The softball team started their fall season going 1-0 with a no contest in their doubleheader against the Blinn College Buccaneers on Thursday at Cougar Softball Stadium.
The Cougars won the first game with a score of 4-0, but game 2 was called early due to rain. Since only four innings had been played, game two was called a no contest.
Houston dominated in all aspects in the doubleheader, outscoring the Buccaneers 11-0 in 11 innings played. The Cougars appeared to be cruising to an easy 2-0 mark until the sky opened up.
Game 1 featured dominating pitching from sophomore Trystan Melancon and junior Presley Bell. The duo, who combined for 113 strikeouts last season, again worked well together as they combined to throw a shutout.
Runs came early for the Cougars in game 1. Freshman infielder Charese Wyatt and senior infielder Mariah Garcia scored a run each in the first inning. Sophomore utility player Arielle James scored two RBI’s herself in the second. The pair of two-run innings provided all of the runs that the team needed to secure a win.
Game two featured a clinic from the Houston offense and their pitching continued to be just as dominating.
Bell continued to be too much for the Blinn batters as she threw for three more scoreless innings in game 2 before being relieved by junior pitcher Savannah Heebner in the fourth inning.
Cougar bats were hot early in game 2 once again. All of their seven runs came in the first two innings. Junior infielder Rachel Hill, freshman utility player Tierrah Williams and senior outfielder De’Zha Scott each scored all the runs for the Cougars in the four innings played. Hill and Scott scored one RBI in each of the first two innings and Williams had three RBI’s.
The Cougars were on pace to end the game with a mercy ruling, but it was ruled a rainout in the fifth inning and was decided to be a no contest.
The Cougars will take on the San Jacinto Ravens on Wednesday at Cougar Softball Stadium. The matchup is slated to be another doubleheader, with game 1 set to start at 4 p.m. and game 2 at 6 p.m.