ARLINGTON, Texas – No. 11 Houston (30-24, 13-17) upset No. 6 Kansas State (31-24, 17-14) in its first-ever Phillips 66 Big 12 Baseball Championship game on Wednesday night after a five-run second inning and scoreless appearances from the bullpen. Junior infielder Connor McGinnis and redshirt sophomore outfielder Xavier Perez led the Cougars with multi-hit and multi-RBI games.
Houston right-handed pitcher Andres Perez (W, 3-1) picked up the win versus the Wildcats, fanning four batters across four innings of work while allowing just two hits and no runs.
K-State's senior southpaw Jacob Frost opened Wednesday night’s first-round finale, keeping UH bats quiet. All-Big 12 Second Team honorees infielder Maximus Martin and catcher Keegan O’Connor began the Wildcats’ offensive campaign with a walk and a single to shortstop. UH’s junior righty Paul Schmitz found himself with the bases loaded after hitting freshman infielder AJ Evasco with a pitch, and it wasn’t long before sophomore infielder Dee Kennedy knocked a single to center, giving K-State a 2-0 lead in the first inning.
The Cougars were quick to fight back in the second, collecting three doubles and scoring five runs on five hits. Junior shortstop Tyler Cox sparked UH’s big inning at the plate with a double to the center wall and was sent home by an RBI double from outfielder Brandon Bishop. Outfielder Malachi Lott was soon to follow, handing Houston the tying run with an RBI single. Just as Lott stole second, Frost walked sophomore Tre Broussard and gave up an RBI single to junior catcher Kenneth Jimenez. UH concluded its second-inning rally with a double from junior infielder Connor McGinnis to send Jimenez and Broussard home to push the Cougars’ lead to 5-2.
In the home half, Schmitz hit his first batter and walked his second before being relieved by UH righty Andres Perez, who tag teamed with Cox for a pickoff.
Sophomore right-handed pitcher James Guyette appeared on the mound for the Wildcats in the third, collecting one punchout before Perez took over in the bottom half of the frame and fanned two batters of his own. The Wildcats responded in the bottom half of the frame. K-State infielders Seth Dardar and Evasco each knocked singles, but Perez’ fourth punchout of the night ended their campaign.
Cougars’ redshirt junior righty David Stich took the mound for Perez in the bottom of the sixth, fanning one batter and allowing zero hits.
Houston extended its lead in the top of the seventh when McGinnis knocked his second double of the night and was sent home by a single up the middle from Xavier Perez. After Perez stole second and Coby DeJesus walked before both stole bases. An RBI single from redshirt freshman outfielder Evan Haeger gave UH a 9-2 lead.
Houston moves on to face No. 3 TCU at 7:30 p.m. CT on Thursday, May 22. The game will be broadcast on ESPNU.