The Cougars are experiencing a rough stretch, but they’re about to run into a team with similar misfortunes.
The Central Florida Golden Knights will make a stop this weekend at Cougar Field for a three-game Conference USA series, bringing a four-game losing streak with them. UCF (22-8, 2-4 C-USA) started the season by winning 19 of its first 20 games, but has cooled off considerably with seven losses in its last 10 games.
The Cougars, however, can’t afford to look past the Golden Knights, considering they have their own three-game losing streak to deal with.
"Central Florida has got a very good team," UH head coach Rayner Noble said. "They’ll come here and compete because they’re right in the middle of it, so we’ve got our hands full."
The Cougars (16-10, 2-1 C-USA) will send sophomore left-hander Wes Musick to the mound to start tonight’s game at 6:30 p.m. Musick has quickly settled in as the staff’s ace and has a 5-1 record and 2.72 ERA after six starts in seven appearances.
Musick, however, didn’t have a smooth outing in the Cougars’ 8-0 loss to San Diego State on March 29. He was roughed up for six runs (five earned) off seven hits in 3 2/3 innings, and that set the tone for the Cougars’ weekend, which ended in a three-game sweep.
"There were a lot of things that happened (last) weekend that I know guys couldn’t be satisfied with," Noble said. "The sign of a good ballplayer is one that plays with pride and doesn’t let things happen time and time again."
Junior right-hander Kyle Sweat (3-1, 3.86 ERA) is scheduled to take the mound for UCF. Like Musick, Sweat was also roughed up on his last start, surrendering six runs (five earned) in a 10-2 loss to East Carolina on Saturday.
From there, the Cougars will be fed with a steady diet of pitching from sophomore left-hander Mitch Houck (3-0, 3.41) on Saturday and probably junior-lefthander Mitch Herold (2-2, 4.03) on Sunday.
"Central Florida is an outstanding club and has good pitching," Noble said. "That’s one thing I noticed right off the bat with their stats, and anytime you’re facing a team that can pitch like they can, you’d better strap it on because they’re going to be tough."
After tinkering with his staff for much of the season, Noble has finally settled on a weekend rotation. Following Musick, freshman left-hander Ty Stuckey and sophomore left-hander Donnie Joseph will start on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.
The Cougars are still unsure whether they’ll have the services of junior third baseman Jimmy Cesario this weekend. Cesario sprained his right wrist in the Cougars 8-5 win over Rice on March 27 and had to leave the game. He also had to sit out the San Diego State series.
Cesario hopes to return to the lineup this weekend so he can help the Cougars rebound from the three-game sweep.
"It was definitely disappointing for us, but it’s one of those things where there’s no point in sitting there and looking back," Cesario said. "Learn from your mistakes and see what you can take into this conference weekend (series)."
