University of Houston Athletics
PREVIEW: Cougars to Compete in College Classic
3/4/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
| #8 HOUSTON (8-5) at HOUSTON COLLEGE CLASSIC | |
| SERIES BREAKDOWN |
| LOCATION | Houston, Texas - Minute Maid Park |
| TICKETS | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
| LISTEN LIVE | UHCougars.com/baseradio | ESPN Deportes |
| WATCH LIVE | ROOT Sports Southwest |
| GAMETRACKER | | | |
| CLASSIC HISTORY | UH is 19-23 in its 14 years playing in College Classic. |
| LAST TIME | Houston went 1-2 in 2014's College Classic. |
| GAME NOTES | Houston Notes |
| WEEKEND PITCHING ROTATION | |
7:05 PM - FRIDAY | Hou | RHP Andrew Lantrip (So., 3-0, 0.46) LSU | LHP Jared Poche' (So., 3-0, 1.96) |
| 7:05 PM - SATURDAY | Hou | RHP Jake Lemoine (Jr., 1-0, 3.38) TAMU | RHP Grayson Long (Jr., 2-0, 3.45) |
| 6:05 PM - SUNDAY | Hou | RHP Aaron Garza (Sr., 0-1, 5.94) HAW | TBA |
HOUSTON - For the 15th consecutive year, No. 8 Houston Baseball will take part in the Houston College Classic, hosted by the Astros, this weekend when it takes on No. 2 LSU at 7:05 p.m. Friday, No. 11 Texas A&M at 7:05 p.m. Saturday and Hawai'i at 6:05 p.m. Sunday at Minute Maid Park.
For all information regarding ticket prices, stadium information and more, visit www.astros.com/collegeclassic.
All ticket purchases will run through the Houston Astros Box Office, not the Houston Athletics Ticket Office.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Friday vs. LSU - 7:05 p.m.
TV: ROOT Sports SW - Alternate - LIVE (check your local listings) or CLICK HERE
Listen Live: UHCougars.com/baseradio with Matt Thomas on the call
Radio: ESPN Deportes 1180 AM
Live Stats:
GAMEDAY CENTRAL: UHCougars.com/gameday
Saturday vs. Texas A&M - 7:05 p.m.
TV: ROOT Sports SW - Tape Delayed - to air on 3/8 at 9 pm & 3/10 at 7 pm (check your local listings) or CLICK HERE
Listen Live: UHCougars.com/baseradio with Matt Thomas on the call
Radio: ESPN Deportes 1180 AM
Live Stats:
GAMEDAY CENTRAL: UHCougars.com/gameday
Sunday vs. Hawai'i - 6:05 p.m.
TV: ROOT Sports SW- LIVE (check your local listings) or CLICK HERE
Listen Live: UHCougars.com/baseradio
Radio: ESPN Deportes 1180 AM
Live Stats:
GAMEDAY CENTRAL: UHCougars.com/gameday
COUGARS IN THE COLLEGE CLASSIC
The College Classic is in its 15th straight year of existence and the Cougars are the only school that has participated in the annual event all 15 years with Rice playing in the last 14.
Over the past 14 years, Houston has posted an overall record of 19-23 and recorded seven wins over Top 30 teams and saw 25 players named to the All-Tournament team.
Last year, RHP Aaron Garza was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player after his seven-strikeout, shutout effort vs. Texas Tech a year ago. Current juniors Josh Vidales and Kyle Survance have each been named to the College Classic All-Tournament team over the last two years.
QUICK HITS ON No. 8 HOUSTON
Houston Baseball is looking to snap a two-game skid, which includes a 2-1 midweek loss to Houston Baptist on Tuesday. The Cougars are currently 8-5 on the year and will make their first trip away from Cougar Field on a weekend this season.
OFFENSIVE OUTLOOK
In Houston's 13 games, the Cougars are hitting .277, led by Chris Iriart's .348 average. The junior college transfer paces the team with three homeruns and a lofty .587 slugging percentage.
