UH softball second baseman Becca Schulte hit her third home run of the season in the Cougars’ win over Texas A&M CC on Saturday. | James Mueller/The Cougar
The UH softball team wrapped up its competition in the Houston Tournament as the Cougars went 2-3 over the weekend including a game cancellation against Houston Baptist University due to weather.
Friday (Doubleheader)
Northern Colorado
The Cougars opened the tournament with a close victory over Northern Colorado in the first game of their Friday doubleheader.
The Bears took a 2-0 lead in the first two innings before sophomore infielder Amanda Carden saw her chance with a fielding error and cut UH’s deficit to 2-1 in the bottom of the second.
A two-run double response from UNC widened the gap between the teams at 4-1.
UH responded with a five-run third inning to take its first lead of the game at 6-2 heading into the fourth inning.
After two more runs for the Cougars in the bottom of the fourth inning and a scoreless fifth for both teams, Northern Colorado edged closer and cut the Cougar lead to 8-6 with a two-run single in the top of the sixth.
A bases-loaded walk marked another run for the Cougars in the bottom of the sixth to make it 9-6.
The Bears failed to score in the top of the seventh as the Cougars took the victory 9-6.
Lamar
Weather played a large role in the early going as the score sat at 0-0 through three innings.
A wild pitch and walk with bases-loaded put Lamar on the board at 2-0 to open the scoring.
The Cougars responded with two runs to tie the game in the next frame before freshman third baseman Ja’Naiya Thomas doubled straight down the right-field line to take a 3-2 lead for the Cougars.
Following a quiet fifth and sixth inning, Lamar took the lead back 5-3 after multiple walks and errors by UH.
A solo home run by freshman infielder Kylee Gibson cut the deficit to one before a double from senior outfielder Bethany Busch brought senior shortstop Rock Benavides to home plate to the game at 5-5 and push into extra innings.
Lamar was able to break away from the tie in the top of the eighth with a double down the inner field line bringing the score to 6-5.
The Cougars did not score and lost 6-5 to close the first day of the tournament.
Saturday
Texas A&M Corpus Christi
After two runs in the first inning by Texas A&M Corpus Christi, the Cougars came out hot with five runs including a three-run home run by graduate student infielder Becca Schulte to lead 5-2.
The game turned quiet through the sixth inning with both teams securing only one more to go into the seventh at 6-3.
Texas A&M Corpus Christi sparked a five-run comeback in the top of the seventh inning, starting with a solo-homerun and a bases-loaded walk that brought the score to 6-5.
The team followed this with two runs on an error and an RBI that ended the top of the seventh 8-6.
UH was able to bring the score a bit closer with an RBI by Gibson, but the comeback bid came up short as the Cougars dropped the game 8-7 late to the Islanders.
HBU
The Cougars were originally scheduled to play a second game on Saturday against HBU, but it was canceled due to inclement weather.
Sunday (Doubleheader)
Texas A&M Corpus Christi
Sunday’s first game started out as a pitching duel with several errors in the mix.
The Cougars’ momentum in the fourth inning broke through in the fifth with a ground ball to the outfield by Carden to score the first run of the game.
Busch followed with an RBI double before a single by senior catcher Kati Ray Brown brought Busch to home plate for another run.
The Cougars’ streak ended strong with a line drive by freshman first baseman LA Matthews for a total of four runs in the inning.
Texas A&M was able to get an RBI in the sixth, but could not score more as the Cougars won 4-1.
HBU
UH was held scoreless runs in its second game of the day against with a 7-0 loss against HBU
After a quiet first two innings, HBU broke the game open with a bases-loaded walk in the third.
A direct hit of the ball into Todd’s hand resulted in a pitching change to freshman right-hand pitcher Hannah Blincoe in the top of the sixth.
HBU extended its lead with a line drive into the left-center field that resulted in another run.
A missed Benavides dive on a single right up the middle resulted in two runs for the Huskies as the inning ended 5-0.
In the top of the seventh, HBU hit another single up the middle to push the score to 6-0.
UH almost turned a double play to end the inning, but a late tag allowed a seventh run of the night for the Huskies.
HBU closed out the game in the bottom of the seventh to wrap up the tournament for UH.
