UH used an eight-run second inning to pick up a run-rule win against Texas Southern. It was the Cougars’ tenth run-rule win of the season. The Cougars will play again at 6 p.m. today against HBU. | Joshua Siegel/The Daily Cougar
An eight-run second inning powered the Cougars to a 12-4 run-rule victory over Texas Southern on Tuesday at Cougar Softball Stadium.
Haley Outon started the inning with a walk and stole second and third base. Jennifer Klinkert drove her in with a double to center field.
Jennifer Hooker, filling in at first base for the injured Jamie Edwards, knocked in two runs with a single.
Outon came to bat again in the inning and capped off the eight-run inning with a two-run home run, her team-leading 15th of the season.
But the Tigers weren’t out of the game just yet. TSU has the fourth highest team batting average in the nation and their bats came to work in the third inning. They scored two runs on three hits off freshman pitcher Summer Groholski to cut the deficit to 8-2.
The Cougars answered the attack by scoring four runs in the bottom of the inning to pad their lead to 12-2.
Melissa Gregson hit a two-run home run and finished the game batting 2-3 with two runs scored and five RBI.
TSU tried to extend the game in the fifth inning but scored only two runs.
UH is now 14-0 against their cross-street rival and have run-ruled TSU in 13 straight games.
Groholski threw a complete game and gave up eight hits and four runs while striking out two to improve to 7-4.
All 11 batters that played in the game for UH reached base. Nine reached base by a hit, one reached on an error and the other hit by pitch.
Despite the gaudy offensive numbers, head coach Kyla Holas believes there is still room for improvement.
Holas stressed better pitch selection and execution.
“Offensively we need to get better, we have to choose strikes,” Holas said.
“We have been working really hard on our bunting and our base running and I thought neither of those showed up today.”
UH has a chance to improve in those areas tonight against Houston Baptist. The game is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. This is the second ever meeting between the two teams with the Cougars taking a 6-0 victory over the Huskies.
