Baseball Set to Begin 2015 at No. 6 Houston This Weekend
2/26/2015 4:28:00 PM | Baseball
COLUMBIA GAME NOTES (.pdf) | HOUSTON GAME NOTES (.pdf)
COLUMBIA (0-0) AT NO. 6 HOUSTON (6-2)
FEBRUARY 27-MARCH 1
HOUSTON, TEXAS • COUGAR FIELD
GAME VITALS
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LEADING OFF
COLUMBIA'S STATUS
The Lions will open up the 2015 campaign this weekend for a four-game series at No. 6 Houston. Columbia is coming off its second consecutive Ivy League Championship and NCAA Tournament apperance. The 2014 Lions set a program record for wins with a 29-20 overall campaign.
Columbia returns six positional starters, including three All-Ivy League outfielders Robb Paller, Jordan Serena and Gus Craig and Blair Bat Award winner Will Savage in the infield.
On the hill, George Thanopoulos and Kevn Roy return to the rotation. Thanopoulos started seven games and posted a 5-2 record to go with a 2.60 ERA. Roy, an All-Ivy League honorable mention selection, compiled six wins in 12 appearances with a 3.06 ERA and 49 strikeouts.
HOUSTON'S STATUS
The Cougars fell at Texas State on Wednesday to drop to 6-2 on the young season. Houston swept a three-game set with Minnesota and took two of three against No. 20 Alabama last weekend before its mid-week tilt against Texas State.
Last season, the Cougars won the American Athletic Conference title, won a school-record 49 games and made its first postseason appearance since 2008 and advanced to the Super Regionals.
Houston is coached by Todd Whitting, in his fifth year at his alma mater.
INSIDE THE SERIES
This weekend will be the first time Columbia and Houston have met.
COLUMBIA AGAINST THE AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE
Against teams currently in the AAC, Columbia is 1-11. The Lions most common opponent is UCF, who they will take on in Orlando next week and are 1-9 against. Columbia has also faced Connecticut and East Carolina one time apiece.
LET'S GET IT STARTED
Columbia will look to win its second season opener in a row after knocking off USF in Tampa, 1-0, to kick off the 2014 campaign. That victory was the first time the Lions had started a season 1-0 since 2002 and just the second time since 1999.
OH CAPTAINS, MY CAPTAINS
Seniors Jordan Serena and Mike Weisman, along with junior Robb Paller were selected as Columbia's tri-captains by the team this past fall.
PROUDLY SERVING
Senior Joey Falcone, a former Marine medic, served three tours of duty overseas before returning to the baseball field. Falcone spent one year at Staten Island before transfering to Columbia as a General Studies student prior to 2013. Falcone was a semifinalist for the Gregg Olson Award, which honors college baseball's breakout player of the year as a sophomore.
