PREVIEW: Cougars Begin Five Games in Six Days

HOUSTON – Coming off its second Big 12 Conference road series win, the Houston Baseball team returns home for five games in six days beginning with two midweek games against Rice on Tuesday, and against McNeese on Wednesday.

HOUSTON (18-13) vs Rice (7-27) \| vs McNeese (23-5)
Date \| Time	Tuesday, April 8 at 6:30 p.m. vs. Rice Wednesday, April 9 at 6:30 p.m. vs. McNeese
Opponent	Rice (7-27), McNeese (23-5)
Location	Don Sanders Field at Darryl and Lori Schroeder Park \| Houston, Texas
Watch	ESPN+ \| Tuesday, Wednesday
Listen	The Varsity Network \| Lonnie King
Live Stats	UHStats.com
Game Notes	Houston \| Rice \| McNeese
Media Center	Notes, media guide/record book, rosters, box scores, photos

PROMOTIONS
Tuesday

Texas $2 Step
- $2 general admission tickets at the ticket booth
Student Tailgate
- Free hot dogs for the first 100 students

Friday-Saturday

Bark in the Park

THE MATCHUP

Houston dismantled Rice 18-1 on March 5 for its second-largest win over the Owls in series history.
Sophomore Xavier Perez notched a four-hit, eight-RBI game to become the first Cougar with 8+ RBI in a game since Bobby Hollas' nine-RBI game in 1979.
This is the most played series in program history (201 games played).
The Cougars swept the Silver Glove Series in 2024.
Houston is 55-19 against McNeese and has won three-straight.
The Cougars won the 2024 matchup in come-from-behind fashion, erasing an 8-3 deficit in the seventh inning to win on a walk-off wild pitch in the 10th inning.

QUICK HITTERS

Senior Antoine Jean struck out 13 in 5.0 innings across two games of relief work against Baylor allowing just three base runners. The left-handed pitcher ranks second nationally in strikeouts per nine innings (15.85) and eighth nationally in hits allowed per nine (4.95) and 16th in total strikeouts (64).
Junior Chris Scinta leads the team in wins with four and is tied for the team lead in appearances (12) and leads all Cougar pitchers with a 2.95 ERA in 18.1 innings pitched.
Houston has won two Big 12 Conference series in 2025, all on the road and has won every road series this season.
Sophomore Xavier Perez recorded his second four-hit game of the season, both in midweek games, driving in three on two doubles and a home run against A&M Corpus Christi. 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.
Jean pitched to a Big 12 best 2.21 ERA in the month of March with 34 strikeouts across 20.1 innings over six appearances. The southpaw pitcher held opponents to a .182 average against while striking out 15.05 per nine innings.
Sophomore Tre Broussard's wheels are turning, successfully stealing 20 bases in a row this season. The Houston, native is fourth all-time in school history for consecutive stolen bases and has stolen the third-most bags consecutively in school history. Broussard ranks 16th nationally with 20 stolen bases and is one of four in the country with 20+ stolen bases without being caught.
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.
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.

LAST TIME OUT

Houston scored two in the first and second innings and the left-handed pitching arms of junior Chris Scinta and senior Antoine Jean scattered four hits across seven innings of relief work on Sunday against Baylor.
Jean struck out eight in 3.0 innings of work, allowing just two hits and a walk against Baylor on Sunday.

SERIES HISTORY
Houston record vs Rice                  91-110
Last meeting      W, 18-1, 3/5/25, Away
Streak                     Houston, W4
Houston record vs McNeese       55-19
Last meeting                        W, 9-8 (10 inn.), 5/1/24, Home
Streak                     Houston, W3

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
Fans can receive updates by following @UHCougarBB 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 Cougar Baseball. Fans can also follow the team on Instagram at @uhcougarbb.

– UHCougars.com –

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Tre Broussard

Antoine Jean

Xavier Perez

Chris Scinta

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