Riding a wave of momentum from the series sweep against Delaware, the Cougars will look to extend their three-game winning streak against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at 6:30 p.m. tonight at Cougar Field.
The offense surged over the weekend, scoring 32 runs and cranking out 33 hits. Freshman Price Jacobs and sophomore Landon Appling provided the power for the team, each hitting ball out of the park.
Through the first three games there have been quite a few standouts for the Cougars. Taylor White, who red-shirted due to injury last season, went 6-for-10 with a double, a triple and 2 RBI. Jacobs went 5-for-11, scoring five runs with 7 RBI.
“I thought it was a coming out party for White,” Whitting said. “He’s coming off surgery and hasn’t played a lot in the program. And Price Jacobs, a freshman, played like an upperclassman all weekend.”
UH will look to keep it going against a stingy Texas A&M-CC pitching staff that allowed only five runs over four games in their series win against the University of Nebraska-Omaha.
Taking the hill for the Islanders will be pitcher, Daniel Minor. Minor pitched two innings of relief work in the Islanders’ series win, allowing no runs, no hits and striking out four batters.
Left-handed pitcher Matt Hernandez will get the nod for the Cougars in the first ever meeting between the two schools. The transfer from Blinn College will also get his first start as a Cougar after a short relief appearance on Saturday versus Delaware.
Like the Cougars (3-0), Texas A&M-CC (3-1) comes into town on a winning track. The Islanders won their season opening series 3-1 against the University of Nebraska-Omaha.
Jamie Marek and Bobby Buckner lead the Islanders’ offensive attack. Through four games, Buckner is 4-for-10 with 4 RBI and three walks and Marek is 4-for-12 with a double and three walks.
The team, Whitting said, needs to remain focused and not take the Islanders to lightly.
“Coach Malone teams are very high energy,” Whitting said. “They will play as hard or harder than any team we’ll play all year. They’re building a program down there, so I expect them to come in here and be a tough opponent.
“I’m real anxious to see how our ball club responds against Corpus.”
