PREVIEW: Cougars Travel from Space City to Theme Park Capital

ORLANDO, Fla. – The University of Houston Softball team closes out its Big 12 Conference road slate this weekend, heading to UCF for a three-game set at UCF Softball Complex.

After a 5 p.m. CT, Friday, opener, the teams will meet at 1 p.m. CT, Saturday, and 11 a.m. CT, Sunday, to conclude the series.

UCF
Date \| Time				April 25 \| 5 p.m. CT \| Watch \| Stats \| Tickets April 26 \| 1 p.m. CT \| Watch \| Stats \| Tickets April 27 \| 11 a.m. CT \| Watch \| Stats \| Tickets
Location				UCF Softball Complex \| Orlando, Fla.
Game Notes				Game Notes

SERIES vs UCF

All-Time: 22-35
At UCF: 8-22
Last Houston Win: 9-8; April 22, 2022
Last UCF Win: 7-2; April 14, 2024
Last 10 in Series: 1-9
Current Streak: L7

HEAD COACH KRISTIN VESELY
Overall record: 232-212-1 (9th season)
At Houston: same

FIRST PITCH

Houston closes its regular-season road slate after a dominant win over HCU on Tuesday. The Cougars shut out the Huskies enroute to the 11-0, run-rule win in five innings behind a stellar performance in the circle from freshman Rylee Michalak along with homers from freshman Brooke Wells and sophomore Makenna Mitchell.
The Cougars renew a rivalry with long-time conference foe UCF. Houston has met the Knights in every complete season since 2006 with UCF being the Cougars' third-most frequent opponent with 57 games between the two teams behind only Tulsa (58 games) and ECU (68 games).
Wells continues to collect accolades, this time being named Softball America's #11 First Baseman in the country in April. She previously was the #9 first baseman in the publication's February list while also being chosen as the #1 freshman in the Big 12. She was previously selected for both Softball America's and D1Softball's Freshman Watch Lists.
Freshmen are well represented in the starting lineup for this year's squad. Out of 388 positional start this season, first-years have earned 194 of them (49 percent) while underclassmen as a whole have snagged 352 of the team's 398 starts (88 percent). It is believed to be both one of the most freshmen heavy lineups and underclassmen heavy lineups.
Sophomore Jordee Wilkins entered Houston's single-season list for doubles with her 13^th of the year against Texas Tech, sitting just four shy of tying the program record set by Arielle James in 2019.
Wells hit her second grand slam of the season against HCU, marking the 11^th time that a Cougar has hit multiple in a season and becoming just the 16^th Houston player to hit multiple in a career.
Houston has been drawing walks at a prolific rate this season. Picking up 216 bases on balls through the first 40 games, the Cougars rank fifth in the nation in the category, sitting 14 walks behind leader Ohio State who has played nine more game. Every team in front of Houston has played at least three more games.
In the walk total is five games where Houston drew double-digit walks, including 13 against New Mexico on Feb. 7 which is the second most walks drawn in a single game by a NCAA Division I team this season as well as a new program record for walks in a game.
The Cougars' walk total this season has already eclipsed the season total from 22 of Houston's seasons.
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 eight NCAA Division I teams to turn a triple play this season.

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