Houston softball splits six-game road stretch in Central Texas

After enduring a tough start against ranked competition, Houston softball found its footing by the end of the weekend.

The Cougars split the six-game road trip 3-3, including three wins in the Longhorn Invitational.

Lessentine, Perez power A&M blowout win

Before heading over to Austin for the Invitational, Houston made a stop at the Davis Diamond in College Station on Thursday to take on No. 15 Texas A&M. The quick stay was over in the blink of an eye as the Aggies routed the Cougars 8-1.

Houston struggled offensively all night, securing only two hits on 22 at-bats and scratching across its lone run with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the second inning from freshman infielder Leilani Garcia.

A big reason for this was sophomore pitcher Sydney Lessentine, who played all seven innings and struck out eight batters to earn her fifth win of the season.

Texas A&M was led offensively by junior infielder Mya Perez, who went 2-for-3 with two runs, three RBIs and a home run. In addition, senior designated player Micaela Wark went 2-for-4 with a run and two RBIs.

For the Cougars, sophomore pitcher Nevaeh Brown earned her first loss of the season after starting 6-0. In 1.2 innings, she allowed five hits and five runs (four earned) while striking out one batter.

Houston holds off St. Bonaventure to kick off Longhorn Invitational

In a tight, defensive affair, Houston kicked off its Longhorn Invitational run with a 3-1 win over winless St. Bonaventure, the first game of the Friday doubleheader.

Junior pitcher Gigi Solis got her third win of the season, striking out a career-high six batters in five innings while only allowing three hits and one earned run. Meanwhile, Brown continued her strong start to the season, earning her first save of the season with two strikeouts, no hits and no runs in two innings.

Despite registering only five hits the entire game, Houston made them count. In the top of the second, it scored two runs: an RBI double from freshman infielder Ronnie Esparza and an RBI single from freshman catcher Kylee Savant.

The Cougars added to this at the top of the fifth, when sophomore outfielder Ariel Redmond reached home on a throwing error to make it 3-0. The Bonnies got one back in the bottom of the fifth thanks to an RBI double from junior pinch hitter Kymora Wang, but no comeback was in sight.

Sophomore pitcher Mackenzie Frani received her seventh consecutive loss. In five innings, she struck out five batters while giving up five hits and three runs (two earned).

Cougars hammered by No. 3 Longhorns 

Houston’s second game of its doubleheader on Friday was a different story, as No. 3 Texas steamrolled it in a 9-1 rout over five innings.

Just like against the Aggies, the Cougars struggled offensively, managing just one run on three hits, a center field home run from Redmond in the top of the first for her seventh homer of the season. After that, the Longhorns went on a stampede, scoring nine unanswered runs between the first and third innings, leaving Houston in the dust.

For Texas, senior pitcher Citaly Gutierrez got the win to go 4-0. In four innings, she struck out two batters while giving up three hits and one earned run.

Offensively, junior infielder Katie Stewart went 2-for-2 with two runs, two RBI and a home run. In addition, senior catcher Reese Atwood and junior infielder Viviana Maritnez both had two hits and two RBI.

For Houston, senior pitcher Nicole Bodeux took the loss, falling to 2-2. In 1.1 innings, she allowed seven hits, seven earned runs and two extra-base hits, while not striking out a batter. 

Houston handles a late comeback attempt to beat Lamar

A sixth-inning comeback attempt from Lamar was stamped out as the Cougars survived against the Lady Cardinals 7-6 in the first game of their doubleheader on Saturday.

Houston seemed to have to put the game to bed early, as the Cougars scored six runs between the first and second innings to take a 6-1 lead, with a two-run home run from freshman outfielder RyLee Gardner capping off the stretch.

Houston found itself up 7-1 in the bottom of the sixth inning after an RBI double from sophomore designated player Maddie Hartley in the top of the sixth. Lamar then proceeded to launch a comeback, scoring five runs, including back-to-back RBI singles, to make it a 7-6 ball game.

But the Cougars held firm and escaped with the win.

Brown got the win to improve her record to 7-1. In five innings, she struck out one batter while allowing two hits, five runs (two earned) and four walks. She also forced seven fly outs and six ground outs.

Redshirt senior pitcher Paris Lehman got her first save of the season, allowing two hits and a run in two innings.

In addition to Gardner, Hartley and junior infielder Makenna Mitchell scored two runs each.

For the Lady Cardinals, junior pitcher Ava Hernandez received her first loss of the season, going 2-1. In one inning, she struck out one batter while allowing two hits, two runs and two walks.

Crucial sixth-inning propels Prairie View A&M past Houston

In Houston’s second game of its Saturday doubleheader, Prairie View A&M pushed through with a crucial three-run sixth inning to win 7-5 and get its first-ever victory over the Cougars.

Both teams’ bats were lighting it up, with the Panthers making 13 hits and Houston making 10.

After a 1-1 tie going into the top of the fourth, Prairie View broke the deadlock with three runs, an RBI single from senior designated player Kayla Zaid and a 2RBI double from senior outfielder Mia Nunez, to take a 4-1 lead.

The Cougars didn’t flinch from this, and in the bottom of the fourth, they deposited four runs, including scores off a wild pitch and a hit by pitch RBI, to take a 5-4 lead.

But the Panthers would get the last laugh, with those three runs scored in the top of the sixth inning being the difference maker. A steal of home by Zaid, a muffed throw allowed junior infielder Jade Uresti to score and an RBI single from senior infielder Dyani McKinley was all she wrote to help give Prairie View A&M the win.

Sophomore pitcher Caden Young got her first win of the season. In 1.1 innings, she allowed two hits, two walks and no runs.

Offensively, Prairie View A&M was led by Uresti, who went 3-for-3 with two runs.

For Houston, Lehman received her first loss of the season. In three innings, she struck out one batter while giving up four hits, three runs (one earned) and a walk.

Offensively, Hartley led the way, going 2-for-3 with 2 RBI.

Brown shines once more as Cougars shut out Panthers in Invitational finale

On the final day of the Longhorn Invitational on Sunday, the Cougars once again faced off against the Panthers. But this game was not as competitive a matchup, as Houston defeated Prairie View A&M 8-0 in five innings.

Brown excelled on the mound once more, trying to stake her claim as one of the Big 12’s best pitchers. She pitched all five innings, tallying a career-high nine strikeouts while giving up three hits and four walks, earning her eighth win of the season and her third complete-game shutout.

This allowed the Cougars to unleash on the offensive end. They scored four runs between the first and third innings, then scored four runs alone in the bottom fourth while tallying 11 hits in 21 at-bats.

In her third consecutive start, freshman outfielder Shelby Taylor led the offensive charge for Houston, going 3-for-3 with three runs and an RBI.

For the Panthers, graduate pitcher Madalyne Martinez received the loss to go 0-2. In two innings, she struck out one batter while allowing five hits, four earned runs and two walks.

The Cougars, at 14-6 overall, will return to Cougar Softball Stadium to take on the McNeese Cowgirls Tuesday, March 3, at 6 p.m. in a season-series rubber match, after splitting the first two games against them in the Cajun AC Louisiana Clash.