Cougars blank Lamar 5-0 ahead of Big 12 opener

Houston softball bounced back from two straight losses with a 5-0 blowout against Lamar during their blue out game on Tuesday at Cougar Softball Stadium. 

This is now Houston’s ninth win by five or more runs. 

Pitching performance highlights include sophomore pitcher Nevaeh Brown (9-3) and redshirt senior pitcher Paris Lehman, who earned her second save of the year.

Sophomore outfielder Ariel Redmond sparked the Cougars in the bottom of the first inning with a leadoff home run to left field, hitting her first home run in eight games, and giving Houston an early lead. The Cougars added two more runs later in the inning. 

With runners on second and third and one out, sophomore infielder Madox Mitchael lined a double to left-center field to score junior infielder Makenna Mitchell and freshman outfielder RyLee Gardner, extending the lead to 3-0.

Mitchael led Houston offensively, finishing 3-for-4 with a single, double and triple, falling one hit short of the cycle.

Houston increased the advantage in the second inning when Mitchell hit a solo home run to left-center field with two outs. The home run was her ninth of the season, matching her total from the 2025 season.

The Cougars added their final run in the fifth inning. After a triple and a walk put two runners on base, senior infielder Mandy Esman lifted a single into shallow left field to bring home the run and make it 5-0.

Houston returns to begin Big 12 play this weekend, hosting Kansas for a three-game series March 13-15. First pitch for Friday’s opener is scheduled for 6 p.m., and all three games will be streamed on ESPN+.