University of Houston Athletics
Preview: vs. No. 21/21 Baylor, Tuesday
4/23/2018 12:00:00 AM | Softball
HOUSTON -- The University of Houston Softball team closes its eight-game homestand with a doubleheader against No. 21/21 Baylor starting at 4 p.m. on Tuesday at Cougar Softball Stadium.
| UP TO THE PLATE | ||
Tuesday, April 23 | • 4/6:30 p.m. | Houston vs. No. 21/21 Baylor Cougar Softball Stadium | |
Coverage | Live Stats: , Live Stream: Game 1, Game 2 | |
TUESDAY PROMOTION
80s Night
SINGLES
• Houston, which is 29-17 overall and 8-7 in The American, is coming off a 2-1 series win over Tulsa over weekend. The Cougars won the first two games, 2-0 and 3-2, before falling 7-2 in the series finale.
• Last week, sophomore third baseman Sarah Queen led the Cougars with a .500/1.375/.600 slash, going 4-for-8 with two home runs, one double, two walks, four RBI, two runs and one stolen base across the series. Her home runs were her team-leading seventh and eighth of the season. For her efforts, she was named to The American Weekly Honor Roll.
• On the season, the Cougars are outscoring the opposition, 210-124.
• Houston leads The American in hit by pitch (45), while senior left fielder Kaylin Crumpton holds the top individual mark with 19, tied for fourth in the NCAA. Sophomore second baseman Arielle James (13) and junior catcher Brooke Vannoy (6) rank second and tied for sixth in HBP in the conference, respectively.
• Entering the week, James is tied for the conference lead in doubles (12) and tied for second in hits (57), also ranking sixth in batting average (.380). Queen is fifth in both home runs (8) and slugging percentage (.585), while she and James are tied for fourth in The American in walks (21).
• In the circle, junior Savannah Heebner leads the Cougars with a 19-8 record and 1.09 ERA. Heebner's ERA leads The American and sits 18th in the NCAA, while her total wins rank third in the conference and tied for 21st nationally. On the season, she has tossed nine shutouts, a mark that is fifth in the nation. Heebner also leads the league in opponent batting average (.200). Pitchers Presley Bell (4-3) and Trystan Melancon (6-6) have 2.14 and 3.11 ERAs, respectively. The staff carries a 1.83 ERA, a mark that leads The American and sits 19th in the NCAA.
ON THE OPPONENT
• Houston is 11-18 all-time against Baylor and 8-9 when hosting the Lady Bears at Cougar Softball Stadium.
• The two teams squared off last season in Waco, Texas, but the game was halted due to weather and ruled a no contest.
• Baylor enters the midweek tilt with a 29-13 overall record and 7-6 mark in Big 12 play. The Lady Bears are on a four-game winning streak and are coming off a weekend series sweep of Kansas.
• Baylor ranks 15th in the nation with a .320 team batting average and holds a 2.50 ERA in the circle.
• Jessica Scroggins ranks seventh in the nation in batting average (.468) and eighth in hits (65). Goose McGlaun leads the team in home runs (11), slugging percentage (.672) and RBI (38).
• In the circle, Gia Rodoni is 17-9 with a 2.15 ERA. Rodoni leads the Big 12 and ranks 14th in the nation with 206 strikeouts. She is the reigning Big 12 Pitcher of the Week.
• Baylor is led by Head Coach Glenn Moore, who is 729-336 in his 18th season at the helm. A 21-year coaching veteran, Moore is 863-383 all-time as a head coach.
ON DECK
Following the doubleheader, the Cougars return to play in The American with a three-game series at UConn starting Friday.
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 is the fifth largest at an on-campus softball stadium in the country and the largest in the state of Texas. The board, which sits just beyond the left-field wall, stands 29-feet-3.1-inches tall and measures 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.
