LUBBOCK – For the first time since 1996, the Houston Baseball team beat Texas Tech in Lubbock, taking the series opener inside Rip Griffin Park, 8-6, on Thursday night.
The win marked the first Cougar win over the Red Raiders since 2014 and the first in Lubbock in nearly 30 years.
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Houston (14-14, 2-8 Big 12) blasted three home runs in the series opener. Catcher Riley Jackson began the scoring with a solo homer in the second inning before right fielder Xavier Perez launched a 400+ foot three-run shot in the fifth inning and first baseman Cade Climie hit a two-run blast in the seventh.
The Cougars hung crooked numbers on the board in three different innings, scoring three in the second and fifth, and two in the seventh.
In his best start against a Big 12 Conference opponent, right-handed pitcher Connor Udland (2-2) struck out five over 5.0 innings for his second win of the year. Left-handed reliever Ryne Rodriguez picked up his third save with a 4.0 inning relief outing.
Three different Cougars recorded multiple hits and five different Cougars drove in runs, including former Texas Tech Red Raider (17-12, 4-6 Big 12) Antonelli Savattere who plated a run in the second inning on an RBI single.
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The Cougars look to win their first Big 12 series of the season on Friday at 2 p.m. from Rip Griffin Park in Lubbock, Texas. The game can be streamed on ESPN+. Houston is seeking its first series win in Lubbock since 1980.