SAN MARCOS, Texas – Coming off its biggest win of the season earlier this week, Texas State (6-8) continues its homestand with a three-game series against Houston (8-4) at Bobcat Ballpark. Friday's first pitch will be at 6:30 p.m., Saturday's contest begins at 2:30 p.m. and the series finale on Sunday is slated to start at 1 p.m.
 
All three games will be streamed on ESPN+ with Brant Freeman and Ty Harrington on the call. An audio feed can be found for Friday's and Saturday's games on KTSW 89.9 FM while live stats will also be available for the entire series.
 
PROBABLE STARTING PITCHERS
Friday: Zachary Leigh, RHP (0-2, 5.52 ERA) vs. Robert Gasser, LHP (1-1, 1.06 ERA)
Saturday: Cameron Bush, RHP (0-1, 4.50 ERA) vs. Ben Sears, RHP (1-0, 3.12 ERA)
Sunday: Zeke Wood, RHP (1-1, 3.45 ERA) vs. TBA
 
LAST TIME OUT
The Bobcats stunned No. 9 TCU at home on Tuesday with an 11-1 run-rule victory in seven innings. It was the second straight year that TXST had run-ruled a Big XII opponent. Tuesday saw Texas State hit six doubles, one shy of tying the program's single-game record that was set in 1997 and was matched in 2012 against Louisiana.
 
ABOUT TEXAS STATE
Justin Thompson continues to lead the team in batting average (.420), hits (21) and RBI (17). He ranks first in both hits and RBI and is second in batting average in the Sun Belt Conference. The junior third baseman is one of seven Division I players to rank first or second in all three categories in their conference.
 
Having a big game against the Horned Frogs was Jose Gonzalez with two doubles and a triple to raise his batting average to .294. Peyton Lewis enters the weekend hitting .333 and is tied for the team lead with three doubles with Wesley Faison, Tucker Redden, Gonzalez and Thompson.
 
Zachary Leigh is slated to get the ball to start on Friday. The senior leads the team with 20 strikeouts, tied for the third most in the Sun Belt. Starting on Saturday will be Cameron Bush. The right-hander will be making the first weekend start of his career and comes in having struck out 13 in 12 innings. Zeke Wood looks to continue his hot start from last Sunday at the Shriners College Classic as he is 1-1 with a 3.45 ERA and 15 strikeouts on the season.
 
ABOUT HOUSTON
The Cougars are coming off a 13-7 win Wednesday night at Incarnate Word. That game began a stretch of seven of the next eight games being on the road for UH.
 
Tyler Bielamowicz leads the team in batting average (.465), hits (20) and on-base percentage (.511) while hitting four home runs, driving in 12 runs and scoring nine times. Steven Rivas paces the Cougars with six homers, four doubles, 13 RBI, 14 runs scored and a .844 slugging percentage.
 
Brad Burckel and Ryan Hernandez have hit three home runs apiece. Also smacking multiple dingers has been Will Pendergrass and Brandon Uhse.
 
Friday's starter is slated to be Robert Gasser. The left-hander is 1-1 with a 1.06 ERA and 15 strikeouts in 17 innings this season. Ben Sears will take the rubber on Saturday and comes in 1-0 with a 3.12 ERA and 11 strikeouts in 17.1 innings of work. Sunday's starter is still to be determined.
 
SERIES VS. THE COUGARS
Houston leads the all-time series over Texas State 31-20. Last season, the Bobcats won two of three in Houston with the loss on Feb. 29 being the last time TXST tasted defeat in 2020. Texas State has won four of the last five meetings.
 
When hosting the Cougars, the Bobcats are 6-5 all-time. The last meeting was on Feb. 25, 2015 when TXST defeated then 3rd-ranked UH 7-6.
 
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