Coming off a perfect 8-0 homestand, the Coogs head across town to face Rice in the first game of the Silver Glove Series. UH is playing with great confidence right now and the pitching staff has been on fire. The Coogs have allowed just 8 runs in the last 6 games. First pitch tonight is 6:30.
70 years ago, the Coogs played their first game against Rice. UH won the only meeting in 1948, 10-5, and went on to win both games in 1949. The series didn’t pick up again until 1972 when the Coogs won 3 of 4.
The Silver Glove Series was created in 1998 and sponsored by Sterling Bank. UH won the first game but lost the next 4 (Silver Glove was a five-game series most years until 2012). The Coogs have won the Silver Glove just 3 times in 20 years (with a 2-2 tie in 2015). From 2009 til 2012, the Cougars lost 16 in a row in the series and 21 of 22. UH is 8-5 in the series since 2014.
Coogs jumped 25 spots in the RPI this week but still are flat at 139. A normally good schedule is killing us – we’ve played the RPI game very well but San Diego has disappointed, Fullerton was a CWS team last year but they’re under .500 currently, Mississippi State is down after a coaching change in-season rocked the program. Even tonight’s opponent Rice is 135 in the RPI as they struggle with a 10-16 record.
Jared Triolo was named AAC hitter of the week yesterday while Aaron Fletcher was named pitcher of the week. Trey Cumbie would have been POTW had Fletcher not one-upped him a day later.