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Preview: at UConn*
4/26/2018 12:00:00 AM | Softball
HOUSTON -- The University of Houston Softball team returns to American Athletic Conference play and closes the road portion of its 2018 schedule with a three-game series at UConn starting Friday.
| UP TO THE PLATE | ||
April 27-29 | • Houston (30-18, 8-7 The American) at UConn (18-30, 3-12 The American) Burrill Family Field | Storrs, Conn. | |
Coverage | Live Stats: , , Live Stream: Game 1, Game 2, Game 3 | |
SINGLES
• Houston, which is 30-18 overall and 8-7 in The American, is coming off a doubleheader split with No. 19/20 Baylor, falling 1-0 in nine innings and winning 4-3 on Tuesday night at Cougar Softball Stadium.
• 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 against Tulsa. 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, 214-128.
• Houston leads The American in hit by pitch (46), while senior left fielder Kaylin Crumpton holds the top individual mark with 20, tied for fifth 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 weekend, James is tied for the conference lead in doubles (12), also ranking second in hits (58), tied for third in walks (23) and seventh in batting average (.372). Queen is fifth in home runs (8) and walks (21), and sixth in slugging percentage (.577).
• In the circle, junior Savannah Heebner leads the Cougars with a 20-8 record and 1.17 ERA. Heebner's ERA leads The American and sits 20th in the NCAA, while her total wins rank third in the conference and tied for 18th nationally. On the season, she has tossed nine shutouts, a mark that is fifth in the nation. Heebner is also second in the league in opponent batting average (.204). Pitchers Presley Bell (4-3) and Trystan Melancon (6-7) have 2.14 and 2.90 ERAs, respectively. The staff carries a 1.83 ERA, a mark that leads The American and sits 18th 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 12-1 all-time against UConn and 5-1 in visits to Storrs, Conn.
• Last season, Houston set The American record with 22 runs scored in a 22-0, five-inning run rule on April 9, 2017, to sweep the series at Cougar Softball Stadium.
• The Huskies enter the weekend with an 18-30 overall record and 3-12 mark in The American. UConn's Wednesday game at UMass was cancelled due to inclement weather.
• The Huskies are hitting .219 as a team and hold a 3.24 ERA in the circle.
• Brianna Marcelino leads the team in batting average (.291), slugging percentage (.485) and doubles (11), while Olivia Sappington holds the top mark in home runs (6) and RBI (20).
• In the circle, Jill Stockley is 8-13 with a staff-best 2.69 ERA.
• UConn is led by fourth-year Head Coach Jen McIntyre. She is 72-129 at the helm.
• The Huskies were picked seventh in The American Preseason Coaches' Poll.
ON DECK
Following the series, the Cougars close the regular season with a three-game series against Memphis across May 4-6 at Cougar Softball Stadium. The series will serve as "Senior Weekend" with Houston recognizing seniors Crumpton, Mariah Garcia and De'Zha Scott.
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 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.
