UC Bearcats baseball gets another Top 25 nod after Houston sweep

A sweep of the Houston Cougars in Texas has put the Cincinnati Bearcats baseball team one win away from last year's season total, even though it's early May. UC is 32-17; last year's team finished 33-26 after its three-game run in the NCAA Tournament in Knoxville.

The Bearcats are ranked in the top 25 in back-to-back weeks as Baseball America rates them at No. 20. In the Big 12, Kansas is ranked No. 9, West Virginia No. 18, Arizona State No. 19, UC's No. 20 and Oklahoma State is No. 25.

UC took one of three vs. Kansas in late March, two of three vs. West Virginia in late April, and was swept in Stillwater by Oklahoma State in early April. They have yet to play Arizona State.

Perfect Game lists the Bearcats at No. 22, while DI Baseball still has UC outside the top 25.

Cincinnati Bearcats outfielder Derrick Pitts leads Houston sweep

Sophomore outfielder Derrick Pitts lifted a two-out, two-run homer in the top of the ninth for the lead, then gave UC the win in the 11th on a hustle double to sweep Houston in the 4-3 Sunday series finale.

The Bearcats (32-17, 13-11 Big 12) have won four straight league series, and it was their fifth Big 12 sweep since joining the league in 2024. The six runs allowed in the series (3-2 and 8-1 in the Saturday doubleheader wins) matched the TCU sweep in 2024 for the fewest allowed in a weekend of the three-year coach Jordan Bischel era.