Sophomore Bailey Watts threw the second no-hitter of her career in the Cougars’ 9-0 win over Louisiana-Monroe to open play at the Houston Hilton Plaza Invitational on Saturday. Watts struck out six in the five-inning win. | Hendrick Rosemond/The Daily Cougar
Sophomore Bailey Watts no-hit Louisiana-Monroe to open the Houston Hilton Plaza Invitational against Louisiana-Monroe on Saturday to lead UH to a 9-0 five-inning win.
Watts struck out six and the Cougars scored in every inning.
The strong starting pitching didn’t carry over to the nightcap of the doubleheader against McNeese State. Starter Diedre Outon gave up three runs in the first inning and Summer Groholski allowed two more in two-thirds innings of work.
Watts pitched five-and-a-third innings in relief for her second appearance of the day, allowing one run, but the Cougars’ comeback fell short as they earned their first loss of the season 6-5.
Sunday followed a similar pattern as the Cougars opened with a 13-0 rout of ULM, surrendering just four hits.
Freshman Summer Groholski started the game and went four innings. Ty’Ara Law finished off the shutout by forbidding a hit in her one inning of work.
Freshman infielder Jaime Edwards powered the Cougars’ offense with her first-career grand slam in the third inning to start the scoring outburst.
Junior third baseman Holly Anderson crushed a three-run home run in the fourth, part of an eight-run inning.
In the second half of Sunday’s doubleheader, a 5-4 loss, the Cougars’ pitching and defense struggled.
The Cougars ceded five runs and 10 hits. In addition, the Cougars committed three errors, which opened up the opportunities for McNeese St. to score.
“It is really frustrating. We are having too many balls put in play where it increases our chances of making a mistake,” Head Coach Kyla Holas said. “All of the routine plays cost us the ball game.”
