The Cougars werer eager to greet first baseman Melissa Gregson after she blasted a three-run home run to center field, giving them a 4-2 advantage at the time. For Gregson it was Gregson’s 15th home run of the year. | Nine Nguyen/The Daily Cougar
Wednesday was a feel-good night for the Cougars as they rallied back from an early deficit against No. 19 Texas A&M to win 4-3 in the fifth annual Striking Out Breast Cancer Game.
Cougar Softball Stadium was packed with 500 people past capacity, for a record total of 1,672. Half of the proceeds from ticket sales go toward the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Houston affiliate.
The Cougars (32-14, 13-5 C-USA) fell behind early in the first inning 2-0 when A&M second baseman Melissa Dumezich hit a home run off freshman pitcher Diedre Outon.
Outon was a last-minute replacement for senior Amanda Crabtree, who sat out with an undisclosed injury. The freshman only lasted half an inning, giving up two hits and two earned runs.
“We decided to go with Diedre thinking they hadn’t prepared for that and defensively wanted to save Donna in case there was trouble,” head coach Kyla Holas said.
“Unfortunately she didn’t get out of the first inning. But as a freshman you need that experience and now she’s got it, and knows what to learn.”
Senior Donna Bourgeois took over with one out in the top of the first, eventually picking up her 12th win of the season. She allowed six hits and one earned run during six innings pitched, while pitching four scoreless innings.
Holas said Bourgeois did a great job and was proud of her, acknowledging that she came in a crucial moment and pitched like a senior should.
“That’s my job, that’s what I’m here to do,” Bourgeois said. “That’s what we work every day for and if you’re not ready when you come in, then why come in at all. You have to be ready at all times.”
In the bottom of the third, the Houston offense awoke with three hits and four runs.
Catcher Haley Outon hit a single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Katy Beth Sherman single moved Outon to third who would later come home after A&M catcher Nicole Morgan threw to first base trying to get Sherman out at first.
The error produced the Cougars’ first run.
Junior comes through in the clutch
First baseman Melissa Gregson stepped up to the plate and delivered a home run right down center field driving in three runs and giving the Cougars their first lead 4-2.
“The first-at bat, I swung on the first pitch and it felt good,” Gregson said. “Next at-bat I knew that she was thinking outside more, so I just saw and it was plate level and went after it and it felt good.”
The win is the Cougars sixth against a ranked opponent in either the coaches poll or USA Softball and puts their mark against ranked teams at 6-2.
UH will head to San Marcos this weekend for a doubleheader against the Bobcats. The first game is slated for a 5 p.m. start at Bobcat Field.
