PREVIEW: Softball Set to Host Houston Invitational

HOUSTON – The University of Houston Softball team is set to co-host its second tournament of the season at the Houston Invitational, welcoming five opponents in Michigan, Penn State, Pitt, UIW and Lafayette to Cougar Softball Stadium.

The Cougars will open the weekend in a lone matchup against ACC foes Pitt at 6 p.m., Thursday. Four games fill up Friday's slate highlighted by a Houston doubleheader on the backend, facing Lafayette at 3:30 p.m. followed by Penn State at 6 p.m. The Cougars will then host Michigan at 5 p.m., Saturday before closing out the tournament against Incarnate Word at 2:30 p.m., Sunday.

HOUSTON TOURNAMENT
Teams	Houston \| Pittsburgh \| Lafayette \| Penn State \| Michigan \| Incarnate Word
Date \| Time	Day 1 – Thursday, Feb. 12 6 p.m. – Pittsburgh vs. Houston \| Live Stats \| Watch \| Tickets Day 2 – Friday, Feb. 13 10:30 a.m. – Lafayette vs. Incarnate Word \| Live Stats \| Tickets 1 p.m. – Penn State vs. Incarnate Word \| Live Stats \| Tickets 3:30 p.m. – Lafayette vs. Houston \| Live Stats \| Watch \| Tickets 6 p.m. – Penn State vs. Houston \| Live Stats \| Watch \| Tickets Day 3 – Saturday, Feb. 14 Noon – Incarnate Word vs. Pittsburgh \| Live Stats \| Tickets 2:30 p.m. – Michigan vs. Incarnate Word \| Live Stats \| Tickets 5 p.m. – Michigan vs. Houston \| Live Stats \| Watch \| Tickets Day 4 – Sunday, Feb. 15 9:30 a.m. – Lafayette vs. Michigan \| Live Stats \| Tickets Noon – Pittsburgh vs. Penn State \| Live Stats \| Tickets 2:30 p.m. – Incarnate Word vs. Houston \| Live Stats \| Watch \| Tickets
Location	Cougar Softball Stadium \| Houston, Texas

Series against Pittsburgh

Overall: 3-2
Home: 3-2
Road: N/A
Last Houston Win: 4-3, Feb. 25, 2025
Last Pittsburgh Win: 6-3, Feb. 24, 2025
Current Streak: W1

Series against Lafayette

Overall: First Meeting

Series against Penn State

Overall: 1-0
Home: 1-0
Away: N/A
Last Houston Win: 3-0, March 11, 2018
Last Penn State Win: N/A
Current Streak: W1

Series against Michigan

Overall: 3-2
Home: 1-2
Away: N/A
Neutral Site: 2-0
Last Houston Win: 5-2, March 7, 2014
Last Michigan Win: 10-3, Feb. 11, 2011
Current Streak: W1

Series against Incarnate Word

Overall: 3-1
Home: 3-1
Away: N/A
Last Houston Win: 7-6, Feb. 16, 2025
Last Incarnate Word Win: 4-3, March 5, 2016
Current Streak: W3

First Pitch

The Cougars host five opponents at the Houston Invitational with four familiar foes and one new opponent, where they face Lafayette for the first time.
Houston welcomes back Pitt and Incarnate Word to the Houston Invitational, having hosted both programs during the second weekend last season. The Cougars split meetings with the Panthers, falling 6-3 in the opening game before securing a victory in the second meeting, 4-3. Houston secured a 7-6 victory in its lone meeting against the Cardinals to close out the weekend last season.
Houston will face the first of eight opponents this season who appeared in the 2025 NCAA Softball Tournament when it hosts Michigan on Saturday.
With a 9-1 run rule victory over Fairfield last weekend to close out the Houston Tournament, Houston Softball earned its 800th victory in program history.
Sophomore Ariel Redmond and junior Gigi Solis were recognized as Top Performers following opening weekend by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA).
On four starts, Redmond hit .545 (leads team), recording six hits (leads team), a double, home run, five RBIs (leads team), six runs, 10 total bases as well as a .571 OB%, .909 SLG% and two stolen bases as the lead-off hitter. Defensively, Redmond had four putouts, three assists, no errors, a 1.000 FLD%, and one double play. Redmond recorded hits in each game while also posting multi-run outings in three of four games as well as multi-run outings in two games.
Solis appeared in two games with one start, spinning 9.0 IP while earning a victory and setting a career-high four strikeouts in her first-career complete game shutout win over HCU (02/06).
Sophomore Madox Mitchael and freshman Leilani Garcia both created memories for the rest of their lives last weekend as both hit their first collegiate home runs during opening weekend.

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.

− UHCougars.com −

HOUSTON TOURNAMENT
Teams	Houston \| Pittsburgh \| Lafayette \| Penn State \| Michigan \| Incarnate Word
Date \| Time	Day 1 – Thursday, Feb. 12 6 p.m. – Pittsburgh vs. Houston \| Live Stats \| Watch \| Tickets Day 2 – Friday, Feb. 13 10:30 a.m. – Lafayette vs. Incarnate Word \| Live Stats \| Tickets 1 p.m. – Penn State vs. Incarnate Word \| Live Stats \| Tickets 3:30 p.m. – Lafayette vs. Houston \| Live Stats \| Watch \| Tickets 6 p.m. – Penn State vs. Houston \| Live Stats \| Watch \| Tickets Day 3 – Saturday, Feb. 14 Noon – Incarnate Word vs. Pittsburgh \| Live Stats \| Tickets 2:30 p.m. – Michigan vs. Incarnate Word \| Live Stats \| Tickets 5 p.m. – Michigan vs. Houston \| Live Stats \| Watch \| Tickets Day 4 – Sunday, Feb. 15 9:30 a.m. – Lafayette vs. Michigan \| Live Stats \| Tickets Noon – Pittsburgh vs. Penn State \| Live Stats \| Tickets 2:30 p.m. – Incarnate Word vs. Houston \| Live Stats \| Watch \| Tickets
Location	Cougar Softball Stadium \| Houston, Texas

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Leilani Garcia

Madox Mitchael

Ariel Redmond

Gigi Solis

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