Houston’s troubles in Big 12 play continued on Friday night when Baylor came to Schroeder Park and claimed a 6-2 victory.
As the Cougars continue to look for a workable solution to the starting rotation, they chose right-handed freshman Connor Udland.
Udland pitched well, going 4 1/3 innings and allowing just two runs on five hits, and he added three strikeouts.
The Houston offense struggled against Baylor starter Lucas Davenport who pitched 5 1/3 innings and allowed just one run.
A Blake Fields RBI single in the sixth inning was followed by Jackson LaLima’s sixth home run of the season in the seventh inning, a solo shot to deep left-center field, and that was the extent of the Cougars’ run production.
Right-hander Harrison Boushele pitched for the second game in a row, and just as he was dominant against Texas on Tuesday night, he was equally brilliant in shutting down the Baylor offense . . . Boushele allowed the Bears nothing over the final 2 1/3 innings, with a lone base runner reaching on a fielding error at third base which was of no consequence.
Boushele also struck out four batters for the second straight game.
Houston only had five hits in the game, and only one of them was for extra bases.
The Cougars and the Bears return to action Saturday at 1pm at Schroeder Park.
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.
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.
Andres Perez held Kansas State scoreless for four innings Wednesday night.
Houston impressed in all facets of the game Wednesday night in Arlington and walked away 9-2 victors over Kansas State to advance in the 2025 Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship.
The Cougars, serving as the visiting team, went to bat first in the top of the first inning and we sat down quietly . . . The Wildcats then scratched across two runs in the bottom of the first inning to take an early 2-0 lead.
They were the only runs of the game for Kansas State.
Meanwhile, the Houston offense went to work in the top of the second inning against Kansas State ace Jacob Frost . . . A strikeout to lead off the frame seemed to be setting the Cougars up for another inning like the first one, but Tyler Cox quickly changed things as he doubled to get on base.
Brandon Bishop quickly followed with a double of his own to score Cox and cut the Kansas State lead in half . . . Malachi Lott singled home Bishop to tie the game at two and then he stole second base . . . Tre Broussard drew a two out walk in front of Kenneth Jimenez who hammered a run-scoring single to give Houston a 3-2 lead.
Second baseman Connor McGinnis doubled in two more runs to make it 5-2 Houston and Kansas State went to the bullpen.
The five-run second inning was the third such inning for Houston in their last four games, the Cougars did it in back-to-back frames in the first game against Arizona last weekend at Schroeder Park.
After the first two Kansas State batters of the bottom of the second inning reached base via free passes, Houston also went to the bullpen in favor of right-hander Andres Perez.
What Perez did over the next four innings was nothing short of spectacular . . . Perez worked around the two inherited runners and escaped the frame without allowing Kansas State to claw back at the Houston lead.
Perez then faced the minimum in the third inning getting two swinging strikeouts and a fly ball out . . . Perez worked a scoreless fourth inning and started to show signs of tiring a bit in the bottom of the fifth inning as he approached and surpassed the 60-pitch mark, although he did strike out two batters in the frame, including the last batter he faced in the contest.
McGinnis (3-for-5) led off the top of the fifth inning with a single and X. Perez tripled to drive him home and expand the Houston lead to 6-2.
David Stich was next out of the Houston bullpen and he pitched a scoreless sixth inning, facing just four batters.
The Houston offense went to work again in the top of the seventh inning, starting with McGinnis leading off the inning with a double, his third hit of the game . . . X. Perez (2-for-5) singled home McGinnis and subsequently stole second and third base . . . Coby DeJesus was the third straight batter of the inning to reach base as he took a free pass and stole second base . . . Evan Haeger, a mid-game replacement for Bishop, singled home both runners on base and pushed the Houston lead to 9-2.
After the seventh inning stretch, right-hander Brady Fuller took the mound for the Cougars protecting a seven-run lead . . . The ballgame was Fuller’s at that point as he tossed three scoreless frames and retired nine of the ten batters he faced . . . Fuller earned the save for his effort, his first of the season.
