Softball

UH hopes to be on top against top-ranked Longhorns

The Cougars (18-13, 7-2 Conference USA) will host the sixth annual Striking Out Breast Cancer Softball Game against No. 6 Texas today.

The softball program will team up with the Houston Affiliate of Susan G. Komen For the Cure to give UH and its supporters a chance to help in the fight against breast cancer.

Along with the coaches, umpires, grounds crew and athletics staff, the players will wear pink to honor those affected by breast cancer.

“It’s a way to recognize the important woman and survivors in our lives, and to show our girls that softball is about more than wins and losses,” said head coach Kyla Holas.

Holas started the program as a way to honor the mother of a former player who had been affected by the disease.

There will be a silent auction with all proceeds benefiting the foundation. Items include game-worn jerseys and helmets, autograph memorabilia, free massages, and much more.

The game itself will be just as exciting as the other festivities as the Longhorns (26-2, 5-0 Big 12) travel to Houston with an undefeated record on the road.

They have outscored their opponents 197-42.

The Longhorns are led by Kingwood-product Lexy Bennett.  The senior infielder leads UT in batting average (.463), hits (38), home runs (6) and RBI (38).

The Cougars will need to play flawlessly in order to add to their season-high eight-game winning streak.

Infielder Holly Anderson and catcher Haley Outon provide the power for the Coogs’ offense.  They share the team lead in home runs with eight. Anderson leads UH with 30 RBI and Outon has 29.

The key to pull off an upset for the Cougars is to score early.  They have outscored their opponents 26-8 in the first inning and have a 14-3 record when scoring first.

The game starts at 6 p.m. at Cougar Softball Stadium.

The first 1,500 fans who attend the game will receive a free pink T-shirt.

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