Tough teams await UH at Classic

The Cougars will have a change of scenery this weekend in the 11th annual Houston College Classic at Minute Maid Park.

UH (5-3) has lost three of its last four, after a 7-6 loss to UTSA on Tuesday.

The team will have to bring its A game this weekend as two of the three teams they will play are ranked in the top 20. Kentucky is unranked, but No. 16 Baylor and No. 20 Texas A&M are the first ranked opponents UH has faced this season.

“We’re going to do what we’ve been doing since the fall,” Whitting said. “I don’t deviate based on our opponent.”

Whitting said that the team is better than its record indicates.

“Right now we’re 5-3,” Whitting said.

“If you really look at what’s going on, we’re three or four hits away from being undefeated.”

The two other teams competing in the Classic are No. 21 Rice (6-4) and Utah (0-5).

The Cougars will play Baylor (4-4) in the opening game of the Classic at noon Friday.

The teams last faced each other in 2009, when Baylor edged out UH 3-2. Last season, Baylor went 36-24 (12-13 Big 12).

The Cougars will play against the Wildcats (4-4) at 3:30 p.m. Saturday.

The Cougars will wrap up the Classic at 6 p.m. on Sunday with a game against Texas A&M (8-1). The Aggies beat the Cougars 12-3 in last season’s meeting. Texas A&M went 43-21 (14-12 Big 12) last season.