University of Houston Athletics
University of Houston
Tulane
Preview: vs. Tulane*
5/9/2019 2:52:00 PM | Baseball
Cougars host Green Wave to close 2019 home slate; Senior Day on Sunday
HOUSTON -- The University of Houston Baseball team returns to American Athletic Conference play and closes its 2019 home slate hosting Tulane in a three-game series at Don Sanders Field at Darryl & Lori Schroeder Park beginning Friday.
Games on Friday and Saturday get underway at 6:30 p.m., while the Sunday finale is slated for 1 p.m. Gates open two hours prior to first pitch for every game.
Kids that wear their baseball uniform to any of the three games against the Green Wave will get free admission, while parents can buy tickets for $3. Sunday's game is also Fan Appreciation Day with kids 12 and under getting in for free and $3 tickets for everyone else.
Friday's game is presented by Houston Hilton Medical Center, while the University of Houston Alumni Association presents Sunday's action. On Saturday, both teams will wear gold laces to raise awareness for pediatric cancer in conjunction with the Go4theGoal Foundation.
UPDATE: The Cougars will host the Green Wave in a doubleheader starting at 3 p.m. Saturday with approximately 45 minutes between games before closing the series with a 2 p.m. match Sunday.
FRIDAY & SATURDAY PARKING
Fans coming to Don Sanders Field at Darryl & Lori Schroeder Park should be aware that gameday parking will be impacted on Friday and Saturday by campus graduation ceremonies in Fertitta Center as well the 2019 American Athletic Conference Softball Championship being held at Cougar Softball Stadium.
SUNDAY SENIOR DAY
Sunday's home finale marks "Senior Day" for the Cougars. Prior to first pitch, Houston will recognize seniors Nolan Bond, Joe Davis, Rey Fuentes III, Grayson Padgett and Ryan Randel on the field in a special ceremony.
UP TO THE PLATE
Houston (29-18, 9-9 The American) vs. Tulane (28-20, 10-7 The American)
May 10-12 | Don Sanders Field at Darryl & Lori Schroeder Park
G1: Live Stats | Live Stream | Live Audio
G2: Live Stats | Live Stream | Live Audio
G3: Live Stats | Live Stream | Live Audio
All-Time Series: Houston leads, 48-39
Complete Game Notes (PDF)
PROBABLE STARTING PITCHERS
Friday: Houston LHP Lael Lockhart Jr. (4-5, 3.03) vs. Tulane RHP Kaleb Roper (6-4, 4.54)
Saturday: Houston LHP Clay Aguilar (6-3, 2.96) vs. Tulane RHP Keagan Gillies (2-3, 7.57)
Sunday: Houston TBA vs. Tulane RHP Chase Solesky (5-2, 5.66)
SINGLES
• Houston, which is receiving votes in the latest NCBWA Top 30 poll, enters the weekend with a 29-18 overall record and 9-9 mark in The American.
• The Cougars are coming off a two-game series sweep of UNLV from over the weekend. Houston shutout the Rebels, 2-0, on Saturday before picking up a 9-2 win Sunday. Junior southpaw Lael Lockhart Jr. tossed seven and two-third innings in Saturday's shutout. On Sunday, junior third baseman Jared Triolo went 5-for-5 with five RBI, as the Cougars tied their season high with 17 hits as a team.
• Senior first baseman Joe Davis ranks second in The American and is tied for 15th in the nation in home runs (16). He is also fourth in the conference in RBI (50) and is fifth in slugging percentage (.618). The Austin native also leads the team in on-base percentage (.416) and walks (34), while junior third baseman Jared Triolo holds top marks in batting average (.319), hits (58), runs (35) and doubles (13).
• Davis was named to the Midseason Perfect Game/Rawlings All-America Second Team on April 3. The midseason honor is the first for the Cougars since D1Baseball and Perfect Game tabbed Jake Scheiner to the First Team in 2017.
• Junior right-hander Devon Roedahl leads The American and is tied for 35th in the country in wins (7), with all coming out of the bullpen. He is also second in the league in opponent batting average (.201) and tied for second in appearances (26), a mark which is tied for 22nd in the NCAA.
• Junior right-hander Fred Villarreal is tied for 10th in the nation in appearances (28) and is 18th outright in ERA (1.81), leading The American in both categories. He is also tied for second in the conference and tied for 31st nationally in saves (9) while sitting fourth the league in opponent batting average (.206).
• Villarreal co-led the nation with a 0.00 ERA through Houston's first 10 games. His streak without allowing an earned run to start the season ended at 13 and one-third innings with two runs surrendered against Rice on March 5.
• Senior designated hitter Rey Fuentes III was named to the Shriners Hospitals for Children College Classic All-Tournament Team on March 5. At the tournament, Fuentes III batted .300 with one double, one home run, one RBI and three runs scored. The homer, which came against Texas State on March 2, was the first of his career.
• Houston is batting .252 as a team and has a 3.56 ERA, compared to opponents' .232 average and 4.38 ERA. The Cougar pitching staff leads The American in opponent batting average, is second in ERA, tied for second in saves (14) and third outright in wins.
ON TULANE
• The Green Wave enters the series with a 28-20 overall record and 10-7 mark in The American.
• Tulane is coming off a 1-4 homestand and has lost its last three games, dropping the final two games of its series against UCF before falling 5-3 to Nicholls on Tuesday.
• Junior third baseman Kody Hoese, who was named to the Midseason Perfect Game/Rawlings All-America First Team, leads The American in batting average (.405), slugging percentage (.826), on-base percentage (.498), hits (79), home runs (21) and runs scored (61), Hoese is also tied for first in conference in doubles (19) and is second in RBI (55).
• Freshman right fielder Hurdson Haskin ranks second in league in batting average (.377), third in on-base percentage (.467) and fourth in slugging percentage (.641).
• The Green Wave, which finished 9-14 in conference play in 2018, was picked sixth in The American Preseason Poll entering the 2019 season.
• Tulane is batting .306 as a team and has a 5.66 ERA, compared to opponents' .260 average and 7.29 ERA.
THE AMERICAN STANDINGS
1. ECU, 16-2
2. Tulane, 10-7
3. Cincinnati, 11-10
4. Houston, 9-9
UConn, 9-9
6. Memphis, 8-9
7. UCF, 9-12
8. Wichita State, 6-12
9. USF, 5-13
Following the weekend, the Cougars, who are in the midst of six straight games in the Houston area, will face Rice in the Silver Glove Series finale on Tuesday in a 7:05 p.m. first pitch at Constellation Field in Sugar Land, Texas.
PARKING IN 2019
Gameday parking is offered in a different capacity than in prior years. Anyone entering Lot 16B (across the street from right field) will be subjected to paying a third party company employed by campus. This lot will no longer be an option for free parking on gamedays. All other lots surrounding the stadium will be free of charge two hours prior to first pitch.
STAY CONNECTED
Follow Houston Baseball on Twitter and Instagram at @UHCougarBB, and "Like" UHCougarBB on Facebook.
JOIN DUGOUT CLUB
Fans can help support the Houston Baseball program by joining the Dugout Club. To find out more information about the Dugout Club, visit UHCougarPride.com or call Cougar Pride at (713) 743-GoUH.
