Preview: Baseball to Host UCF in American Series
4/7/2016 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
| #24 HOUSTON (17-11, 1-2) vs. UCF (17-14, 2-1) | |
| WEEKEND BREAKDOWN |
| LOCATION | Darryl & Lori Schroeder Park | Houston, Texas |
| GAMEDAY CENTRAL | GAMEDAY CENTRAL |
| LISTEN LIVE | UHCougars.com/baseradio |
| WATCH LIVE | UHCougars.com |
| GAMETRACKER | | | |
| SERIES HISTORY | Houston and UCF have met 41 previous times. |
| SERIES RECORD | Houston owns the all-time record, 24-17. |
| GAME NOTES | Game Notes |
HOUSTON â€" No. 24 Houston Baseball returns home this weekend to host its home conference opener as it welcomes in American Athletic Conference foe UCF to town for a three-game series beginning Friday at 6:30 p.m.
The weekend series will continue at 6:30 p.m. Saturday and wrap at 1 p.m. Sunday at Darryl & Lori Schroeder Park. The Cougars will enter the weekend series with a 17-11 overall record and a 1-2 mark in league play after dropping two games at East Carolina to open American play last weekend.
FOLLOW ALONG
Listen Live: UHCougars.com/baseradio
Watch Live: UHCougars.com
GAMEDAY Central: UHCougars.com/gameday
PROMOTIONS
Friday, April 8 - 6:30 p.m.
Friday Frenzy: $1 popcorn, $2 hot dogs, $3 sodas, $4 beers* (must be 21 years)
Saturday, April 9 - 6:30 p.m.
Saturday Bingo: Play Bingo, Win Prizes.
Sunday, April 10 - 1:00 p.m. â€" Bark at the Park â€" Presented by Fritz Kennel
First 250 dogs inside the park = Go Coogs! Doggy Bandana
There will be a table up front for people to sign a waiver for their dogs. Bandana will be there as well. Anyone who brings a dog will have to sit in the grassy areas and keep their dogs on a leash.
Sunday Kids Day: Kids Zone with inflatables, Kids Run the Bases, Postgame Autographs
ON DECK
Following the weekend series vs. UCF, the Cougars will take on Texas in Sugar Land, Texas at Constellation Field on Tuesday, April 12. First pitch is slated for 6:30 p.m.
For ticket information, visit sugarlandskeeters.com. This is not a UH home game.
HITS ON HOUSTON
The Cougars, ranked at No. 24, have been riding the efforts of their pithing staff, who continues to rank among the nation's Top 10 in several categories, including leading the nation in strikeout-to-walk ratio and walks allowed per nine innings.
The Cougars are coming off a tough 4-1 midweek loss on the road at McNeese State on Tuesday.
Houston's pitching staff owns a 2.38 ERA and has eight saves in 28 games. The Cougars have struck out 242 and walked just 53 in 246.0 innings, while holding opponents to a .212 average.
Leading the pitching staff is recently-named NCBWA National Pitcher of the Month for March sophomore Seth Romero, who is 4-1 with a 1.72 ERA. In 36.2 innings, he has struck out 45 and has one complete game and one combined shutout in six appearances and five starts.
Junior Andrew Lantrip holds the nation's best strikeout-to-walk ratio (16.00) and is 4-3 with a 1.95 ERA in seven starts. He has fanned 48 in 50.2 innings, while walking just three.
Freshman Mitch Ullom is coming off three impressive starts and is 4-1 with a 2.27 ERA in six appearances and five starts. He earned Houston's lone win on the mound at East Carolina, limiting the hot-hitting Pirates to just one run in the game.
Out of the bullpen, Houston has relied heavily on the work of junior Nick Hernandez, who owns the team-lead with five saves in 12 appearances. Junior Bubba Maxwell and freshman Trey Cumbie have made eight appearances, while freshmen Tanner Lawson has made seven.
Offensively, Houston is hitting .266 as a team and is slugging .387 with 20 home runs, 39 doubles and eight triples. The team is 37-of-45 on the base paths, led by sophomore Zac Taylor with 12.
Freshman Joe Davis paces the team with a solid .357 average with 40 hits and 31 RBI â€" sparked by six home runs.
Sophomore Connor Wong follows with a .333 average and a team-high 26 runs, while senior Michael Pyeatt is hitting .329.
ABOUT UCF
UCF will enter the weekend series with a 17-14 overall record and a 2-1 mark in American Athletic Conference play. The Knights are coming off a league series win over Tulane and a 5-0 midweek loss to Florida Atlantic.
UCF is hitting .265 as a team, while slugging .381 with 22 home runs, 48 doubles, and three triples. The Knights are 36-of-52 on the base paths and are fielding .977 with 28 errors in 31 games.
Leading the way offensively for UCF is Eli Putnam with a .337 average, while Ryan Crile is hitting .328 with a team-high 39 hits. Austin Griffin paces the team with 32 RBI and eight home runs.
UCF's pitching staff owns a 4.58 ERA and in 275.1 innings pitched has fanned 231 and walked 125. Opponents are hitting .251 against the Knights.
Houston will face Cre Finfrock on Friday, who is 2-2 with a 2.83 ERA in seven starts. He has fanned 52 hitters in 47.2 innings.
Saturday, the Cougars will see RHP Robby Howell, who paces the Knights with a 1.08 ERA and a 6-0 record in seven starts. He has fanned 32 in 50.0 innings thus far.
UCF relies on a handful of relievers, six of which have made more than 10 appearances this season. The Knights have just five saves on the year with LHP Harrison Hukari pacing the staff with two.
PROBABLE STARTERS
Friday, April 8
Houston: RHP Andrew Lantrip (1.95 ERA, 4-3)
UCF: RHP Cre Finfrock (2.83 ERA, 2-2)
Saturday, April 9
Houston: LHP Seth Romero (1.72 ERA, 4-1)
UCF: RHP Robby Howell (1.08 ERA, 6-0)
Sunday, April 10
Houston: TBA
UCF: TBA
SERIES HISTORY
Houston and UCF have met 41 previous times, dating back to 1990 when the two teams first met.
The Cougars own the all-time series, 24-17 and are 15-7 all-time at home vs. the Knights.
The two teams met in a weekend series in 2015 in Orlando with UCF earning a 2-1 series win. Houston took 2-of-3 in 2014 at the previous-Cougar Field.
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
BUY SEASON/ SINGLE-GAME / GROUP TICKETS
Houston Baseball has 20 remaining home games at Darryl & Lori Schroeder Park and fans can purchase season tickets for as low as $99 online by visiting UHCougars.com/tickets and following the appropriate links or by clicking here.
To purchase tickets in person, fans can 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.
Houston Baseball will offer variable pricing on its single-game tickets and group rates.
As noted in the table above, variable pricing occurs. For weekday (Tuesday/Wednesday) games, prices range from $5-$7 depending on the choice of seating.
Weekend ((Thursday) Friday-Sunday) online pricing will range from $6-$8 per game.
GROUP RATES
Group rates are also available (as noted in the table). Weekday (Tuesday/Wednesday) and Weekend ((Thursday) Friday-Sunday) pricing occurs. Groups of 10-24 are set at $4-$5 per person, while groups of 25+ are $3-$4 per person.
All UH main campus students are admitted FREE to regular-season baseball home games with a valid student ID.
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.
