Month: March 2026

Houston Upsets No. 2 Texas in Comeback Fashion

The Cougars, wearing their Houston Blue on Tuesday, took down No. 2 Texas

By Steve Parkhurst

After trailing by seven runs midway through the game, the Houston Cougars defeated the No. 2 Texas Longhorns 9-7 on Tuesday night at Schroeder Park.

The Cougars fell behind early, not because of the Longhorns hitting, but because of free passes . . . In the opening frame, freshman Caleb Kimble walked three batters and one of them scored when another batter was hit by a pitch.

After a walk to the opening hitter of the game, Kimble retired the next two batters on fly balls as he settled in, tossing a scoreless second and third inning.

Kimble took the game into the fourth inning and allowed just two runs on 71 pitches as he gained valuable experience against a stout Texas offense.

Texas put up back-to-back three run innings in the fourth and fifth innings to take a 7-0 lead . . . The Longhorns score their seven runs in the game on only three base hits, and they left 10 runners on base.

Harrison Boushele took the mound with one out in the top of the fifth inning and was outstanding over the next 3 2/3 innings in which he struck out four and allowed just two hits . . . Boushele had the ball moving and missing bats and had Texas batters in fits, and at a time when the Cougars pitching staff needed both answers and time to allow the offense to score some runs.

The Cougars responded with a three-run bottom of the fifth inning, started by a Tyler Cox RBI groundout and a Tre Broussard two-run single with the bases loaded.

After the seventh inning stretch, Easton Winfield, having left the Longhorns after last season, led off the frame with a home run the opposite way just sneaking in fair over the left field wall, and the Houston deficit was only 7-4.

Jackson LaLima followed with a double and Cox reach base on a one out walk . . . After a pitching change, Broussard lined a pitch at the pitcher which, if caught, could have been devastating, fortunately for the Cougars the ball fell to the ground, the pitcher gather himself and threw to second base . . . The throw was wild and allowed LaLima to cross the plate . . . Broussard followed with a stolen base attempt at second base, the throw to second base ended up in center field as Cox scored and Broussard motored to third base, Houston was within a run, 7-6.

Riley Jackson, behind the plate the entire night for the pitching struggles in a game that lasted three minutes shy of four hours, saved his one hit in the game for when it mattered most . . . With one out in the bottom of the eighth inning, Jackson launched a ball 408 feet to the flagpoles in right-center field, when he crossed home plate the game was tied at seven on his sixth long ball of the season.

But the Houston offense was not done in the inning, they continued to force Texas pitchers to make pitchers, which they could not . . . With one out, Winfield bounced a ball up the first base line and out-raced the Texas first baseman to the bag for a single, his second hit in as many innings, Cox then delivered a two-out single to right field and drove in the go-ahead run, but the Longhorns still could not throw strikes.

Blake Fields drew a bases loaded walk, on four pitches, and Houston had its final run of the night, snatching back one of the freebies given away as Texas built its lead early in the game.

Ryne Rodriguez was dominant out of the bullpen, as the left-hander has tended to be this season . . . Brought in to start the ninth inning, Rodriguez was working in and around the strike zone and he retired all three batters he faced, sandwiching an innocent fly out between two swinging strikeouts to secure the two-run upset victory . . . It was just the fourth loss of the season for 20-win Texas.

The win was Houston’s first win against a Top 2 opponent since the Cougars defeated #2 Rice on May 1, 2009.

Cox was 2-for-3 batting in the leadoff spot while Winfield was 3-for-4 batting in the seventh spot, the only Houston hitters with multiple hits . . . Boushele earned the win and is 1-0 this season, while Rodriguez picked up his second save of the year.

The nine runs scored by the Cougars are tied for the most allowed by Longhorn pitching this season.

Houston returns to action on Friday when Baylor comes to Schroeder Park for a Big 12 weekend series . . . Houston announced a change to the weekend schedule on Tuesday, with Saturday’s middle game getting underway at 1pm . . . First pitch on Friday night is slated for 6:30pm.

