The Cougars began their series against Memphis looking to extend their season-high five-game win streak and their ascent up the Conference USA standings.’
On paper, the Tigers seemed an ideal opponent. They had won only two conference games this season and lost eight of 10 all-time meetings with Houston.
Memphis, however, bucked both trends, sweeping the three-game series at Tiger Softball Complex in Memphis, Tenn. The Cougars fell to 18-19 overall and 7-7 in C-USA play.
UH dropped the first game Friday, 5-3, and had the second game called at 11-3 with one out in the bottom of the fifth inning due to the mercy rule, which states any team that has completed five at-bats and trails by eight or more must concede the game.
The Tigers wrapped up the sweep with a 3-2, eight-inning win Saturday.
Saturday’s loss marked the first time a conference opponent has swept the Cougars since Louisville took three games from UH on April 30 through May 1, 2005.
UH head coach Kyla Holas said her players must put the disappointing trip behind them and focus on their four remaining series – three of which are against conference opponents.
” We still have games left to play that can put us above .500 heading into the conference tournament, which is a single-elimination tournament and anyone can win that tournament with that setup,’ she said. ‘I think we’re just trying to keep our head above water, keep doing the things we can do, control the things we can control and head into the end of the season with our best foot forward.’
The series came down to the Cougar’s lack of clutch hitting. Despite holding leads, both early and late in games, UH stranded 18 runners and recorded only nine hits all weekend.’
Houston took a 2-0 lead into the bottom of the fourth inning in Friday’s first game, but pitcher Baillie Lott allowed five runs during the next three innings to put the Cougars in a 5-2 hole after six. UH scored again in the top of the seventh to cut its deficit to 5-3, but it could not come up with enough runs to complete the comeback.
The Cougars received extra chances to score, thanks to four walks and four errors by the Tigers (19-21, 5-10 C-USA), but pitcher Janelle Valle induced timely outs to keep her team in the game.
The Cougars again took a 1-0 lead in the second game when reigning C-USA Hitter of the Week Laurie Wagner hit a solo home run in the top of the second.’
After the Tigers answered with two runs in the bottom of the second, UH’s Elaina Nordstrom smacked a two-run single in the third to give the Cougars a 3-2 advantage. They were unable to score again, while Memphis scored nine runs during the next three innings before the game was called.
Lott fared better in the series’ final game, allowing only one run during the first five innings. She carried a 2-1 lead to the sixth, despite walking six Tigers.’
Lott lost the lead in that inning, allowing a leadoff home run in the bottom frame to Tori Gross that knotted the game at 2. Neither team scored in the seventh, forcing extra innings.
UH was shut out in the eighth and the Tigers took advantage in the bottom of the inning. Lelani Bernardino reached base on an error by second baseman Angela Spittler to lead off the frame. Bernardino scored four batters later on Jessica Phillips’ single, ending the game and the Cougar’s miserable trip to Memphis.
UH plans to rebound when it hosts Central Florida for a three-game set Saturday and Sunday. The opener is slated for 1 p.m. Saturday at Cougar Softball Stadium.
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