PREVIEW: Houston Returns to Minute Maid Park

HOUSTON – The Houston baseball team returns to the 2024 Astros Foundation College Classic after a four-year hiatus from competing in Minute Maid Park when the Cougars face Texas State, #9 Vanderbilt and Louisiana Friday-Sunday.

2024 ASTROS FOUNDATION COLLEGE CLASSIC
Date \| Time	Friday, March 1 at 11 a.m. vs Texas State Saturday, March 2 at 11 a.m. vs #9 Vanderbilt Sunday, March 3 at 7 p.m. vs Louisiana
Opponents	Texas State (5-3) Vanderbilt (7-3) Louisiana (5-3)
Location	Minute Maid Park (Houston, Texas)
Watch	Space City Home Network, Astros.com, Astros X (Twitter)
Listen	The Varsity Network \| Lonnie King
Live Stats	UHStats.com
Game Notes	Houston \| Texas State \| Vanderbilt \| Louisiana
Media Center	Notes, media guide/record book, rosters, box scores, photos
Promotions	Check out all the fun at the ballpark

THE TOURNAMENT

Houston returns to the 2024 Astros Foundation College Classic for the first time since 2019.
The last time Houston and Vanderbilt played each other was in the 2018 installment of the tournament.
Houston played in the tournament every year from 2001 to 2016. Then again in 2018 and 2019.

QUICK HITTERS

The Cougars (6-2) have won 11 series in a row (three-game series).
Houston's 27 runs against Prairie View were the most since 1993 when the Cougars scored 27 against Illinois State.
The Cougars' 27 runs against Prairie View are tied for the second-most runs scored in a game in program history.
First baseman Justin Murray is currently on a 22-game hitting streak. matching Brett Cooley's 22-game hit streak back in 2002.
Murray and shortstop Jake Rainess were named NCBWA Preseason All-Americans. Murray was named Second Team Utility while Rainess was tabbed Third Team Shortstop.
Both Murray and Rainess reeled in top 50 position rankings by D1Baseball. Rainess was named the #13 shortstop in America (fourth in the Big 12) while Murray was tabbed the #22 first baseman.
JuCo transfer Jaxon Jelkin was tabbed a top 150 starting pitcher by D1Baseball – the third ranked JuCo transfer pitcher on the list.
Houston was picked to finish ninth in the Big 12 Conference in its inaugural season – picked to finish above the three other newcomers and Baylor.
Whitting elevated Ross Kivett to Associate Head Coach after leading the Cougars' offense to its best average (.290) since 2017 (.290), the most home runs (73) since 2000 (75), most RBI (391) and stolen bases (113) since 2008 (421 and 142).
Houston brought in SEC experienced coaches Sean Kenny (pitching) and Matt Reida (recruiting coordinator) to the 2024 staff. Kenny brings a wealth of experience from Georgia while Reida joins the Cougars from Alabama.
Cougar legend Woody Williams returns to Houston as the Director of Pitching Strategy and Development to work closely with pitching coach Sean Kenny in what head coach Whitting describes as his "best pitching staff on paper" during his 14-year tenure.
Andy Davis was hired as Director of Analytics after multiple years at Georgia with Assistant Coach Sean Kenny.

LAST TIME OUT

Houston gave up six unanswered runs over the sixth and seventh innings against UTSA after leading 7-2 on its way to an 8-7 loss to UTSA on Tuesday.
Second baseman Harold Coll and left fielder Ace Reese each drove in two runs during the game.

SERIES HISTORY
Houston record vs Texas State                   34-21
Last meeting                                                W, 8-7, 3/14/2021
Streak Houston, W1

Houston record vs Vanderbilt                     2-1
Last meeting L, 9-4, 3/4/2018
Streak Vanderbilt, W1

Houston record vs Louisiana                       40-16-1
Last meeting L, 10-0, 3/13/2022
Streak Louisiana, W1

BUY TICKETS
Don't miss any of the action, purchase your single-game tickets to any of the 34 Houston Cougar baseball games inside Schroeder Park by clicking here.

BUY FLEX PLAN
Can't make all 34 games this season? No problem, buy a flex plan and pick which games you want to attend in 2024 (excluding the Texas series April 12-14 – flex plan game selection begins in January).

SUPPORT THE COUGARS
Fans can make a direct impact on the success of Houston Baseball by purchasing season tickets, supporting LinkingCoogs – UH's very own NIL collective, and by joining the Dugout Club which provides financial support directly to Houston Baseball for needs beyond its operating budget.
 
STAY CONNECTED 
Fans can receive updates by following @UHCougarBB on X, formerly known as Twitter, and catch up with the latest news and notes on the team by clicking LIKE on the team's Facebook page at Houston Cougar Baseball. Fans can also follow the team on Instagram at @uhcougarbb.

– UHCougars.com –

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Harold Coll

Jaxon Jelkin

Justin Murray

Jake Rainess

Ace Reese

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