houstoncougars). Stay tuned to UHCougars.com for live stats and news on the program.

WHERE TO WATCH

Friday's game will be broadcast on BYU Radio-Sirius (XM 143) and Saturday's doubleheader will be televised on BYUtv.

RPI

Houston ranks No. 44 in the first RPI release of the 2013 season.

2013 PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM

Haley Outon - Preseason Player of the Year, Preseason First Team (C)
Holly Anderson - Preseason First Team (IF)
Reina Gaber - Preseason First Team (DP)

2013 C-USA Preseason Pol

1. Tulsa (6)
2. Houston (1)
3. UCF
4. UAB
5. MAR
6. East Carolina (1)
7. Memphis (1)
8. Southern Miss
9. UTEP

2013 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Watch List

Haley Outon was one of 50 student-athletes named to the ASA/USA Softball watch list for Player of the Year honors. The Pflugerville (Texas) native was one of four catchers and the only player from C-USA named to the watch list.

CONFERENCE LEADERS

Houston holds the second highest team batting average in C-USA with a .285 clip and the highest on base average at .390. The UH pitching staff is doing their part as well ranking No. 3 among the league with an ERA of 2.17.

The trio of Holly Anderson (.389), Katie St. Pierre (.375) and Haley Outon (.369) give Houston three of the top six hitters in the league. Outon ranks first in slugging (.815), on base (.560) by over 100 points in each category. She also paces her conference competition in home runs (8) and walks (29).

Bailey Watts' 1.66 ERA ranks as the fourth-lowest among qualified pitchers.

NCAA LEADERS

Houston has two hitters ranking in the tops in two free passes categories - Haley Outon ranks No. 5 in the walks per game (1.04) and Kendra Cullum is No. 4 in hit by pitches per game (0.50). Outon checks in at No. 16 in on base percentage (.560)

START ME UP

Haley Outon (C), Katie St. Pierre (CF), Reina Gaber (RF) and Holly Anderson (3B/2B) are the only starters for UH who yet to miss a start for the Cougars this year. The first three have manned their positions and fielded every inning for UH this year while Anderson has made two starts at second and played two innings at short stop.

RECORD GRADES

The current class of Houston Cougar softball members has increased the team's record GPA each semester since they arrive to campus and the incoming freshman class in the fall only added to that. Thirteen teammates made school honor roll while the team posted a 3.43 cumulative GPA and a 3.59 semester average.

Houston was bestowed with the 2012 Conference USA Sport Academic Award for the highest GPA in the conference as 18 members of the team made Commissioner's Honor Roll.

SCHOOL RECORD WATCH

Most doubles 1. 53 - Kristen Glowacz - 2002-05
2. 35 - Laurie Wagner - 2006-09
3. 34 - Reina Gaber - 2010-13
34 - Laura Durham - 2001-04,06
5. 33 - Arelis Ferreris - 2001-04

Most home runs
1. 47 - Kristen Glowacz - 2002-05
2. 38 - Melissa Gregson - 2009-12
38 - Arelis Ferreris - 2001-04
4. 36 - Elaina Nordstrom - 2006-09
5. 35 - Haley Outon - 2011-13

Most times hit by pitch
1. 36 - Christa Raley - 2005-09
2. 35 - Kendra Cullum - 2012-13
3. 15 - Laurie Wagner - 2006-09
4. 11 - Laura Durham - 2001-04,06
5. 10 - Ashleigh Jones - 2010-12

Most wins
1. 94 - Angel Shamblin (94-33) - 2005-08
2. 47 - Jamie Falco (47-37) - 2001-04
47 - Jenny Johnson (47-38) - 2001-04
4. 40 - Amanda Crabtree (40-29) - 2009-11
40 - Bailey Watts (40-23) - 2010-13

Upcoming Events

Recent Results

Players Mentioned

Holly Anderson

Kendra Cullum

Reina Gaber

Melissa Gregson

Ashleigh Jones

Haley Outon

Katie Pierre

Bailey Watts

Upcoming Events

Recent Results

University of Houston Athletics