Following Iriart in average is junior Kyle Survance with a .333 clip and a conference-leading 11 stolen bases. Survance leads the team with 18 hits, while freshman Connor Wong is hitting .321 with 17 hits and a team-high 14 RBI in his debut season.
Having reached base in all 12 games played, junior Josh Vidales is hitting .318 and has notched 10 walks for a .464 on-base percentage for the Cougars, while freshman Zac Taylor paces the conference with 15 runs scored.
As a team, the Cougars have notched 85 free passes with 65 coming in walks and 20 in hit-by-pitches, while swiping 21-of-24 on the base paths.
ON THE BUMP
On the bump, the Cougars are paced by a strong sophomore start to Andrew Lantrip's season as the right-hander is 3-0 in his first three Friday starts and owns a team-best 0.46 ERA. In 19.2 innings, he has fanned 16 and allowed just one run. Lantrip was once again honored by the American Athletic Conference for the third straight week, being named to this week's Honor Roll.
Weekend starter Jake Lemoine is 1-0 with a 3.38 ERA and in 16.0 innings pitched, he has fanned 12, while senior Aaron Garza is 0-1 with a 5.94 ERA with 10 strikeouts in 16.2 innings.
Out of the pen, Houston has relied heavily on the arms of junior Kyle Dowdy (0-0, 2.57) and freshman Seth Romero (0-1, 4.50), each tallying a team-leading five appearances through the first 13 games. Romero paces the team with three saves in his five apperances.
As a pitching staff, the Cougars own a 3.22 ERA with four saves and in 120.0 innings pitched, Houston has fanned 86 and walked 31.
QUICK HITS ON No. 2 LSU
LSU, currently ranked as high as No. 2 in the nation, is scheduled to play Grambling State on Wednesday evening prior to the matchup vs. Houston on Friday evening. The Tigers are currently 11-1 on the year with their only loss coming in midweek fall to Nicholls State at Alex Box Stadium. Since then, LSU has won eight straight.
OFFENSIVE OUTLOOK
The LSU offense is hitting .335 with a slugging percentage of .500 through the first 12 games. The Tigers have eight players hitting above the .300 mark, led by Kade Scivicque's .423 average, three homeruns and a .846 slugging percentage. Following him and leading the team with 19 hits and 14 runs scored is Mark Laird, hitting .396.
As a team, the Tigers have drawn 46 walks and swiped 23-of-27 on the base paths, while notching a .960 fielding percentage, totaling 18 errors.
ON THE BUMP
LSU will start LHP Jared Poche' on Friday vs. Houston. He is 3-0 with a 1.96 ERA. In 18.1 innings, he has fanned 13 and walked five, while holding opponents to a .214 average.
Out of the pen, RHP Jesse Stallings leads the team with five saves in five appearances, while LHP Zac Person paces the team with seven appearances.
The Tigers' pitching staff owns a 2.42 ERA with five saves in 12 games. LSU pitching has fanned 114 hitters and walked just 45.
SERIES HISTORY
- Houston and LSU will meet for the 44th time in program history on Friday.
- The Cougars lead the all-time series, 23-20 and have won the last two meetings.
- Last Meeting: June 2, 2014 - Houston 12, LSU 2 - Baton Rouge Regional - Alex Box Stadium
PROBABLE PITCHING ROTATION
Friday, March 6 - 7:05 p.m. vs. LSU
Houston: RHP Andrew Lantrip (0.46 ERA, 3-0)
LSU: LHP Jared Poche' (1.96 ERA, 3-0)
QUICK HITS ON No. 11 TEXAS A&M
Texas A&M has risen in the national polls, while remaining as one of the few unbeaten teams in the nation, with a 13-0 record heading into the weekend tournament. The Aggies will face Nebraska on Friday prior to meeting Houston on Saturday.
