PREVIEW: Cougars Take on Knights

ORLANDO, Fla. – The Houston Baseball team heads to UCF for its first Big 12 Conference road series of the season Friday-Sunday at John Euliano Park.

HOUSTON (11-9, 0-3 Big 12) at UCF (16-4, 2-1 Big 12)
Date \| Time	Friday, March 21 at 5 p.m. CT Saturday, March 22 at 5 p.m. CT Sunday, March 23 at Noon CT
Opponent	UCF (16-4, 2-1 Big 12)
Location	Orlando, Fla.
Watch	ESPN+ \| Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Listen	The Varsity Network \| Lonnie King
Live Stats	UHStats.com
Game Notes	Houston \| UCF
Media Center	Notes, media guide/record book, rosters, box scores, photos

THE MATCHUP

Houston returns to Orlando, Fla. for the first time since winning the series at UCF in 2023. The Cougars won the series opener 13-7 in 10 innings and the series finale 12-9 in a travel-shortened eight inning game.
Houston and UCF were only able to play two of the three games in the series in 2024 due to weather.
Five Cougars graduated from Florida high schools.

QUICK HITTERS

Sophomore Tre Broussard's wheels are turning, successfully stealing 15 bases in a row this season. The Houston, native is sixth all-time in school history for conesecutive stolen bases and has stolen the seventh-most bases in Division-I this season.
On Sunday against Texas Tech, Houston did not strike out for the first time since June 7, 2014, a span of 3,935 days – nearly 11 years.
Junior Connor McGinnis is sixth nationally, and leads the Big 12, with 11 doubles. McGinnis' .417 average is 80th nationally and seventh in the league.
Senior Antoine Jean is 11th nationally, and first in the Big 12, in hits allowed per nine innings pitched at 3.86 and in his short outing on Wednesday night, which is not in NCAA records until the game's conclusion on Tuesday, March 18, had not allowed a hit to Sam Houston. Jean struck out 10 over two most relief outings of record in which he threw 6.0 scoreless frames against Rice and Grambling. Jean allowed just one hit over the 6.0 innings including 4.2 innings of scoreless relief work at Rice on March 5.
Houston scored 10+ runs in five consecutive games scoring 10+ for the first time since 1999 scoring 10+ in games at Rice (3/5), vs Grambling (3/7-9) and at Sam Houston (3/12).
Houston did not lose back-to-back games in the first 15 games of the season – the first time since 2013 when Houston did not lose back-to-back games until its 30th game of the year. During that span Houston scored 10+ runs six times and in four consecutive games for the first time since 2002.
Sophomore Xavier Perez drove in the most RBI in a game since Bobby Hollas' nine RBI in 1979 when he drove in eight Cougars at Rice on March 5. The utility man scorched four hits, three doubles and a home run while driving in three runs on two swings of the bat. The eight RBI is fourth-most by any player in Division-I this season.
Houston won its first four series to open the season marking the first time since 2019 the Cougars have opened the season with three series wins against non-conference teams. Houston has won the first three series of the season in back-to-back seasons after opening 2024 with series wins against Binghamton, St. John's and Baylor.
Sophomore Richie Roman was named the #67 sophomore nationally by Perfect Game and the #5 sophomore in the Big 12 by D1Baseball.com and has started 2025 with a nation-leading six saves.

LAST TIME OUT

Houston dropped its midweek to Sam Houston 5-4 in its first extra-inning contest of 2025.
David Stich twirled a career-high 3.1 innings of scoreless relief work while striking out a career-best five Bearkats.

SERIES HISTORY
Houston record vs UCF                   34-34
Last meeting                        L, 4-6, 5/4/24, Home
Streak                                       UCF, W2

SUPPORT THE COUGARS
Fans can make a direct impact on the success of Houston Baseball by purchasing single-game tickets, renewing season tickets or by buying single-game tickets, supporting LinkingCoogs – UH's very own NIL collective, and by joining the Dugout Club which provides financial support directly to Houston Baseball for needs beyond its operating budget.

STAY CONNECTED
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– UHCougars.com –

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Players Mentioned

Tre Broussard

Antoine Jean

Connor McGinnis

Xavier Perez

Richie Roman

David Stich

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