The Houston Baseball team defeated Texas Tech, 8-6, on Apr. 2 in Lubbock, marking its first victory at Rip Griffin Park since 1996.
This win is significant as it ends a nearly three-decade drought for the Cougars in Lubbock and is their first overall against the Red Raiders since 2014. The teams have faced each other only eight times since that year, with Houston playing just six games in Lubbock during that period.
Houston (14-14, 2-8 Big 12) hit three home runs during the game. Catcher Riley Jackson opened the scoring with a solo home run in the second inning. Right fielder Xavier Perez followed with a three-run homer over 400 feet in the fifth inning, and first baseman Cade Climie added a two-run shot in the seventh. The Cougars scored three runs each in the second and fifth innings and two more in the seventh.
Pitcher Connor Udland recorded his best start against a Big 12 Conference opponent by striking out five batters over five innings to earn his second win of the season. Reliever Ryne Rodriguez secured his third save after pitching four innings of relief work. Multiple players contributed offensively; Antonelli Savattere, formerly of Texas Tech (17-12, 4-6 Big 12), drove in a run with an RBI single during the second inning.
Looking ahead, Houston aims to secure its first Big 12 series win of this season on Friday at Rip Griffin Park. The game will be available for streaming on ESPN+. A series victory would be Houston’s first such achievement in Lubbock since 1980.