OFFENSIVE OUTLOOK
Texas A&M is hitting .342 as a team and have three players hitting over .400, led by Mitchell Nau's .450 average and seven doubles. Nick Banks' .444 average follows as he paces the team with 20 hits and 14 RBI.
The team is slugging .540 with 17 homeruns, 27 doubles and four triples, while swiping 11-of-16 on the base paths.
ON THE BUMP
Texas A&M's pitching staff owns a 1.85 ERA with five saves and in 117.0 innings pitched, the Aggies have fanned 118 and walked just 26. Houston will face RHP Grayson Long, who owns a 3.45 ERA and a 2-0 record in three starts. In 15.2 innings pitched, the right-hander has fanned 12 and walked eight.
Out of the pen, the Aggies have relied on RHP Ryan Hendrix, who has three saves in a team-high five appearances.
SERIES HISTORY
- Houston and Texas A&M will continue its storied tradition, playing in its 168th meeting all-time.
- The series dates back to 1949 and the two teams have met twice in the College Classic.
- Last Meeting: April 1, 2014 - Houston 10, Texas A&M 8 - College Station, Texas
PROBABLE PITCHING ROTATION
Saturday, March 7 - 7:05 p.m. vs. Texas A&M
Houston: RHP Jake Lemoine (3.38 ERA, 1-0)
Texas A&M: RHP Grayson Long (3.45 ERA, 2-0)
QUICK HITS ON HAWAI'I
Hawai'i will play in the Houston College Classic for the first time in history and the Rainbow Warriors enter the weekend tournament with a 5-8 record, coming off three straight losses to Pepperdine. Prior to meeting Houston on Sunday, Hawai'i will play Baylor on Friday and Nebraska on Saturday.
OFFENSIVE OUTLOOK
Hawai'i is hitting .237 as a team and slugging .325 with six homeruns on the year. Leading the charge is Eric Ramirez leads the Warriors with a .386 average, 17 hits and 11 RBI, while Kaeo Aliviado has 13 hits on the year and team-best 11 runs scored, accompanying a .265 average.
As a team, Hawai'i has walked 44 times, struck out 80 times and is fielding .966 with 16 errors on the year.
ON THE BUMP
Hawai'i has not announced its starting pitcher for its game vs. Houston. The Rainbow Warriors will start RHP LJ Brewster (1.86 ERA, 2-1) on Friday and RHP Tyler Brashears (4.67 ERA, 2-1) on Saturday with Sunday still set for TBA.
Other Warriors making starts this season have been RHP Kyle Von Ruden (2.20 ERA, 1-1), LHP Quintin Torres-Costa (10.22 ERA, 0-2), while RHP Cody Culp (3.72 ERA, 2 SV).
SERIES HISTORY
- Houston and Hawai'i will meet for the first time in program history on Sunday.
PROBABLE PITCHING ROTATION
Sunday, March 8 - 6:05 p.m. vs. Hawai'i
Houston: RHP Aaron Garza (5.94 ERA, 0-1)
Hawai'i: TBA
UP NEXT
Following the Houston College Classic, the Cougars will take on Sam Houston State in a midweek game on Tuesday, March 10 in Huntsville, Texas at 6:30 p.m. before returning to Cougar Field for a three-game weekend series vs. Buffalo (March 13-15).
SINGLE-GAME TICKETS
With 31 home games set for 2015 at Cougar Field and a Top 10 nationally-ranked preseason program representing the University of Houston, the Cougars are proud to announce that single-game tickets are now on sale at UHCougars.com/Basetickets.
Along with the online option, fans can purchase tickets by visiting the Athletics Ticket Office at TDECU Stadium Monday through Friday, 10 a.m., to 5:30 p.m. or can call 713-GO-COOGS.
Houston Baseball will offer variable pricing on its single-game tickets and group rates.
