Houston infielder Makenna Mitchell (22) roars in triumph after making the winning run against UIW, Sunday, Feb. 16, 2025 in Houston, Texas. | Raphael Fernandez/The Cougar
The Houston softball team wrapped up the Easton Classic II in dramatic fashion on Sunday, pulling off an incredible seventh-inning comeback to defeat Incarnate Word 7-6.
With their backs against the wall in the last inning, Houston pulled off an improbable rally, flipping the lead on UIW by scoring seven runs to close out the seventh.
UIW dominated out of the gate, using a leadoff walk and a triple from junior infielder Jillian Gutierrez to take a 1-0 lead.
The Cardinals continued their momentum with junior infielder Jasmine Sierra’s three-run homer that extended the lead to 4-0.
Despite Houston’s offensive struggles throughout most of the game, the Cougars came alive when it mattered most.
Sophomore infielder Kayley Prudhomme and sophomore outfielder Jordee Wilkins reached base, setting the stage for a three-run homer by freshman infielder Maddie Hartley to put Houston on the board.
The Cougars remained hot as freshman infielder Brooke Wells and sophomore outfielder Mikalah Nitta hit back-to-back singles.
In the following at-bat, sophomore infielder Bethany Aguilar walked to load the bases.
Sophomore infielder Makenna Mitchell came in clutch with a two-run double that brought Houston within one run.
Prudhomme drilled a ball to shortstop, forcing a game-winning error that secured the Cougars’ 7-6 win.
Houston clinched a victory in their debut of the blue uniforms and now has won both games of the season when wearing new uniforms.
Houston’s no-strikeout feat not enough to overcome Pitt’s late surge
The Cougars dropped their first game in a 6-3 defeat to Pitt.
Junior pitcher Paris Lehman allowed five runs over six innings.
Pitt’s graduate infielder, Kaitlyn Brannstrom’s early home run, gave the Panthers an early lead.
Pitt extended its lead further with two runs in the fourth, but Mitchell’s RBI single brought Houston within two.
Ultimately, Houston fell short as Pitt ran off with the lead in the seventh to seal the game.
The Cougars lead the nation in walks and drew six more in the contest.
Mitchell recorded two hits and an RBI to record her third multi-hit game of the season.
Despite the loss, Houston didn’t strike out once in this game. This feat was last achieved on April 3, 2022, against Memphis.
Nevada prevails over Houston in extras
The Cougars’ offense was unstoppable early in the game as they remained patient at the plate to draw a season-high 10 walks.
Hartley led off the fourth inning with a double, and Mitchell followed with a walk.
In the following at-bat, Wells crushed her third homer of the season to extend Houston’s lead 5-0.
However, Nevada caught fire in the sixth, as a leadoff walk allowed junior first baseman Hannah Di Genova to crush a two-run homer to cut the lead to 5-3.
Nevada loaded the bases later in the inning, and a fielder’s choice plated a run with runners at the corners.
Both runners scored in the next at-bat as redshirt sophomore infielder Madison Clark singled to center to secure a 6-5 lead.
Backs against the wall and down to their final three outs, the Cougars fought hard and loaded the bases.
Hartley drove in the tying run with a sacrifice fly, which sent the game to extras.
Both teams did not score in the eighth inning, but Nevada set up two runners in the ninth.
Consecutive singles brought both runs home, extending Nevada’s lead over Houston to 10-6.
The Cougars’ response came up short, as a sac-fly to score a single run wasn’t enough to defeat Nevada and lost 10-7.
Houston fends off Pitt’s rally to claim first victory of Easton Classic II
The day began with a lead-off walk by Hartey, which resulted in a score after Wells hit a home run to put the Cougars up by two in the first inning.
However, Pitt responded in the third inning by plating two runs on an error and a groundout.
Houston retook the lead in the fourth inning, with sophomore infielder Bethany Aguilar’s lead-off walk to start things off.
Junior outfielder Gabby Rawls then successfully executed a bunt that forced an error, and freshman Madox Mitchael’s single gave Houston a 3-2 lead.
Later in the fourth, Rawls scored on a wild pitch to extend the lead by two.
In the fifth inning, Pitt scored once more, but it wasn’t enough to defeat Houston.
The Cougars took the game 4-3 and got their revenge on the Panthers.
In the game, Hartwell recorded her first collegiate save with 2.1 innings in relief.
Wells also recorded her fourth home run of the season and second of the tournament.
Houston also recorded their second triple play in program history, the first since April 7, 2007, against UTEP.
Cougars tally back-to-back victories with 6-1 win over Nevada
Houston got on the board first as Mitchell’s sacrifice fly drove in Nitta in the second inning.
With the bases loaded in the third, four consecutive walks put Houston up 5-0.
Nevada responded in the sixth inning with a solo home run by redshirt junior infielder Haley Painter but remained quiet for the rest of the game.
The Cougars won the game 6-1 and bounced back after losing to the Wolf Pack on Friday.
In this match, The Cougar’s pitching did not walk a single batter for the first time since March 6, 2024.
Wells and Hartley have also reached base in every game this season.
The Cougars wrapped up the Easton Classic II with a 5-2 overall record and will face 6-3 Lamar University on Wednesday, Feb. 19, at the Cougar Softball Stadium.
