
Houston rode back-to-back five-run innings to a 13-4 defeat of Arizona Thursday night at Schroeder Park.
The victory came in the opener of the final weekend of Big 12 play, and of the regular season, with the Cougars having already clinched a spot in the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship next week in Arlington.
Connor McGinnis (3-for-4) had his best performance since returning last weekend after an injury . . . McGinnis finished a home run shy of hitting for the cycle and drive in three runs.
Tre Broussard also put on a show Thursday night batting in the leadoff spot after a stint in the middle of the order . . . Broussard went 3-for-5 with a three-run home run over the left field wall in the sixth inning, three of his four RBI on the night.
Left-hander Antoine Jean took the mound for Houston to start the top of the fifth inning with his team trailing 4-3 . . . Jean set the Wildcats down in order in the fifth, getting three fly ball outs and he worked around an error behind him in the sixth inning to face just four batters.
Houston notched its first five-run frames in the bottom half of the sixth inning.
Jean faced the minimum in the top of the seventh inning, thanks in part to a great defensive play by Aaron Lugo behind the third base bag . . . The Cougars then plated five more runs after the seventh inning stretch.
Houston, deciding to save Jean for later this weekend if needed, or early next week in the Big 12 Championship, sent Andres Perez to the mound for the final two innings.
Perez retired six of the seven batters he faced and closed out the Houston victory with a looking strikeout.
Jean threw three hitless innings and struck out three batters in earning the win to improve to 5-1 this season.
Tyler Cox was 2-for-4 with three RBI batting in the eight spot, his two singles came in the back-to-back five-run frames.
The Cougars and the Wildcats will meet again on Friday night at Schroeder Park . . . Alex Solis will be on the mound for Houston . . . The game is scheduled to get underway at 6:35pm.
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