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Sports

Cougars hope to keep winning streak alive

Freshman left-hander Donnie Joesph will get the start tonight in Beaumont against a Lamar team that has won six of its last eight games

by CHRIS ELLIOTT
The Daily Cougar

The Cougars can make it four straight with a win over Lamar in their game at 6:30 p.m. tonight in Beaumont, but a hot Cardinals team will look to break Houston' s stride. 

Tonight' s matchup will be the seventh game of Houston' s current eight-game road trip. The Cougars (14-12) swept Central Florida in a three-game series last weekend.

Freshman left-hander Donnie Joseph will make his fifth start of the season. Joseph, who' s pitched out of the bullpen in recent games after struggling in the starting lineup, has worked his way back into the rotation after solid performances in relief situations.

Joseph was the starting pitcher when the two teams last met on March 6, a game the Cougars won 7-1. He pitched well in that outing, allowing only one unearned run on five hits and striking out four batters in 4.1 innings of work.

Joseph will look to put up similar types of numbers against the Cardinals, which would help produce another chalk mark in Houston' s recently expanding win column. So far, Joseph has compiled a 6.65 ERA in 21.2 innings of work, but has failed to record a decision.

To ensure Joseph has the best possible defense in place behind him, UH head coach Rayner Noble will keep senior infielder Dustin Kingsbury at third base, where he has played his best defense. Junior infielder Bryan Pounds, who started at shortstop against Central Florida, will remain at his new position. 

Junior infielder Ryan Lormand will remain at second base. Since making the switch from second base to shortstop against Texas-Arlington on Feb. 24, Lormand has committed only one error. That' s a huge improvement compared to the eight errors he made at shortstop prior to the switch.

Noble said these changes could be the difference as the Cougars continue to look for that winning formula.

"(Bryan) played some good ball at shortstop (against Central Florida)," Noble said. "I think we' re going to take a look at that for awhile. I just feel like Ryan played so well at second, and Kingsbury is a much better third baseman than he is a shortstop. If Bryan can settle in and give us some decent (play) at shortstop, that makes us a better team."

Lamar (18-10) enters tonight' s game with wins in six of its last eight contests. Cardinal senior right-hander Cody Williams is expected to make his first start of the season. Williams has a 6.43 ERA in seven appearances.

Noble doesn' t plan to use UH senior reliever Shea Hancock at any point in tonight' s game.

Hancock has been one of Houston' s most reliable and efficient arms out of the bullpen so far this season, but has fallen on hard times as of late.

He was charged with two unearned runs in the series finale Sunday against the Golden Knights. The first three batters reached base against him, and two of them later came around to score. 

Noble thinks fatigue could be at the heart of the reliever' s struggles.

His solution for the recent problem is simple -- rest and relaxation. 

"He needs an extended rest," Noble said. "We won' t kill him (by letting him pitch) today, and we won' t play again until the following Tuesday. Hopefully, that' ll help him get some rest on that arm."

The Cougars dropped a close 5-4 decision in their last trip to Beaumont on Feb. 28, 2006.

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