The distinct sound of baseballs making contact with aluminum bats will return to Cougar Field this weekend as UH opens its season with a three-game homestand against UT-Arlington at 6:30 p.m. Friday.
“Just like us, they’ll be extremely excited about opening day,” head coach Todd Whitting said. “I’m looking forward to a great series”
Whitting is familiar with this UT-Arlington squad after spending seven seasons as an assistant at TCU.
“Being in Fort Worth, we played them twice a year,” Whitting said. “Coach Thomas will come in here with a very competitive ball club.”
Both teams are coming off of sub-.500 seasons and are looking to bounce back.
Whitting has pegged junior Codey Morehouse as his opening-day starter. Morehouse appeared in 14 games last season, pitching 18 innings to a 9.50 ERA with 34 baserunners allowed.
“We’re a little limited as far as depth goes, especially in the pitching staff,” Whitting said. “But limitations in depth give opportunities to guys to perform.”
One of the new faces in the Cougars lineup will be shortstop Chase Jensen, who takes over for the departed Blake Kelso.
“Chase is a tremendous shortstop,” Whitting said. “He has had a good year in practice so far.”
The Cougars hold a 5-1 all-time series lead over the Mavericks and defeated them the last time they met 8-3 in 2007.
The Cougars will play again at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday and wrap up the series with a 1 p.m. Sunday showdown.
