PREVIEW: (10) Houston Clashes with (7) Kansas to Begin Phillips 66 Big 12 Softball Championship

OKLAHOMA CITY – The 10-seed University of Houston Softball team begins its maiden trip to the Phillips 66 Big 12 Softball Championship with a first-round tilt against seven-seed Kansas at OGE Field at Devon Park, formerly the USA Softball Hall of Fame Complex, in Oklahoma City on Wednesday.

First pitch in the opening round matchup is scheduled for 5 p.m. with the game being streamed on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.

(7) KANSAS (27-24-1, 11-16)
Teams				Houston vs Kansas
Dates				Wednesday, May 8 at 5 p.m.
Location				OGE Field at Devon Park \| Oklahoma City
Live Streams				Big 12 Now on ESPN+
Live Stats				StatBroadcast
Game Notes				Houston
Tournament Central				Big12Sports.com
Bracket				Full Bracket

SERIES vs KANSAS

Overall: 2-4
First Meeting: W, 1-0, H, Feb. 11, 2006
Last Meeting: L, 1-2, H, March 24, 2024
Last Houston Win: W, 7-3, H, Feb. 23, 2008
At Neutral Sites: First Meeting
Last five: 1-4
Last 10: 2-4
Under Vesely: 0-3
Houston Streak: L4

HEAD COACH KRISTIN VESELY
Overall record: 211-192-1 (8th season)
At Houston: same

FIRST PITCH

The first-round game marks Houston's 23^rd trip to a conference tourney. Houston has made four league championship game appearances, most recently in 2017, while winning the Conference USA tournament in 2007. All-time, the Cougars hold a 24-23 record in conference tournaments.
Junior Lair Beautae broke Houston's single-season runs scored record, passing Kendra Cullum's 52 runs in 2013. Beautae now has 55 on the year, including 17 games with multiple runs scored.
Junior Turiya Coleman's three walks in last year's AAC Tournament game against Tulsa marked the most walks drawn in a conference tournament game by a Cougar.
Houston's 325 runs in 2024 are the second most scored by the team in a season in program history, only behind 2008's 368 runs that included a postseason run to the NCAA Super Regionals.
For the second season in a row, Houston broke its single season sacrifice flies record. After tallying 21 in 2023, topping the previous best of 18 in 2012 and 2006, the Cougars have recorded 23 this season.
Houston ranks 16^th in the country with 198 walks drawn this season. Graduate Bree Cantu sits at sixth on Houston's single-season list with 39 and ranks 25^th nationally with 0.74 walks per game.
The Cougars posted their best 11 game start at 10-1 since 2008 while also tying the program record for most runs through 11 games at 94.

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
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