Houston softball drops series to Kansas despite comeback in opener

A walk-off walk, a blowout and a near comeback win were all on display as Houston softball dropped two out of three in its series to Kansas at Cougar Softball Stadium over March 13-15, after dramatically winning the opener. 

The Jayhawks clubbed a staggering 14 home runs in outscoring the Cougars 38-19 across the weekend.

Cougars take opener in extras, stun Jayhawks in cardiac fashion

In the bottom of the eighth inning, with two outs, bases loaded and a 9-9 tie, junior infielder Makenna Mitchell drew a four-pitch walk.

It allowed sophomore catcher Isabel Cintron to touch home plate and complete Houston’s 10-9 comeback win in walk-off fashion against Kansas in the series-opener Friday.

“If there are outs on the board, we’re a dangerous team, and I believe that,” coach Chrissy Schoonmaker said. “People stepped up in the right moments. They never quit.”

The Cougars had to earn every bit of that win, though. 

With a bevy of home runs from freshman catcher Ella Boyer, junior infielder Kadence Stafford and senior infielder Hailey Cripe, the Jayhawks found themselves up 9-5 heading into the bottom of the seventh.

But Houston found the spark it was looking for all game. After an RBI single to left center from sophomore designated player Maddie Hartley, junior infielder Makenna Mitchell crushed a 2-1 pitch deep into center for a game-tying three-run homer before the game went into extra innings.

“Just hit as hard as I can and show them you don’t want me up to bat no more,” Mitchell said.

Schoonmaker also praised the pitching for showing resilience and toughness to be able to close out crucial innings despite the woes, enabling the offense to come back and set up the eventual game-winning walk.

“I think the pitching staff understands their roles and that we’re going to work as a unit,” Schoomaker said.

For the Cougars, sophomore pitcher London Park got the win to improve to 3-3. In two shutout innings of relief, she allowed just two hits and a walk.

Offensively, Mitchell led the way, going 2-for-4 with six RBIs, a home run and two runs scored. Cintron added to that, going 3-for-5 with two runs, including the game-winner.

For Kansas, sophomore pitcher Kaylee Washington was handed the loss to fall to 5-2. In 3 ⅔ innings, she allowed eight hits, six runs (two earned), four walks and a home run.

Offensively, Cripe went 3-for-5 with a two-run homer, while Boyer went 2-for-2 with a two-run homer and drew three walks.

Jayhawks showcase offensive prowess in blowout to force rubber game

After having victory snatched away from it late in the opener, Kansas unleashed a dominant offensive display Saturday, trouncing Houston 18-1 in a five-inning run rule and forcing a series rubber match.

In the bottom of the second, the Cougars took an early 1-0 lead off a groundout RBI from junior infielder Bethany Aguilar. 

But that was all Houston could scratch across for the afternoon, as the Jayhawks put on one of the finest offensive displays of the season. 

In scoring 18 unanswered runs on 15 hits between the third and fifth innings, Kansas clubbed seven home runs to break its program record for the most in a single game.

The fourth inning alone saw four of them: two three-run homers from senior infielder Campbell Bagshaw and senior outfielder Aynslee Linduff, a two-run home run from Boyer and a solo shot from junior outfielder Teheya Pitts.

Meanwhile, Houston’s own offense remained stagnant, mustering up only three hits.

For the Jayhawks, freshman pitcher Blakely Barber got the win to improve to 4-1. In 98 pitches over five innings, she struck out three batters and forced four flyouts and seven groundouts in giving up just three hits, an earned run and four walks.

Offensively, Kansas logged seven players with a homer, as Boyer led the way with two towards her 2-for-3, 5-RBI afternoon. Senior outfielder Presley Limbaugh went 4-for-4 with two runs scored.

For the Cougars, Park received the loss to fall to 3-4. In 2 ⅓ innings, she allowed five earned runs on five hits and two walks.

Late rally falls short as Jayhawks win rubber match

In a rubber match, Kansas came out of Cougar Softball Stadium as series winners, winning the finale 11-8 Sunday and thwarting Houston’s late comeback attempt.

At first, it seemed like the Jayhawks would breeze to an easy victory over the Cougars just like in the middle game. 

And with a 4-1 lead after four innings, Kansas issued a crooked sixth featuring a grand slam from Linduff that gave it a commanding 10-1 lead. 

But Houston would not give in so easily in the bottom half. A solo homer from Hartley, an RBI double from sophomore outfielder Madox Mitchael and an RBI single from senior pinch hitter Gabby Rawls cut the Cougars’ deficit to 10-4 after six.

In the top of the seventh, the Jayhawks got their 14th home run of the series, a solo bomb from junior designated player September Flanagan, to make it 11-4.

The Cougars still didn’t give in when down to their final out, however, when sophomore catcher Savanna Luther launched a two-strike pitch deep over the center field wall for a grand slam, cutting their deficit down to three.

But Houston’s comeback ran out of steam, giving Kansas its first conference series win of the season.

For the Jayhawks, freshman pitcher Lila Partridge got the win to improve to 3-2. In six innings, she struck out four batters and forced eight flyouts and six groundouts despite allowing three extra-base hits, four earned runs and two walks.

For Houston, sophomore pitcher Nevaeh Brown received her fourth loss in five decisions to fall to 8-4. In four innings, she logged three strikeouts, flyouts and groundouts each, while allowing two earned runs on four hits and three walks.

Now 17-12 and 1-5 in conference play, the Cougars will continue their homestand on Tuesday, March 17th, when they take on Texas State at 6 p.m., the first of back-to-back midweek games.