With the loss, the UH softball team now falls to 9-14 ahead of the start of conference play in the AAC. | File photo
The Houston softball team fell to McNeese in its last matchup before beginning American Athletic Conference play, losing to the Cowgirls 9-3.
Right out of the gates, the Cougars struggled to get going on offense while the Cowgirls managed to get two on base. Sophomore pitcher Logan Hulon limited McNeese’s damage to just landing on second base, keeping the score tied at zero.
At the bottom of the second, two Cowgirls walked and took advantage by stealing second and third base, along with an error on UH’s side. McNeese led 2-0.
A single by junior catcher Kati Ray Brown marked the Cougars’ first runner on base. Sophomore second baseman Paige Hulsey followed with a single of her own, but both runners were left stranded as UH couldn’t capitalize on the position, staying scoreless in the third.
The Cowgirls were able to add two more runs to its total after another walk and a home run.
Things didn’t change much for the Cougars in the fourth inning, while McNeese tallied an RBI to bring the score to 5-0.
But UH saw improvement in the fifth. After singles from Brown, center fielder Aspen Howie and a walk, the bases were loaded for UH. Hulsey recorded an RBI, while senior left fielder Lindsey Stewart-Vaughn doubled home two more Cougars.
Sophomore pitcher Megan Lee stepped into pitch after the Cowgirls notched two more runs for a 7-3 lead.
By the bottom of the sixth, McNeese stretched its lead to 9-3, creating a deficit too big for the UH softball to overcome, and on it was not even able to chip away at. After UH couldn’t catch up in the final inning, the Cougars were defeated by that six-run deficit.
