April 26, 2013
| Houston (32-16, 14-4) at Memphis (22-32, 8-13) |
|---|
| When | Saturday - 1 & 3 p.m.
Sunday - 1 p.m. |
| Where | Memphis, Tenn.
Tigers Softball Complex |
| Online | Game 1  |
Game 2 |
Game 3 | |
| Social Media: |   |
| Game Notes | Houston | Memphis |
HOUSTON - The University of Houston softball team heads to Memphis (Tenn.) to take on the Tigers (22-32, 8-13) in their final away series of the year. Houston and Memphis square off in a doubleheader on Saturday starting at 1 p.m. with Sunday's finale beginning at 1 p.m. as well.
Houston (32-16, 14-4) is in second place in the Conference USA standings with just six games remaining until the conference tournament begins. The Cougars are looking for their sixth C-USA series win in seven tries this year as they take on the Tigers this weekend.
ON HOUSTON
The Cougars lead Conference USA in batting (.290) with three of the top seven batters in the league.
Holly Anderson (.372) leads the team and ranks second in conference while
Haley Outon (.364) and Katie St. Pierre (.353) rank third and seventh.
Outon also ranks first within the league in home runs (14), RBI (53), slugging (.791), on base (.509), total bases (102) and walks (38) and was named C-USA Hitter of the Week for the second consecutive time last week.
Shortstop Kendra Cullum leads the nation in hit by pitches (29) and sacrifice hits per game (0.41). Cullum maintains a .260 batting average but has leveraged her HBP and walks (23) for a second-best league on base percentage of .503. The junior also ranks first in runs score in C-USA with 41.
Junior Bailey Watts has received the bulk of the work in the circle for UH throwing 136.1 innings with a 16-5 ERA and 16-5 record. Diedre Outon (8-5, 3.23) and Summer Groholski (5-4, 3.08) have both made 12 starts this year.
ON MEMPHIS
Memphis (22-32, 8-13) is 9-9 at home this year and were swept at ECU last weekend in their most recent conference action. Memphis took a win from UT-Martin 4-3 on Wednesday evening.
Senior Morgan Mosby leads the Tigers batting .312 and slugging .405 in 51 games this year. The infielder also has the team lead for RBI with 25 and is tied with Kelly Braman with two home runs on the year.
Ellen Roberts leads the Tigers inside the circle with a 2.85 ERA and 13-21 record in 218.2 innings. Jordan Richwood is 8-10 with a 3.64 ERA in 18 starts.
ALL-TIME SERIES
Houston owns the lead with a 16-6 record against the Tigers. The Cougars have won three straight and eight of the last nine against Memphis.
LAST TIME OUT
Houston split their doubleheader with No. 14/21 Baylor on Tuesday in Waco (Texas) with a 5-3 win behind
Diedre Outon's arm following the 1-4 loss. The previous weekend Houston took a pair of games from Tulsa in walk-off fashion to win their fourth conference series of the year.
LOOKING AHEAD
Houston has only four games remaining after the Memphis series including hosting C-USA leader UAB (29-12, 16-2) at home next weekend. Houston needs a sweep to clinch the regular season conference crown.
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.
PRESEASON ALL CONFERENCE USA 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 Poll (1st place votes)
1. Tulsa (6)
2. Houston (1) 3. UCF
4. UAB
5. Marshall
6. East Carolina (1)
7. Memphis (1)
8. Southern Miss
9. UTEP
WALKING HALE
Y Last year slugger
Haley Outon received 14 bases on balls in 174 at bats while hitting 22 home runs (1 HR per 8 AB). This year, pitchers have steered clear of the cleanup hitter, giving out 38 walks while the junior has still maintained a similar home run per at bat ratio (1 HR per 9 AB).
Outon ranks No. 15 in the NCAA in walks per game (0.83).
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.
Every member of the team was named to the C-USA Commissioner's Honor Roll this year, including Bailey Watts who finished her degree in History last semester and is working on her masters in education.
HIT ME WITH YOUR BEST SHOT (FIRE AWAY)
Kendra Cullum leads the nation with 29 hit by pitches. The junior has bested her own school record of 21 that she set last year. Including her six hit by pitches at Kansas her freshman year, the Conroe (Texas) native ranks tied for No. 4 in NCAA history with 56 in her career.
WE'RE GOING STREAKING...NOT
Earlier this year, Houston traveled to BYU and swept their fellow Cougars to end BYU's 42-game home non-conference winning streak that dated back to 2006. Houston also ended Marshall's 14-game winning streak earlier this season, the longest stretch in the Herd's history. Last year, Houston ended Texas A&M's 34-game home winning streak in 2012 which at the time was the longest in the NCAA.
C-USA PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Haley Outon, C-USA Hitter of the Week (April 23, 2013)
Haley Outon, C-USA Hitter of the Week (April 15, 2013)
Holly Anderson, C-USA Hitter of the Week (March 11, 2013)
RPI
Houston ranks No. 42 in the most recent RPI.
RECORD WATCH
HOME RUNS - CAREER 1. Kristen Glowacz (2002-05) 47
2. Haley Outon (2011-) 41 3.
Melissa Gregson (2009-12) 38
Arelis Ferreris (2001-04) 38
5. Elaina Nordstrom (2006-09) 36
WALKS - SEASON
1. 42 - Klinkert - 2008
42 - Elaina Nordstrom - 2007
3. 41 - Kim Nesloney - 2005
4. 38 - Haley Outon- 2013
38 - Elaina Nordstrom - 2008
HIT BY PITCH - CAREER
1. 92 - Mariah Gearhart, Oklahoma St 2008-11
2. 67 - Myesha Finney, Auburn 2006-09
3. 62 Cheryl Wyrick, Liberty 2000-01
4. 56 Kendra Cullum, Kansas/Houston 2011-
56 Crystal Vieyra, Cal St. Fullerton 2005-08
GRAND SLAMMING
Haley Outon launched two grand slams against UTEP in UH's 10-7 win on April, 13 en route to establishing a new program record with eight RBI in the game. Outon was just the sixth player in NCAA history to accomplish that feat and was named the C-USA Hitter of the Week following her performance.
NOT SO FAST
Houston leads the conference with only 14 steals allowed this season despite UH playing four of the top six NCAA leaders in the category (Alabama, Marshall, Purdue, Texas). Houston has also faced No. 13 UCF, No. 14 Texas Southern, No. 22 Lipscomb, No. 24 Jackson State.
Haley Outon has thrown out seven potential base thieves this season.
RECORD ATTENDANCE
Cougar Softball Stadium set an attendance record of 1,793 against Alabama on March 27, 2013. The mark topped last year's record against Texas in Houston's 2012 Striking Out Breast Cancer Game of 1,785.
UP NEXT
Houston hosts UAB at home next weekend before closing out the regular season with Mississippi State on Monday.
