SarCoog: I know there isn’t much to talk about at this time of the year when it comes to University of Houston sports. But we at Scott & Holman will be keeping a weekly update on the activity of the four Cougars playing in the prestigious wood-bat Cape Cod League.
Blake Kelso
Although his original status is that of a “temporary” player, I have little doubt that Cougar junior shortstop Blake Kelso will be sticking around for a while with the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox. Currently, Kelso is tied for 2nd on his team with a .345 average while leading Y-D in stolen bases (4) and walks (6). He’s seen action in all 8 games, while starting 6 at 2nd base and the remaining 2 at shortstop. Arguably his best so far was a 3-3, 2 BB and 2 RBI showing against Harwich (June 16). On the mound, junior RHP Jared Ray has turned in two sterling peformances, including his most recent start against Wareham (June 19) where he threw 4.0 innings of shutout, 1-hit ball and didn’t issue a single walk. Ray currently has a 2.00 ERA and no record, while striking out 9 and walking 3 in 9.0 innings total (2 starts). The other Cougar hurler on the Y-D roster, sophomore RHP Michael Goodnight,threw 6.0 innings in his first appearance vs. Harwich (June 16), allowing no earned runs (3 unearned), only 3 hits and striking out 6.
On the Bourne Braves, senior catcher Chris Wallace has struggled early on and has a .100 average, with only 1 hit in his 10 at-bats so far. To Wally’s credit I’m sure it’s much more difficult to the ‘Cape adjust when you’re not only handling the duties of a catcher, but having to also hit with a wood bat. So far Wallace has seen action in 5 of Bourne’s 6 games.
One final note: look for updates on the professional debut and subsequent performance of former Cougar lefty and S&H favorite Donnie Joseph as he’s joined the Billings Mustangs (the Cincinnati Reds’ Rookie Ball affiliate). The Mustangs will begin their season tomorrow night against the Great Falls Voyagers. Go DJ!
The success of Goodnight and Ray on the Cape is very encouraging. I have a feeling that we have two aces on the staff at this point. If one of Wiley, Kankel, Stuckey, etc. steps up into the Sunday role, we could have a real solid staff.
I agree that surely Y-D will find a way to keep him on the roster. Coach Noble will have a tough decision come the next spring on who to hit at the top of the order between Kelso, new recruit Ryan Still, and Zak Presley. My thought is that the first two hitters will be a combination of Kelso and Still and Presley moves to 7, 8, or 9.
My concern is that Ray and Goodnight need to become more consistent. They both have All-CUSA stuff, but were inconsistent at times all of last spring. But I think they can definitely be a tough 1-2 punch. Chase Dempsay returning to his freshman All-American form wouldn’t be bad either.
Even teams who made the College World Series (UNC and Southern Miss especially) lacked a really dominant Sunday starter. I believe Noble wants Stuckey to be the Sunday guy… but we’ll see if he can perform to expectations.
Kelso and Still are both prototypical lead-off hitters. The lineup will be better, but we’re gonna desperately need power.
-sar