University of Houston Athletics
Former Cougar Pitchers Set to Compete in Postseason
10/2/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Oct. 2, 2006
HOUSTON - Two former University of Houston pitchers will be in action this week as the 2006 Major League Baseball playoffs start with the Division Series.
Former reliever Jesse Crain (2002) and his Minnesota Twins teammates will meet the Oakland Athletics, while former righthanded starter Woody Williams (1987-88) and the San Diego Padres will face the St. Louis Cardinals in the opening round.
Both series, which will be a best-of-5 in the opening round, start on Tuesday with the Twins-Athletics contest beginning at noon on ESPN. The Padres-Cardinals game will start at 3 p.m. on ESPN.
Should the Twins advance, they will meet the winner of the New York Yankees-Detroit Tigers series in the American League Championship Series. If Williams and the Padres upend the Cardinals, they will face the winner of the New York Mets-Los Angeles Dodgers series in the National League Championship Series.
This season, Crain has compiled a 4-5 record in 68 games out of the Minnesota bullpen to help lead the Twins to the AL Central Division title. The Boulder, Colo., native also added 60 strikeouts, a save and 3.52 ERA in 76.2 innings of work.
Williams has been a regular in the Padres rotation throughout the 2006 season, compiling a 12-5 record with 72 strikeouts and a 3.65 ERA in 145.1 innings to help lead San Diego to a share of the NL West Division crown.
The Padres earned the No. 2 seed in the National League based on their 13-5 advantage in the regular-season series against the Dodgers.
Crain established himself as one of the most versatile players in UH history during the 2002 season. In his lone year with the Cougars, he pitched to a 0.23 ERA with 10 saves and a 4-0 record and 46 strikeouts in 38.1 innings of work. He did not allow any runs in 35.2 consecutive innings out of the bullpen, the second-longest streak in UH history.
However, Crain also was a regular in the heart of the Cougar lineup, finishing with a .310 batting average, 11 home runs and 47 RBIs.
He would go on to be named a First-Team All-American by Baseball America and USA Today/Baseball Weekly and became the first player in Conference USA history to be named to the league's First Team at two different positions (shortstop and relief pitcher).
Williams also was a dual threat for the Cougars during his tenure in 1987-88. As a senior, Williams batted .311 with six home runs and 27 RBIs. He also pitched to a 9-7 record with a team-best 73 strikeouts and a 3.32 ERA in 100.1 innings.
Williams teamed with Mickey House and Ross Goolsby against Texas Southern on March 29, 1988, to blast back-to-back-to-back home runs.
MINNESOTA vs. OAKLAND
Game * Site * Day & Date * Time CT * TV
Gm 1 * Minneapolis, Minn. * Tue., Oct. 3 * Noon * ESPN
Gm 2 * Minneapolis, Minn. * Wed., Oct. 4 * Noon * ESPN
Gm 3 * Oakland, Calif. * Fri., Oct. 6 * 3 p.m. * ESPN
*Gm 4 * Oakland, Calif. * Sat., Oct. 7 * TBD
*Gm 5 * Minneapolis, Minn. * Sun., Oct. 8 * TBD
* - if necessary
SAN DIEGO vs. ST. LOUIS
Game * Site * Day & Date * Time CT * TV
Gm 1 * San Diego, Calif. * Tue., Oct. 3 * 3 p.m. * ESPN
Gm 2 * San Diego, Calif. * Thu., Oct. 5 * 3 p.m. * ESPN
Gm 3 * St. Louis, Mo. * Sat., Oct. 7 * TBD
*Gm 4 * St. Louis, Mo. * Sun., Oct. 8 * TBD
*Gm 5 * San Diego, Calif. * Mon., Oct. 9 * TBD
* - if necessary
