CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The Marshall University baseball team will host Houston in a three-game Conference USA weekend series beginning Friday, April 24-26 at Appalachian Power Park in Charleston, W.Va.

Friday’s first-pitch is slated for 7:00 p.m. ET with Saturday set for a 2:05 p.m. start time. Sunday’s series finale will take place at 10:35 a.m.

The last time the teams met was in the championship game of the 2008 C-USA baseball tournament in New Orleans, La. The Cougars took a 3-2 decision from Marshall and is now leads the all-time series 9-2.

Marshall had both of its scheduled midweek games cancelled due to inclement weather and enters weekend action with a 16-22 overall and is 6-9 in the league after knocking off No. 1 Rice last Sunday at Reckling Park in Houston, Texas.

Sophomore Victor Gomez smashed two homers in that game to help lift the Thundering Herd to its first-ever win over the Owls. For his efforts during last week’s competition, Gomez was named C-USA Hitter of the Week, his first league accolade of the season.

In 38 games so far in 2009, Marshall has hit 44 homers, led by Gomez’s 14 long balls. Senior Nate Lape is second with eight, and freshman Thor Meeks is third with seven. Gomez’s 14 homers is second among Conference USA hitters.

Marshall hit 60 over the fence as a team in 2008, led by Lape’s 17. The single-season record for homers is 91, set in 2001 and highlighted by Jason Brooks’ 23 dingers, which is also the Marshall single-season record.

Junior Josh Valle has been swinging a hot bat lately and has now hit safely in six consecutive games. In those six games, Valle is .591 (13-for-22) with three doubles, a homer and five RBIs.

Valle has now upped his average to .326 to lead the team. He also leads the club in runs scored (33), and walks (29), and is tied with Adam Yeager for second on the team in hits with 45.

Houston enters weekend play with a season record of 17-23, 7-5 in C-USA action. The Cougars are led by Blake Kelso who is batting .331 and leads the team in runs scored (28), hits (58) and is tied for first in doubles with 10. Kelso has two triples and two round-trippers to his credit, has driven in 14 runs and has swiped eight bags in 13 tries.

Caleb Ramsey is the team leader in homers (3) and RBIs (34) and is 10-12 in stolen bases so far in 2009. Zak Presley leads Houston in stolen bases (11-for-15).

Friday’s game will see Marshall junior righty Dan Straily (3-1) take the hill against Houston’s Jared Ray (2-2). Straily has a 3.67 ERA and a team-best 46 strikeouts in eight starts (eight appearances) so far this season. Ray has fanned 33 batters and has a 5.18 ERA through 13 games (three strarts).

Saturday will feature freshman southpaw Greg Williams (1-3) for the Herd and Michael Goodnight (4-3) for the Cougars, while freshman lefty Mike Mason (1-0) will get the ball in Sunday’s contest against Houston’s Wes Musick (4-5).