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Cougars Fall to Jayhawks in Big 12 Road Opener

Houston played its first Big 12 road game at Kansas on Friday

By Steve Parkhurst

A four-run first inning was not enough for Houston on Friday night in Lawrence as the Cougars fell to Kansas 12-10 in the series opener.

The Cougars got off to a fast start when leadoff hitter McClane Helton walked on four pitches before Tre Broussard drove him home on a double to the wall in left-center field . . . Two pitches later Xavier Perez was hit by a pitch . . . With one out, Easton Winfield drove in his first run as a Houston Cougar when he singled to left field to drive in Broussard.

Kansas went to the bullpen just five batters into the game, but it was more of the same for Houston as Blake Fields walked on five pitches . . . One out later, Antonellie Savattere hammered a single to right field to drive in two runs and the Cougars had a 4-0 lead and batted around in the inning sending 10 hitters to the plate.

Houston scored a pair of runs in the third inning on a Savattere RBI single and a Tyler Cox sacrifice bunt and the Cougars led 6-1.

It was not long before the Jayhawks reversed things, scoring six runs in the bottom of the third inning and chasing the second Houston pitcher of the game, in the bottom of the fourth inning

The Cougars were in danger of hemorrhaging pitchers in game one of the series, but freshman Connor Udland took the mound with two outs in the fourth inning trailing 9-6 and pitched some terrific baseball over the next 4 1/3 innings.

After allowing one fourth inning run, Udland settled in and did not allow another run until the bottom of the eighth inning, striking out six batters along the way.

While Udland was keeping the Jayhawks off the scoreboard, the Cougars crept back into the game, thanks in part to a three-run sixth inning . . . Perez hit a two-run home run to right field and Fields doubled in a run and Houston was within a run at 10-9.

Cox tied the game at 10 in the top of the eighth inning with a double down the third base line to bring home Fields.

Kansas got to Udland for a two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning and that was the difference in the ballgame . . . It was a great outing by the freshman and one that should pay dividends for Houston as the season plays out.

Kansas pitching walked 10 Houston batters, but also struck out 15, and the Cougars left 14 runners on base . . . Houston did force Kansas to use five pitchers in the game, with the Cougars only using three, this is worth watching over the final two games of the weekend. 

The Cougars and the Jayhawks will play again on Saturday in Lawrence, with a first pitch scheduled for 2pm.

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Houston Walks-Off Kansas State to Nab First Big 12 Win of the Season

Ryne Rodriguez silenced the Kansas State offense for six innings on Sunday.

By Steve Parkhurst

After being walked-off via run-rule two nights in a row to open Big 12 play this season, Houston returned the favor as it walked off Kansas State 16-6 in eight innings Sunday afternoon at Schroeder Park.

The afternoon got off to a rough start and things looked bleak in the top of the first inning as the Wildcats took a 4-0 lead on a grand slam.

Left-hander Ryne Rodriguez took the mound in relief to start the second inning with the Cougars still trailing by four . . . Rodriguez promptly pitched the next six innings allowing just one unearned run and only three hits on a career-high 88 pitches.

It was an effort the Cougars pitching staff desperately needed after two rough games to open the series.

The Cougars clawed back as Rodriguez was quieting the potent Wildcats offense.

In the bottom of the second inning, Jackson LaLima hit a three-run home run to left-center field, his fourth long ball of the season, and Houston only trailed by a run, 4-3.

Trailing 5-4 in the bottom of the sixth inning, shortstop Tyler Cox tied the game at five with a one out solo home run to left field . . . The dinger was the first for Cox in a Houston uniform, his last home run was hit for Dartmouth three years ago to the day.

After Houston went to the bullpen for the eighth inning, Kansas State took a 6-5 lead when a leadoff walk came home to score.

Ball four appeared to be a strike on the outside corner, low and away on that leadoff walk and the umpires heard about the missed call for a while from the Houston dugout . . . When the runner crossed the plate as the go-ahead run a few minutes later, the chatter increased and Houston head coach Todd Whitting was ejected from the game.

