Louisiana enters the week with an 11-6 overall record and is coming off a weekend series win over Appalachian State to open Sun Belt Conference play.
The Ragin’ Cajuns are among the nation’s Top 25 and are 7-2 at home this season.
Louisiana is hitting .269 as a team with seven home runs and 68 RBI through 17 games.
Alex Pinero leads the offense with a .375 clip, 24 hits, 12 runs and 12 RBI.
The pitching staff owns a 2.93 ERA with seven saves and has racked up 192 strikeouts to 57 walks in 159.2 innings this season.
Houston will face RHP Jack Burk on Tuesday, who is 0-2 with a 3.46 ERA in two starts and six appearances. He has fanned 14 in 13.0 innings, while walking two. Opponents are hitting .208 against the righty.
SERIES HISTORY VS. LOUISIANA
Houston and Louisiana have met 53 previous times.
The Cougars own the all-time series at 38-14-1 and the series dates back to 1948.
Houston is 17-6 all-time in Lafayette, La.
Last Meeting at Houston | May 11, 2016 | Houston won 3-2
Last Meeting at Louisiana | April 7, 2015 | Louisiana won 6-5
QUICK HITS ON TEXAS SOUTHERN
Texas Southern will meet Houston on Wednesday with a 6-13 record.
The Tigers are coming off a SWAC weekend series win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
TSU is hitting .245 with 10 home runs and 72 RBI, led by Gerrek Jimenez’s .333 average and 18 hits.
The pitching staff owns a 7.38 ERA with one save and 129 strikeouts to 101 walks through 157.1 innings.
Seth Oliver is 3-1 with a 4.50 ERA in five starts with two complete games. He has struck out a team-leading 35 hitters in 34.0 innings.
SERIES HISTORY VS. TEXAS SOUTHERN
Houston will meet Texas Southern for the 28th time in program history.
The Cougars own the all-time series at 27-0, which dates back to 1987.
Last Meeting vs. TSU | March 16, 2016 | Houston won 7-1
I think Cumbie could certainly fit in just fine on the weekend, but I’m not sure Whitting/Anderson want to use him there. Whitting keeps mentioning that he likes having him as a weekday starter as it solidifies that start.
He’ll probably be in the weekend mix next year with Romero/King leaving, but the coaches are really high on Henry/Villarreal as well and there are guys like Pettite/Pulido/Hurdsman who may get looks as well. Also, if he doesn’t go pro, Coogs have D’Mond Lafond coming in who could have more talent than anyone currently on the current staff outside of Romero.
