HBU Huskies (0-0) vs. Binghamton Bearcats (0-0)
Friday, Feb. 19-Saturday, Feb. 20 – 11 a.m. doubleheader both days
Husky Field – Houston, Texas Video / Audio (Talent:
Russ Reneau)
Live StatsGame Notes HOUSTON – HBU kicks off the 2016 baseball season when it hosts Binghamton in a four-game series Friday and Saturday, with 11 a.m. doubleheaders both days, at Husky Field. The video and audio broadcasts with
Russ Reneau are available on HBUHuskies.com, beginning at 10:45 with the pregame show.
The Huskies return four starting position players from last season, when HBU captured the Southland Conference Tournament title and advanced to the school's first-ever NCAA Regional appearance. Senior shortstop
Louie Payetta is a preseason all-conference selection after earning all-conference honors last year. Senior second baseman
Greg Espinosa enters the season with a nine-game hitting streak and was key to the Huskies' championship run, making the all-tournament team. Senior first baseman
Andrew Alvarez also made the all-tournament team and recorded 11 extra-base hits last season. Senior centerfielder
Brandon Morones makes the move after a solid season in leftifeld and a strong finish at the plate. Senior designated hitter
Austin Saenz also returns after pounding out 12 extra-base hits in 2015.
Senior lefthander
Matthew McCollough, who was named to the preseason all-conference team after earning all-conference honorable mention, is the lone starter returning from last year's rotation. He went 8-3 with a 2.87 ERA and 74 strikeouts. He will be joined in the rotation by junior righthanders
Addison Russ, a transfer from Lake Land College in Illinois, and
Julian Griego, a transfer from Long Beach Community College.
Head coach
Jared Moon enters his 11th season at the helm of his alma mater 19 wins shy of 300 career victories and 25 wins from tying Brian Huddleston (1998-2005) as the school's all-time winningest baseball coach.
Binghamton finished 2015 with a 17-24-2 record, after back-to-back America East Conference championships and three NCAA appearances over the past six seasons. The Bearcats are a young squad with nine freshmen, 10 sophomores, five juniors and five seniors. Second baseman Reed Gamache is Binghamton's leading returner, hitting .288 with 28 RBIs and 23 runs. The Bearcats return two-thirds of last season's rotation in senior righthanders Mike Bunal and Rob Hardy.
HBU returns to action with a non-conference game at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Tuesday, Feb. 23 at 3 p.m.