In the bottom of the eighth inning, McClane Helton led off with a pinch-hit single on the infield, little did anyone know that he would bat again, and single again, in the frame.

With Helton on second base, Cox (2-for-3) singled to tie the game at six, his second time in as many at-bats to tie the game . . . Tre Broussard was then intentionally walked after the count on him reached 2-0, he would also bat again in the inning.

Riley Jackson then took the next pitch off his batting helmet to load the bases with one out . . . Dylan Maxcey (3-for-4) doubled to the wall in left-center field to drive in two runs and Houston took its first lead of the game, 8-6.

After the Wildcats went to the bullpen, Antonelli Savattere singled into right-center field to plate two more Cougars just before Blake Fields (2-for-2) was hit by a pitch on his lower left leg and he took his place at first base . . . Both Savattere and Fields moved into scoring position on a wild pitch.

LaLima followed by flying out to the warning track in center field, the sacrifice fly RBI made it 11-6 with two outs.

Helton (2-for-2) singled in his second at-bat of the inning, this one to left-center field drove in a run and kept the merry go round moving.

Cox was hit by a pitch as he was attempting to bunt, he was the third batter hit by a pitch in the inning . . . Perez then powered an 0-1 pitch off the center field wall for a double and the Cougars held a 14-6 advantage.

Broussard ended things when he drove a towering shot to center field on a 1-0 pitch, and when the ball bounced off the batter’s eye and back onto the field of play, the Cougars were walk-off winners as chaos ensued around home plate . . . The Cougars scored 11 runs in the frame, more than the nine total runs they had scored in the previous two games.

In postgame comments, Broussard called the previous two days “embarrassing.” But, Broussard was quick to point out that the response to the previous two games was about sticking to the process and executing the game plan.

When asked about the electricity in the dugout as his team battled back, Broussard kept it simple.

“A good dugout, means a good team.”

The Cougars are now off until Wednesday when they will host the Louisiana Ragin Cajuns in a midweek matchup before heading off to Kansas for a Big 12 weekend series in Lawrence . . . First pitch on Wednesday is scheduled for 6:30pm at Schroeder Park.

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Cougars Claim First Game of Silver Glove Series in 13-1 Walk-Off Win Over Owls

Caden Cooper was great over 5 1/3 innings against Rice on Tuesday

By Steve Parkhurst

Houston claimed the first game of the 2026 Silver Glove Series at Schroeder Park on Tuesday night with a 13-1 walk-off run-rule victory over Rice.

McClane Helton wasted no time getting Houston started from the leadoff spot as he singled through the right side in the bottom of the first inning . . . Xavier Perez then punished a baseball, sending it high over the left field wall for an early 2-0 lead.

Dylan Maxcey walked to lead off the bottom of the third inning and Carsten Sabathia III then reached on a throwing error on a line drive off of the pitcher . . . After Antonelli Savattere sacrificed to move both runners up a base on a bunt, Blake Fields hit a sacrifice fly ball to center field to score Maxcey and Jackson LaLima (3-for-5) doubled for the second time in the game to score Sabathia and Houston led 4-0 going to the fourth inning.

Tyler Cox (2-for-3) led off the bottom of the fourth inning with a single and Helton (2-for-3) followed with his second single of the game, then Perez was hit by a pitch to load the bases . . . Maxcey flied out to center field and scored Cox on the sacrifice while the Cougars lost a runner on the bases for a second out on the play.

Sabathia was at it again, sending a high, arching home run over the left field wall, the two-run blast was his fifth of the season, and all five of Sabathia’s home runs have come in the last seven games.

  Asked after the game about his fourth inning home run, Sabathia, having fouled off several pitches, admitted to seeing the ball well in the at-bat.

“I think just trying to see it deep,”Sabathia said. “I missed a couple heaters early that I should have attacked. But, once I get the two strikes, I’m just trying to fight, pass the bat back, get on base any way I can.”

