The Cougars will look to extend their four-game winning streak this weekend as they welcome Ole Miss to Cougar Field for a three-game series.
The Rebels come to town with a perfect 5-0 record and an offensive lineup and pitching staff that has been just as solid as the Cougars’ lineup with 34 runs and a 2.93 ERA.
Ole Miss went 39-24 (16-14 SEC) last season.
“Things will amp up a little bit this weekend,” head coach Todd Whitting said. “The competition level will definitely pick up and it’s something the team is really excited about.”
The last time UH (4-0) faced Ole Miss was in 1993 when the Rebels beat the Cougars 6-2. Coincidentally, 1993 was the last time the baseball team started the season with four wins in a row.
As young as the season is, the team has reasons to be optimistic. The pitching staff boasts a 2.25 ERA, the offense has outscored their opponents by a margin of 40-12 and they have committed only three errors.
“Timely hitting has been outstanding,” Whitting said. “One through nine in our order is getting it done.
“The main thing that I’m really pleased with is the energy level. The effort, the energy, the attitude. If you have the combination of those three things, you’re going to win a lot of games.”
Whitting credited Landon Appling for not only getting on base, but for the grit he has shown.
“It’s huge to have that kind of spark at the top of the lineup,” Whitting said. “He’s been a lead-off hitter extraordinaire to this point. The thing that people don’t notice is that he’s had a couple of hustle plays too. He does things that don’t show up in the box score and in the stats, but it really gets the team energized and going.”
The series opener is at 6:30 p.m. Friday. Game two will be Saturday at 7 p.m. and the series finale is Sunday at 1 p.m.
