University of Houston Athletics
Baseball Places Five on All-Conference USA Teams
5/22/2007 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 22, 2007
IRVING, Texas - University of Houston sophomore outfielder Jimmy Cesario and freshman southpaw Wes Musick each were named to the 2007 All-Conference USA First Team at their respective positions to highlight the Cougar Baseball team's postseason selections.
A transfer from Delgado Junior College, Cesario also was named the league's Newcomer of the Year during the first season in which that honor was awarded.
Sophomore catcher Luis Flores was named to the All-Conference USA Second Team, while Musick joined center fielder Zak Presley on the All-Freshmen Team.
Cesario emerged as one of the Cougars' and C-USA's most consistent threats. He posted a team-leading .358 batting average and the Cougars in hits (76), doubles (13) and on-base-percentage (.425).
Earlier this season, the Metairie, La., native rattled off a 20-game hitting streak, the fifth-longest streak in UH history, and has hit safely in all but six games in 2007.
A redshirt freshman, Musick quickly himself as the ace of the Cougar pitching staff. The Lufkin native led the Cougars in ERA (3.18), innings pitched (85.0), strikeouts (68) and opposing average (.249). He twice struck out a career- and UH-season-best 10 batters in a game and was honored as the C-USA Pitcher of the Week on March 26 after accomplishing that feat for the second time at league rival UCF.
Flores collected Second-Team honors at catcher after leading the Cougars with nine home runs. The Del Rio native also batted .272 with nine doubles and 24 RBIs.
Competing in his first collegiate season, Presley became a fixture for the Cougars in center field, starting 48 games. The Keller native finished the regular-season with a .307 batting average - third best on the team - with two home runs, 28 RBIs and 12 stolen bases.
This marked the third straight season and the 30th time in the last 31 seasons that the Cougars have had at least one player on the All-Conference First Team. Only the absence of a First-Team player in 2004 prevents a much longer streak.
Rice swept the remaining individual awards. Joe Savery was honored as the league's Player of the Year, while righthander Ryne Tacker was named the Pitcher of the Year. Pitcher Ryan Berry collected honors as the Freshman of the Year, and head coach Wayne Graham was named the Keith LeClair Coach of the Year.
The Cougars open the 2007 C-USA Baseball Championship at 8 a.m. (CDT), Wednesday when they face No. 5 seed Memphis at Clark-LeClair Stadium on the campus of East Carolina University in Greenville, N.C.
The Cougars will then face the winner or loser of the No. 1 seed Rice-No. 8 seed UCF in the second round Thursday. If UH wins its opening game, it meets the winner of the Owls-Knights games at 4 p.m., Thursday. If the Cougars fall to Memphis, they meet the loser of the Rice-UCF game at 9 a.m., Thursday.
Games will continue until the championship game of the tournament on Sunday, May 27. The contest will be televised on a same-day tape delay basis by CSTV and will air at 9:30 p.m. EDT. The tournament champion receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Championship.