“I kind of saw the hanger start at my shoulder a little bit and just tried to stay inside it, and got rewarded.”

Houston added a in the bottom half of the fifth inning to take an 8-0 lead.

Freshman Cade Cooper made the start for Houston and he delivered 5 1/3 scoreless innings allowing just two hits on 62 pitches . . . Cooper allowed a single to the leadoff batter to open the game, but he was erased attempting to steal second base . . . Cooper faced the minimum in the inning and retired the side in order in three other frames . . . He earned the win and is now 1-0 this season.

Alex Solis relieved Cooper in the top of the sixth inning with two runners on base and induced a terrific 3-6-1 double play to end the inning . . . Solis added a scoreless seventh inning before the Cougars went to the bullpen for the final six outs . . . The final out by Solis was a swinging strikeout on 95mph heat.

Rice scored its only run in the top of the eighth inning, a lone manufactured run on a ground out to first base, but the Cougars got the run back in their half of the eighth inning when a bases loaded walk pushed the Houston advantage back to eight runs.

A five-run eighth inning was capped off by a Justin Cherrington grand slam to end the game via the run-rule . . . The slam happened on just the second at-bat of the game for Cherrington, who entered the game in the seventh inning in a pinch-hitting role . . . The home run was the first of the season for the transfer from Yavapai College in Arizona.

Asked about the walk-off grand slam by Cherrington, and the subsequent team celebration, Sabathia was all smiles after the game.

“That’s my guy,” Sabathia said. “Seeing him have that moment is real special. It was a lot of fun. We had a lot of fun for sure.”

From day one of spring workouts, head coach Todd Whitting has talked about the depth of the team this year, and he pointed to that again on Tuesday night following the victory.

“It’s just you can only DH one guy at a time,” Whitting said. “But that’s what I like about this team is all year we’ve consistently had guys come off the bench and give me at least a quality at-bat.”

“So it keeps the pressure on the guys in the lineup.”

Freshman Peyton Dickens picked up his first collegiate base hit with a second inning single.

The next game in the Silver Glove Series will take place on April 21 when the Cougars will travel to Reckling Park with a third game scheduled for May 12 back at Schroeder Park.

Houston returns to action on Friday night when Big 12 play gets underway . . . The Cougars will welcome Kansas State to town with a first pitch on Friday slated for 6:30pm at Schroeder Park.

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Houston Completes Sweep of Arkansas Pine Bluff with Doubleheader Wins

Houston preps for Arkansas Pine Bluff on Friday

By Steve Parkhurst

Houston completed a three-game sweep of Arkansas Pine Bluff by taking both games of a doubleheader on Saturday (and Sunday) at Schroeder Park by scores of 6-5 and 10-0.

Carsten Sabathia and Riley Jackson were both hit by a pitch to open the bottom of the second inning . . . A sacrifice fly ball to center field off the bat of Antonelli Savattere plated Sabathia for an early 1-0 lead.

Tied at one in the bottom of the third inning, Xavier Perez went deep with one out, sending the ball over the wall in left-center field for a 2-1 lead . . . After Dylan Maxcey singled up the middle to reach base, Jackson drove a double to the wall in left-center field with two outs and Maxcey out-raced a throw to home plate to give Houston a 3-1 lead.

After the Golden Lions got a run back, McClane Helton, after seeing nine pitches to open the bottom of the first inning with a walk, drew a one-out walk after seeing 11 pitches in the bottom of the fourth inning, before he moved to second base on a steal . . . Perez then singled into left-center field with two outs to bring Helton across the plate and Houston took a two-run lead once again, 4-2.

After the seventh inning stretch, Perez tripled to right-center field to get the inning started . . . One out later, Sabathia singled into center field past a drawn-in infield, Perez scored and the Cougars led 5-2.

Houston starter Kendall Hoffman was done after seven innings having allowed just two runs while striking out four batters, he also retired the last seven batters he faced, it was the second consecutive start for Hoffman in which he threw seven innings or more . . . Hoffman threw 86 total pitches on Saturday.

