Student Publications
University of Houston
151C Communications Bldg
Houston, TX 77204-4015
713.743.5350

©1991-2007
Student Publications,
All rights reserved.

Last modified:

Contact:
ktruitt@uh.edu

Sports

Lincoln ready for a return to form

Houston's leader on the mound, at the plate looks to shake slump

by Ronnie Turner
The Daily Cougar

Bottom of the ninth. Runners on second and third. Two outs. 

This was the scenario the UH baseball team faced when junior designated hitter junior Brad Lincoln strolled to the plate with the Cougars trailing Texas A&M 3-2 on Tuesday night at Cougar Field. A hit from Lincoln, the team's top slugger, would win the game for UH.

Aggie junior relief pitcher Jason Meyer came right after Lincoln. Meyer left a 1-2 pitch over the plate that Lincoln would normally have launched out of the ballpark. Alas, Lincoln was battling a 1-for-18 slump at the time ? he didn't quite get the barrel of the bat on the ball, lifting a deep fly ball to right field to record the final out of the game. 

"I really wanted that at-bat back," Lincoln said. "We had made a good comeback, and for it to end that way was heartbreaking, especially against A&M. We really wanted to beat those guys (because) they come in and give us a good game every year."

Lincoln has definitely seen better days in his time as a Cougar, and he will almost certainly see better ones before he leaves UH. A right-handed pitcher who also plays first base and designated hitter, the 6-0, 200-pound Lincoln has the size and skills to be a major leaguer. 

Before the season started, Lincoln was one of 40 players named to the 2006 Roger Clemens Award Preliminary Watch List that highlights the best collegiate pitchers in the nation. 

And because he is nearing the completion of his third collegiate season, he'll be eligible to enter his name in this year's Major League Baseball draft. Lincoln knows MLB scouts will be watching his progress this season with interest, but at the moment, that's the least of his worries. 

"I'm not really thinking about that right now," Lincoln said. "Right now, I'm pitching for the University of Houston. Once I get drafted, I'll be pitching for some other team, but right now I'm focusing on this."

The Cougars (13-12) are in the quest for an appearance in the NCAA baseball tournament, and if they are successful, it would be UH's first trip to the postseason since 2003 and the first of Lincoln's career. So far, he has done his part, both on the mound and at the plate. Lincoln the Cougars top pitcher with a 4-1 record and 2.17 ERA with 63 strikeouts, and despite his slump at the plate, he has a .269 batting average with a team-leading three home runs and 22 RBIs.

The Cougars are mired in an offensive struggle, but Lincoln believes the team will come around once he snaps out of his funk. That could happen as soon as this weekend against Marshall.

"I feel like I'm a leader on this team, and it kind of feeds off of me," Lincoln said. "If I start hitting and we can get five or six guys in the lineup hitting consistently over .300, we're going to be hard to beat."

The Cougars will kick off a weekend series against Marshall at 7 p.m. tonight at Cougar Field.

Send comments to dcsports@mail.uh.edu