Catcher Kati Ray Brown hit two home runs over the weekend for UH softball against Tulsa. | James Mueller/The Cougar
UH softball opened up American Athletic Conference play by going 1-1-1 against Tulsa over the weekend.
Friday
The Cougars lost the first game of the series against Tulsa 9-1.
After three scoreless innings to start the game, pitching was a struggle for UH in the fourth inning.
After two quick runs from the Golden Hurricane to begin the fourth, junior pitcher Megan Lee was sent to replace graduate pitcher Hannah Todd, who started the game in the circle for UH.
Saleen Flores, a senior pitcher, then replaced Lee after Tulsa scored four more runs to make it a 6-0 game via a hit-by-pitch, single and three walks.
Senior shortstop Rock Benavides hit a solo home run in the top of the fifth, to get the Cougars on the scoreboard. This proved to be UH’s lone run of the game.
Two errors in the bottom of the fifth paved the way for the Golden Hurricane to add three more runs, increasing their lead to 9-1. These final three runs ended the first game of the series due to the eight run-rule.
Saturday
UH evened things up in the second game of the series behind an offensive explosion, defeating Tulsa 13-11.
In the bottom of the first, the Golden Hurricane struck first off a single.
UH answered in the second inning with a two-run homer from senior catcher Kati Ray Brown hit to give the Cougars a 2-1 lead.
Tulsa scored three runs in the bottom of the second to regain the lead.
A home run from graduate second baseman Becca Schulte sparked a season-high seven-hit third inning, which resulted in seven UH runs to give the Cougars a 9-4 lead.
Fighting to stay in the game, Tulsa cut the deficit to 9-6 off a couple of hits in the bottom of the third.
UH started the fourth inning with a bang as junior first baseman Brittaney Shaw and Brown hit back-to-back home runs.
The Golden Hurricane responded with a home run to right field, making it 11-7.
Unwilling to back down, Schulte hit another home run, driving in two more runs for the Cougars.
After a solo home run in the fifth, a wild pitch and two-RBI single opened the door for Tulsa to add three runs in the bottom of the sixth, cutting the deficit to 13-11.
Any other scoring chances for Tulsa came to a halt, as UH switched to Todd in the circle.
Todd threw a perfect seventh inning to secure the UH victory.
Sunday
For the first time since 2010, the Cougars had a game end in a tie.
The final game of the series took a slow start opening with three scoreless frames.
Tulsa put the first run on the board off a double in the bottom of the fourth inning.
In the top of the seventh, the Cougars tied the game on a sacrifice fly from freshman infielder LA Matthews fly out.
Tied after seven innings, game went into extras.
Freshman infielder Baylea Myers hits a single down the left-field line, helping UH take a 2-1 lead in the top of eighth.
The Goledn Hurricane responded with a home run in the bottom half of the inning, tieing up the game at 2-2.
The game remained tied 2-2 after nine innings of play when the agreed upon 3:15 pm drop dead time was reached. As a result, the game ended in a tie to allow UH adequate time to travel back to Houston from Tulsa.