The Golden Lions scored three on the Cougars bullpen in the top of the eighth inning to tie the game and set up the late inning theatrics.

With two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, Sabathia got the late rally started by doubling off the wall in center field, he then gave way to pinch-runner Peyton Dickens at second base . . . Jackson was intentionally walked to set up a force out anywhere on the infield, but also because he has been swinging an incredibly hot bat of late.

Savattere then singled into center field and a throw home was off the mark allowing Dickens to cross the plate for the walk-off win, 6-5.

Having won the series, the only question left unanswered was whether Houston could complete the sweep, and if so, could they do it before the rain started falling.

Perez led off game two with a double to the wall in right-center field before Savattere was hit by a pitch to put two runners on base with no outs . . . Sabathia followed with a one-out single into center field to score Perez . . . After Justin Cherrington was hit by a pitch to load the bases, the Golden Lions went to the bullpen . . . A first-pitch wild pitch plated Savaterre and a single to left field by Blake Fields scored Sabathia for an early 3-0 lead.

Tyler Cox earned a leadoff walk to open the bottom of the second inning . . . A one-out walk to Savattere followed and a walk to Jackson loaded the bases and sent the Golden Lions to the bullpen for the second time in the game . . . Sabathia then cleared the bases with a grand slam over the left field wall with his parents watching from their seats behind the third base dugout, and Houston led 7-0.

Houston starter Connor Udland was the only pitcher used in the Saturday portion of game two . . . Udland opened with two perfect frames, retiring the first seven batters he faced before an error yielded his first base runner . . . Udland struck out five batters and allowed just one base hit over five innings on 70 total pitches.

When play resumed on Sunday afternoon, freshman right-hander Caleb Kimble made his collegiate debut and he retired the side in order.

With two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning, Cherrington was hit by a pitch for the second time in the time and Fields was walked soon after . . . LaLima then hammered a pitch over the left field wall for a three-run home run and a 10-0 Houston lead.

After working a perfect frame in the sixth inning, Kimble made things interesting in the seventh inning with three straight walks and three wild pitches mixed in . . . After a swinging strikeout, Kimble induced a 4-6-3 double play to end the ballgame.

The game was the first shutout by Houston pitching this season, and a one-hitter, with a lone single in the fourth inning on Saturday being the only recorded hit, the major caveat of course is that it was only a seven inning game.

Over the two days that it took to play the doubleheader there was everything: a game that started several minutes before the scheduled first pitch, a grand slam, a lightning delay, a rain delay, a game technically “official” postponed until the next day, clocks moved forward an hour overnight, an official delay that lasted approximately 17 1/2 hours, and finally, a run-rule shutout victory to close out the non-conference portion of the 2026 schedule.

Houston is off until Tuesday when they will welcome Rice to Schroeder Park for the first game of the 2026 Silver Glove Series . . . The game will get underway at 6:30pm.

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Cougars Mount Late Rally to Take 13-9 Opener Against Arkansas Pine Bluff

Houston preps for Arkansas Pine Bluff on Friday

By Steve Parkhurst

Houston fell behind by seven runs in the second inning on Friday night at Schroeder Park before mounting a comeback that resulted in a 13-9 win over Arkansas Pine Bluff.

The Cougars went to the bullpen in the second inning trailing 7-0 after a five-run first inning, capped by a grand slam, was fueled further with two more runs in the second inning.

Carsten Sabathia III hit his second home run in as many games, his third of the season, to get the bottom of the second inning started . . . The next batter, Riley Jackson, sent a ball traveling over the left field wall on a similar path as the Sabathia home run and the Houston deficit was five runs.

A three run bottom of the fourth inning got Houston to within four runs, 9-5.

A seven run sixth inning sparked by three Houston singles, two hit batters, a Jackson LaLima double, and two singles by Tyler Cox (3-for-3) bookended the frame as Houston took a 12-9 lead.