Prrez pitched a career-high four innings and allowed just two hits, and the win improved his record to 3-1.
His postgame comments were as efficient as his outing against the Wildcats, “I was expecting to go in and do my job,” Perez said.
Perez did his job, first he stopped the bleeding and then he worked through a potent Kansas State offense without allowing anything that looked like momentum.
Head coach Todd Whitting agreed. “Andres getting out of that big jam the inning he came in, I thought was huge,” Whitting said. “Then, we just kept pouring on the runs. Stich comes in and gets his inning and Fuller comes in and does his job.”
“Overall, top to bottom, just a great team effort,” Whitting said.
Houston pitching allowed just five base hits in eliminating the Wildcats from the Championship field . . . The Cougars combined for 11 hits offensively and McGinnis, X. Perez, and Haeger each had two RBI.
The nine runs scored by Houston was the most runs scored by any team on day one of the 2025 Big 12 Championship, the next closest team was Cincinnati, which scored six runs in eliminating Texas Tech.
Houston will next face TCU on Thursday night at Globe Life Field in Arlington . . . The Cougars played the last game of the day on Wednesday, and the original start time was mercifully pushed back only 15 minutes . . . Thursday’s matchup with the Horned Frogs is a 7:30pm scheduled start, but with three games being played before it, look for a possible later start.
Houston left-hander Antoine Jean was just named the Big 12 Pitcher of the Year by the Conference this afternoon.
In perhaps his most dominant outing of the season for the Cougars, Jean pitched five scoreless innings at UCF in March . . . Jean recorded 15 outs in the road victory, 11 of them by strikeout.
Jean also turned in a terrific performance in his outing against Kansas State on April 27 . . . Jean took the mound with just one out in the first inning as things had started to unravel for the Cougars . . . Jean pitched thru the seventh inning and set up Houston for the eventual 6-5 victory to salvage a game in the road series . . . Over 6 2/3 innings, Jean struck out eight batters in the potent Kansas State offense.
In Big 12 play this season, Jean went 3-0 with 72 strikeouts. Jean struck out five or more batters in nine of the 12 Big 12 games in which he pitched.
Jean was also named to the All-Big 12 First Team, the only Houston player named to any of the All-Big 12 lists.
Houston and Kansas State will play the final game of the first day of the 2025 Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship on Wednesday at 8:00pm CT . . . Houston will enter the Championship as the #11 seed of the 12 teams in the field, Kansas State will be the #6 seed.
With three games scheduled to be played before the Houston/Kansas State game, delays in the start time are both possible and to be expected . . . With games scheduled at 9:00am, 12:30pm, and 4:00pm and the necessary field preparations between the game, an 8:00pm start is unlikely.
The Cougars and the Wildcats played a three-game series in Manhattan in April, with Kansas State winning the first two games before Houston claimed the finale.
The winner of the Wednesday night game will face #3 seed TCU (37-17, 19-11) in the last game Thursday night, technically scheduled to get underway at 7:30pm . . . The game will be TCU’s first game of the Championship as they are one of the four teams to get a first day bye in Arlington.
Houston concluded its regular season earlier today with a loss to Arizona at Schroeder Park . . . The Cougars finished the regular season with an overall record of 29-24 and a 12-17 record in Big 12 action.
Houston celebrates after a win over Arizona Thursday night.
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.
Xavier Perez went 3-for-5 with a home run Sunday against Utah
Houston completed its first Big 12 sweep of the season on Sunday with a 10-4 victory over Utah at Schroeder Park.
With the game still scoreless in the bottom of the second inning, Coby DeJesus singled into right-center field to become Houston’s first base runner . . . DeJesus was attempting to steal second base, and with the second baseman moving to cover the base, Brandon Bishop (3-for-3) bounced a ball through the right side of the infield and into right field moving DeJesus to third base . . . After Bishop stole second base, Tyler Cox delivered a fly ball to right field and DeJesus scored on the sacrifice fly ball for a 1-0 Houston lead.
Utah took a 2-1 lead in the top half of the fourth inning, one of the runs scored on a questionable call at home plate which is stood up after a replay review.
