University of Houston Athletics
Preview: vs. UCF*
3/28/2018 12:00:00 AM | Softball
HOUSTON -- The University of Houston Softball team continues American Athletic Conference play with a three-game series against UCF starting Thursday at Cougar Softball Stadium.
Friday's game will be streamed via the American Digital Network on Facebook Live with Lincoln Rose on the call and 2012-15 Houston letterwinner Sydney Gerbracht providing analysis.
| UP TO THE PLATE | ||
March 29-31 | • Houston (21-10, 2-1 The American) vs. UCF* (22-12, 3-0 The American) Cougar Softball Stadium | |
Coverage | Live Stats: , , Live Stream: Game 1, Game 2 (American Digital Network), Game 3 | |
SERIES PROMOTIONS
Thursday: Student Appreciation Day | Free Pizza for First 50 Students
Friday: 90s Night
Saturday: Eastern Egg Hunt*
* The Easter Egg Hunt will take place following the game and is for kids 12 and under.
SINGLES
• Houston, which is 21-10 on the season and 2-1 in The American, is coming off a 2-1 series win at ECU over the weekend.
• After falling 3-2 in eight innings to open conference play, the Cougars rebounded with a doubleheader sweep on Saturday. Sophomore third baseman Sarah Queen went 5-for-5 between the two games with a double, home run, four walks, six RBI and three runs scored. In the first game, Queen tied her career high with a three-hit showing.
• For their efforts, both Queen and junior Savannah Heebner were named to The American Weekly Honor Roll. Queen led the Cougars with a .500/.813/.636 slash, going 8-for-16 with two doubles, one home run, six walks, six RBI and five runs scored. In the circle, Heebner went 3-1 on the week with a 0.88 ERA and 11 strikeouts across five appearances (three starts) and 24.0 innings pitched. She tossed three complete games, including a pair of shutouts with a one-hitter at Sam Houston State on Tuesday and two-hitter in the series finale at ECU on Saturday.
• On the season, the Cougars are outscoring the opposition, 153-78.
• Houston leads The American in hit by pitch (29), while Crumpton holds the top individual mark with 13, tied for fifth in the NCAA. Junior catcher Brooke Vannoy (6) and sophomore second baseman Arielle James (5) rank fourth and fifth in HBP, respectively.
• Entering the weekend, Queen is tied for third in The American in hits (39) and home runs (6), also ranking fifth in slugging percentage (.643) and sixth in batting average (.398). James, who is second on the team with a .358 batting average, is tied for second in the league in doubles (9) and sixth in hits (38). As a team, Houston is batting .294.
• In the circle, Heebner leads the Cougars with a 13-3 record and 0.81 ERA. Heebner's ERA leads The American and sits 13th in the NCAA, while her total wins rank third in the conference and 19th nationally. On the season, she has tossed six shutouts, a mark that ranks seventh in the nation. She also leads the league in opponent batting average (.178). Pitchers Presley Bell (3-3) and Trystan Melancon (5-4) have 2.32 and 2.40 ERAs, respectively. The staff carries a 1.59 ERA, a mark that leads the The American and sits 15th in the NCAA.
• Prior to the season, Houston was tabbed second in The American Preseason Coaches' Poll, garnering two first-place votes.
ON THE OPPONENT
• Houston is 18-19 all-time against UCF and 10-4 when hosting the Knights at Cougar Softball Stadium.
• Winners of four straight, UCF enters the weekend with a 22-12 overall record and 3-0 conference mark. The Knights are coming off an 8-0, five-inning run-rule of Bethune-Cookman on Tuesday.
• UCF is hitting .265 as a team and holds a 2.19 ERA in the circle.
• Denali Schappacher leads the Knights in batting average (.333), while Kaitlyn Jensen holds the top mark in home runs (6), RBI (16) and slugging percentage (.563). In the circle, Alea White leads the team with a 16-7 record and holds a 1.78 ERA. White, who was named The American Pitcher of the Week on Monday, threw all 21 innings in leading the team to the series sweep against Tulsa. Her three-straight starts in the series marked the first time a UCF pitcher started every game in a three-game series.
• The Knights are led by Head Coach Renee Luers-Gillispie, who is 613-393-1 in her 17th year at the helm. A 23-year coaching veteran, Luers-Gillispie is 817-569-3 all-time as a head coach.
• UCF was picked fourth in The American Preseason Coaches' Poll.
ON DECK
After the series, the Cougars will host Texas in the program's 12th Annual Striking Out Breast Cancer Game on Tuesday. First pitch is slated for 6:30 p.m. at Cougar Softball Stadium.
COUGAR SOFTBALL STADIUM UPGRADES
Thanks to a record year for the Diamond Club, Houston Softball announced the addition of an LED, Daktronics video board (completed) and indoor practice facility as major upgrades to Cougar Softball Stadium.
According to Daktronics, the new outfield video board will be the fifth largest at an on-campus softball stadium in the country and the largest in the state of Texas. The board, which will sit just beyond the left-field wall, will stand 29-feet-3.1-inches tall and measure 24-feet-4.0-inches wide with 576 square feet of space (24-feet by 24-feet) for live video, instant replays, statistics and scoring information, graphics and animations, and sponsor messages. The display features a 13HD pixel layout for crisp, clear imagery for a great view from every seat at the stadium.
The indoor facility, which will replace the current batting cage down the right-field line, will measure 70-feet by 80-feet. The 5,600-square-foot space will feature five batting cages, measuring 60-feet long by 15-feet wide each, with retractable nets for the space to be used in a variety of ways. The facility will have a synthetic turf floor and will be temperature controlled.
In total, the two capital projects represent $1.2 million in upgrades.
SHASTA PASS
The Houston Athletics Ticket Office is once again proud to offer the Shasta Pass for the 2017-18 season. For just $80, Cougar fans can purchase one Shasta Pass, which allows season-long general admission entrance to all Houston Volleyball, Soccer, Women's Basketball and Softball home games.
The Shasta Pass offers Houston fans a substantial saving as single-game tickets start at $5 for all four sports. To purchase a Shasta Pass, call 713-GO-COOGS or CLICK HERE.
STAY CONNECTED
Follow Houston Softball on Twitter and Instagram at UHCougarSB, and "Like" UHCougarSB on Facebook.
JOIN DIAMOND CLUB
Fans can help support the Houston Softball program by joining the Diamond Club. To find out more information about the Diamond Club, visit UHCougars.com or call Cougar Pride at (713) 743-GoUH. For more information, CLICK HERE.