Ryne Rodriguez was outstanding out of the Houston bullpen after taking the mound to start the seventh inning . . . After working a scoreless seventh inning but allowing two singles, Rodriguez struck out the side in the eighth inning, all three were swinging strikeouts.

Sabathia, leading off the bottom of the eighth inning, hit a line drive that caromed off of the pitcher toward the second baseman for a groundout and the Golden Lions had to go to the bullpen for a new pitcher due to injury . . . Jackson (4-for-5) then hammered a ball over the wall in left-center field for his second home run of the game and his fourth base hit of the game and the Cougars extended the lead to 13-9.

Rodriguez retired the final seven batters he faced to close out the victory and earn the save . . . Jackson Baker earned the win with two scoreless innings pitched, the fifth and sixth innings . . . Baker struck out four of the six outs he recorded.

Eight Houston batters had hits on Friday night, with three players having two or more base hits as the team racked up 14 total hits.

The Cougars and the Golden Lions will conclude their weekend series at Schroeder Park on Saturday with a doubleheader . . . The first game of the day will begin at 12 Noon with the second game starting 45 minutes after the conclusion of the first game.

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Houston Defeats Alabama 8-2 Behind Strong Hoffman Outing

By Steve Parkhurst

The Houston Cougars will leave Frisco and head home having salvaged the final game of the weekend, an 8-2 victory over Alabama to conclude the Frisco Classic on Sunday.

Right-hander Kendall Hoffman made the finest start of his collegiate career, pitching into the eighth inning and departing with a four-run lead.

After one time through the batting order, leadoff hitter McClane Helton led off the top of the third inning by earning a walk, he saw eight pitches in the at-bat . . . Blake Fields (4-for-5) then singled through the left side on a 1-2 pitch . . . Xavier Perez sacrificed to move both Helton and Fields into scoring position, where they were when Dylan Maxcey (2-for-4) singled through the left side to give Houston a 2-0 lead, it was the first time Alabama trailed in the entire three day event in Frisco.

The Cougars greeted Crimson Tide pitching with three straight singles to open the fifth inning, the first by Fields, his third hit of the game, the second by Perez, and then one by Maxcey to drive in Fields for a 3-0 lead . . . With one out, Carsten Sabathia III hit a ball to second base and an error on the play allowed a run to score and put two Cougars in scoring position . . . Antonelli Savattere followed with a sacrifice fly ball to left field, Maxcey tagged and scored, Houston took a 5-0 lead, and the Crimson Tide went to the bullpen to get out of the inning.

Sabathia was once again in the mix when he was hit by a pitch to lead off the eighth inning . . . Peyton Dickens pinch-ran for Sabathia and he moved to second base on a groundout and to third base on a wild pitch before Irvin Weems (2-for-4) singled up the middle to extend the Houston advantage to 6-1.

Hoffman took his exit after 7 2/3 innings with five strikeouts and one walk, which came in the first inning, and he allowed just the two earned runs . . . Hoffman threw 109 total pitches before handing the ball to Tyler Bryan.

The Cougars wanted more in the top of the ninth inning, and they got it . . . Fields singled to left field with one out to get things started, his fourth hit of the ballgame . . .

Perez (2-for-4) then doubled to left-center field and Alabama went to the bullpen for their fifth arm of the game . . . After an intentional walk to Maxcey loaded the bases, Cade Climie singled to right field to score Fields . . . Dickens then grounded out to the pitcher but Perez crossed the plate and Houston took an 8-2 lead on the first career RBI by Dickens.

Bryan recorded the final four outs of the game for the Cougars, allowing just one hit and striking out one batter . . . Hoffman recorded his first win of the season and is now 1-0.

“Kendall was outstanding tonight,” head coach Todd Whitting said emphatically after the game. “His presence and composure was at a very high level against a very talented SEC team. He has been a relentless worker all spring so I’m happy it paid off today.”

The Cougars return to Schroeder Park and will host Sam Houston on Tuesday for game two of the 2026 Don Sanders Cup . . . First pitch is scheduled for 6:30pm.

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