The UH softball team split a doubleheader against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at home Wednesday night.
After falling to the Islanders in the first game of the evening 2-4, the Cougars rallied back to take game two with a score of 9-8 in a game that featured a combined seven homeruns from both teams.
The Cougars took an early 1-0 lead in game one after senior Kayla Holland brought junior pitcher Julana Shrum home on a sac. That lead held for awhile as a pitcher’s duel broke out.
The Islanders offense wouldn’t be shut out, as they took a 3-1 lead in the top of the sixth following a three-run homerun and added another run in the top of the seventh for a 4-1 lead, giving the Cougars one last chance to tie it up.
After two quick outs junior centerfielder Katie St. Pierre reached on an error, stole second and was brought home by a single from freshman De’Zha Scott, but that would not be enough as a Selena Hernandez fly out ended it.
Shrum pitched well despite recording the loss, going the distance and giving up four runs on eight hits, with the lone homerun being the deciding factor.
Like the first game, it was the Cougars who got the scoring started with a solo shot from senior Kris Davila in the bottom of the second, but the lead wouldn’t hold as the Islanders loaded the bases, leading to a two-run double in the top of the third.
The teams combined for 11 runs over the next 1.5 innings, with Houston putting up four in the fourth and three in the fifth and TAMCC adding three in the top of the third with all but one of the runs coming via the long ball.
Senior Sydney Gerbracht got the call to pinch hit in the bottom of the fourth and responded with a three-run homerun, giving the Cougars a 5-2 lead before the Islanders hit back-to-back bombs good for a 6-5 lead.
The Cougars answered the Islanders long ball with another one of their own. Davila blasted another shot — this one good for three runs — and UH took an 8-6 lead going into the seventh.
After pitching a scoreless sixth in relief, Shrum ran into some trouble in the seventh as she gave up back-to-back home runs, allowing the Islanders to tie it up and give the cougars a chance for a walk-off win.
Shrum was able to make it back though with a leadoff double that led to a Davila walk-off single, bringing home sophomore Jordan Rains, who pinch ran for Shrum.
Davila finished the game going 3-3 with two homeruns, four RBI and the walk-off single.
The Cougars will be back in action Wednesday, April 1 as the Texas Longhorns come to town for a single-game series, with first pitch scheduled for 6 p.m.
