PREVIEW: Softball Visits San Antonio for Birds Up Bash

SAN ANTONIO, Texas – The University of Houston Softball team is back on the road this weekend, heading to San Antonio for the Birds Up Bash hosted by UTSA at Roadrunner Field. After a round robin against rv Boise State, Le Moyne and UTSA, the teams will be seeded for a bracket round.

Birds Up Bash
Date \| Time				Feb. 28 10:30 a.m. vs. Le Moyne 1 p.m. vs. Boise State March 1 1 p.m. vs. UTSA 3:30 p.m. OR 6 p.m. – TBD March 2 10:30 a.m. OR 1 p.m. – TBD
Location				Roadrunner Field \| San Antonio, Texas
Live Stats				Results
Game Notes				Houston

SERIES vs LE MOYNE

Overall: First Meeting

SERIES vs BOISE STATE

All-Time: 1-3
in Neutral Sites: 0-2
Last Houston Win: March 10, 2022; 6-2 (9)
Last Boise St. Win: Feb. 24, 2024; 9-1 (5)
Last 10 in Series: 1-3
Current Streak: L2

SERIES vs UTSA

All-Time: 13-6
in San Antonio: 4-3
Last Houston Win: Feb. 15, 2024; 15-3 (5)
Last UTSA Win: Feb. 27, 2013; 3-2
Last 10 in Series: 8-2
Current Streak: W4

HEAD COACH KRISTIN VESELY
Overall record: 221-197-1 (9th season)
At Houston: same

FIRST PITCH

Houston is coming off a 6-3 win in its midweek matchup against Tarleton on Tuesday after homers from sophomore Jordee Wilkins and freshman Ariel Redmond powered the Cougars late.
Freshmen are well represented in the starting lineup for this year's squad. Out of 140 positional start this season, first-years have earned 62 of them (44 percent) while underclassmen as a whole have snagged 124 of the team's 140 starts (89 percent). It is believed to be both one of the most freshmen heavy lineups and underclassmen heavy lineups.
Houston has been drawing walks at a prolific rate this season. Picking up 91 bases on balls through the first 14 games, the Cougars rank second in the nation in walks drawn, sitting just nine behind the leader, South Carolina, who has played two more games than the Cougars.
Houston used a 5-3-5 triple play to clinch a 4-3 win against Pitt on Feb. 15. It was the team's second triple play in program history and its first since April 7, 2007, against UTEP. The Cougars are one of three NCAA Division I teams to turn a triple play this season, joining Alcorn and Campbell who both also completed the feat in the second weekend of the season.
After tying the record for most runs through 11 games with 94 runs last season, Houston is back to its run-scoring ways this year. Averaging 10.2 runs per game through five games, Houston broke its record for most runs to start the season in that span, besting its previous mark of 39 runs in 2022.
Freshman Brooke Wells played for the US Women's Junior National Team in the WBSC World Cup Group Stage last August. She helped lead the team to a 6-0 finish while herself posting nine RBIs with 10 runs scored, also collecting a .467 batting average with five extra-base hits, including a grand slam. She was named to both D1Softball's and Softball America's Freshman Watch Lists.
Cougar Softball Stadium features multiple upgrades for the 2025 season, including an expanded concessions menu, new safety netting and a new sound system.
Houston filled the third assistant coach role permitted by the NCAA last summer, hiring Barrett Barnes to complete the coaching staff. The Cougars' staff of Head Coach Kristin Vesely and assistant coaches Nadia Taylor, Hope Trautwein and Barnes are the only staff in the Big 12 who all have played either softball or baseball professionally.
Sixteen of Houston's 21 players hail from the Lone Star State, including seven from the Houston-metro area.
Vesely has defeated a ranked team in every season as head coach of Houston, including knocking-off top-ranked Texas last season for the Cougars' first win against a #1 opponent in program history.

SUPPORT YOUR COOGS
Fans can make a direct impact on the success of Houston Softball by supporting LinkingCoogs – UH's very own NIL collective – and by joining the Diamond Club which provides financial support directly to Houston Softball for needs beyond its operating budget.

STAY CONNECTED
Fans can receive updates by following @UHCougarSB on X, formerly known as Twitter, and catch up with the latest news and notes on the team by clicking LIKE on the team's Facebook page at Houston Softball. Fans also can follow the team on Instagram at @UHCougarSB.

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