For the first time ever, the pricing breakdown will be determined whether or not you purchase your single-game tickets online vs. at the gate the day of the game as well as whether the Cougars play on a weekday (Monday-Thursday) or weekend (Friday-Sunday).
| 2015 Houston Baseball Single-Game Ticket Prices | ||||
| Weekday | Weekend | Weekday Walk-Up | Weekend Walk-Up | |
| Reserved 1 | $7 | $8 | $9 | $10 |
| Reserved 2 | $6 | $7 | $8 | $9 |
| GA | $5 | $6 | $7 | $8 |
| 2015 Houston Baseball Group Rates | ||||
| Weekday | Weekend | |||
| 10-24 | $4 | $5 | ||
| 25+ | $3 | $4 | ||
Weekday: Monday-Thursday; Weekend: Friday-Sunday.
As noted in the table, variable pricing occurs. For weekday (Tuesday nights) online purchases, fans can take in a game, ranging from $5-$7 depending on the choice of seating. If you choose to purchase the day of the game as a Weekday Walk-Up, you will pay roughly $2 more than the online price ($7-$9).
Weekend (Friday-Sunday) online pricing will range from $6-$8 per game, while Weekend Walk-Up pricing the day of the game will run a fan anywhere from $8-$10.
GROUP RATES
Group rates are also available (as noted in the table). Weekday (Tuesday) and Weekend (Friday-Sunday) pricing occurs. Groups of 10-24 are set at $4-$5 per person, while groups of 25+ are $3-$4 per person.
With single-game tickets available now, Houston Baseball still encourages supporters to become Season Ticket members and enjoy the attractive pricing and rewards that come with up-front purchasing for the entire 2015 season.
WHY ARE SEASON TICKETS MORE ATTRACTIVE?
Season Tickets are as low as $99 for general admission seating and the program offers an Anytime Tickets package that allows fans to use the 31 tickets how they choose (1 per game, multiple per game or all in one game). The Anytime Tickets are only available in general admission seating.
For just $200, you can enjoy reserved chairback seating on the lower level of the concourse at the stadium.
A new additional "Reserved 2" seating option for the 2015 season is also available with an assigned seat in sections 200, 201 and 202 for $150.
If you breakdown the season ticket pricing of $99 General Admission, the pricing of $150 for Reserved 2 or even the pricing of $200 for Reserved 1 (chairback), you are spending less money per game than purchasing single-game tickets.
HOW TO PURCHASE
To purchase tickets in advance, fans must visit the Athletics Ticket Stadium Office located on the northeast corner of TDECU Stadium, just outside of Gate 1 off Cullen Boulevard. Parking is available in the TDECU Stadium parking garage with the first 30 minutes free of charge. Regular business hours are Monday through Friday, 10 a.m., to 5:30 p.m. or you can call 713-GO-COOGS.
JOIN THE DUGOUT CLUB
Nationally-ranked Houston Baseball would like to encourage those wishing to support the efforts and success of the baseball student-athletes to consider joining the Dugout Club for as low as $25 a month or $300 annually.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION
LEVELS
PINCH HITTER
For a minimum monthly installment of $25 or a minimum one-time gift of $300, supporters can take advantage of the Pinch Hitter level, which will guarantee an invitation for two to exclusive Dugout Club events and Houston Baseball team apparel.
DIAMOND
For a minimum monthly installment of $100 or a minimum one-time gift of $1,000, supporters can take advantage of the Diamond level, which will guarantee batting practice passes for two to any home game, invitation for two to exclusive Dugout Club events and Houston Baseball apparel.
**Cougar Pride points will be applied accordingly.
For more information on joining the Dugout Club, please contact the Houston Baseball office at (713) 743-9396.
For more information regarding Cougar Pride, please call (713) 743-GOUH.
STAY CONNECTED
Stay up to date with all Houston Baseball news and highlights by following us on Twitter @UHCougarBB or on Facebook at /HoustonCougarBaseball. Fans can also follow head coach Todd Whitting @toddwhitting on Twitter.