Xavier Perez (3-for-5) led off the Cougars half of the fourth inning with a slow single up the middle into center field . . . Tre Broussard pulled a bunt past the pitcher’s mound toward second base and out-ran a toss to first base for a single to put two runners on base with no outs . . . DeJesus put down a sacrifice bunt to third base to move both runners into scoring position . . . Bishop popped a bunt toward the pitcher, who missed the ball but fielded it cleanly to make a toss to first base, which was late, as the first baseman seemed dismayed by the call at first base, Broussard was in full sprint toward the plate and scored easily . . . Cox (3-for-4) singled for the fourth hit in five batters to start the inning . . . Climie hit a sacrifice fly ball deep to right field to score Bishop and Houston took a 4-2 lead going to the fifth inning.
Kenneth Jimenez walked to lead off the bottom of the fifth inning . . . One out later, Perez launched his eighth home run of the season high over the left field wall, the two-run shot extended the Houston lead . . . Broussard then drove a ball into center field on which most hitters would have settled for a single, but Broussard hustled it into a double . . . Broussard moved to third base on a groundout to shortstop before Bishop walked with two outs to put runners on the corners . . . Cox then lined a triple the opposite way into right field to plate Broussard and Bishop as his second and third RBI for an 8-2 lead.
After the Utes added a run in the top half of the seventh inning, two singles and a walk loaded the bases for Houston after the seventh inning stretch . . . Riley Jackson plated a run on a sacrifice fly ball to left field to once again extend the Houston lead to six runs, 9-3.
Both teams added a run to their tally in the eighth inning, 10-4 stood as the final score.
Houston essentially threw a bullpen game on Sunday, using seven pitchers, none of whom threw more than two innings . . . Diego Luzardo made the start and pitched two scoreless frames . . . Andres Perez added two scoreless innings of work in the middle of the game while Alex Solis and Michael Benzor each added a scoreless inning of relief late in the ballgame.
Ten runs is the most runs Houston has scored in a Big 12 this season . . . The last time the Cougars swept a Big 12 series was last season when they opened Big 12 play against Baylor at home.
The Cougars are off for a day before they welcome Texas A&M to Schroeder Park on Tuesday night for the final midweek game of the season . . . First pitch is scheduled for 6:35pm.
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This weekend Houston passed the one million mark for fans that have passed through the gates at Schroeder Park.
Antoine Jean prepares to face the Wildcats Sunday.
Houston salvaged the final game against Kansas State Sunday afternoon 6-5 before leaving Manhattan.
Kenneth Jimenez singled to lead off the game and one out later Xavier Perez walked to put two runners on base . . . Then, with two outs, Anthony Avalos then hit a three-run home run over the left field wall on the first pitch of his at-bat . . . Brandon Bishop, who hit his first home run of the season on Saturday, followed by hitting his second home run of the season over the wall in left-center field for a 4-0 lead.
After a walk and a single the Wildcats went to their bullpen to get out of the opening frame.
But Kansas State battled back and responded with three runs of their own in the bottom of the first inning . . . Houston also went to the bullpen in the first inning after two solo home runs and a walked batter . . . Antoine Jean took the mound with a runner on first base and one out . . . It took Jean a bit to get settled as back-to-back singles were followed by a walk before the first of Jean’s eight strikeouts on the afternoon, when the inning was over, the Cougars were clinging to a 4-3 lead.
Cade Climie hit a solo home run over the wall in right-center field in the top of the third inning to give Houston a two-run cushion at 5-3.
The Wildcats added a run in the bottom of the third inning to once again cut the deficit to one, then Kansas State tied the game in the bottom of the fourth inning when a little small ball yielded a run.
Jean was finished after the seventh inning having retired the last 10 batters he faced, striking out the last four . . . Richie Roman took the mound for the eighth inning and he worked around a throwing error at third base to pitch a scoreless frame.
With the game still tied at five in the top of the ninth inning, Avalos was hit by a pitch to reach base . . . One out later, Tyler Cox doubled down the right field line to score Avalos all the way from first base and Houston took a 6-5 lead.
Roman worked around a one out single and stolen base to get the final two outs and preserve the 6-5 Houston victory . . . Roman (1-5) earned the win, his first of the season.
Jean pitched 6 2/3 innings, taking the game from the first inning into the eighth inning . . . Jean threw 112 pitches and allowed just five base hits.
Houston returns home Sunday and is next in action Tuesday night in Lake Charles at McNeese . . . First pitch is scheduled for 6pm . . . The Cougars return home next weekend to host Utah in a Big 12 weekend series.
Houston players look on as Oklahoma State prepped for Friday’s opener.
Houston continued its solid road play in Big 12 games as they took the series-opener against Oklahoma State 7-4 on Friday afternoon at O’Brate Stadium in Stillwater.
Friday’s opener was moved up a few hours in order to avoid some expected bad weather tonight, so the Cougars and the Cowboys played a Friday afternoon affair under cloudy skies which held off the rain long enough to complete the game.
Houston starter Paul Schmitz was perfect through the first three innings, and he racked up five strikeouts.
A leadoff walk to start the bottom of the fourth inning got a three-run frame started for the Cowboys.
The top of the fifth inning started with Aaron Lugo being walked and before Xavier Perez was hit by a pitch to put the first two batters of the frame on base . . . After a Tre Broussard groundout moved Lugo and Perez into scoring position, Coby DeJesus delivered a one-out single up the middle and into center field to get Houston to within a run at 3-2.
Antoine Jean took the mound to start the bottom of the fifth inning for Houston protecting the one run lead . . . A rare run off of Jean on a solo home run extended the Cowboys advantage to 4-2.
Evan Haeger made a pinch-hit appearance to lead off the top of the sixth inning and drew a walk and then stole second base . . . Tyler Cox followed with his third single of the game, which moved Haeger to third base before Cox stole second base . . . A fielder’s choice resulted in an out at home plate, the second out of the inning . . . Perez then walked to load the bases before Broussard pulled a double to the wall in right-center field clearing the bases and giving Houston its first lead of the game, 5-4.
The Cougars offense was not done adding runs to the tally as the game moved into the eighth inning and Jean was working his way through the Cowboys lineup . . . Kenneth Jimenez was hit in the head with a pitch as he was showing bunt with one out and he was able to take first base . . . Lugo was walked but was erased on a fielder’s choice which also moved Jimenez to third base.
Broussard (2-for-5) then lined a single right back at the pitcher, the carom of the ball off of the pitcher’s body allowed Jimenez to score as everyone else was safe on the bases on the fourth RBI of the game by Broussard . . . DeJesus (3-for-5) singled home his third run of the game and Houston took a 7-4.
Jean retired the final 11 batters he faced in the game without allowing a baserunner . . . Jean struck out five of those batters and he was aided by a terrific defensive play at third base by Lugo who backhanded a bouncing ball just inside the third base line and fired a throw across in time to get the runner out at first base.
Jean, now 4-1 on the season, struck out eight batters in his five innings of relief work and allowed just one hit and one run, on the solo home run . . . Jean threw 64 pitches, which was one fewer than Schmitz threw in his four innings of work.
Schmitz and Jean combined to allow Oklahoma State just three base hits in the game and they combined to walk just two batters, one apiece.
Houston stranded 12 runners on base and more timely hitting could have made the margin of victory even greater . . . Cox was 3-for-5 with a stolen base batting in the nine spot, really nice production out of that spot in the lineup.
The Cougars are now 5-2 in Big 12 road games this season.
Houston and Oklahoma State are set to resume their series Saturday evening at 6pm, the weather may pose problems, but time will tell . . . Just before the series got underway on Friday, it was announced that right-hander Brady Fuller would make the Saturday start against the Cowboys, it will be Fuller’s first Big 12 start . . . In pregame comments Friday, head coach Todd Whitting suggested that Fuller would get one time through the Oklahoma State lineup at which point things would be reassessed.
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