Houston softball swept by Iowa State after dropping midweeks to Texas State, Kentucky

Houston softball enters the final month of regular-season play having lost a season-high seven games in a row.

After beginning the season 9-1 and later 17-10, the Cougars now sit at 17-17, with a conference-worst mark of 1-8 in league play.

Cougars drop slugfest against Bobcats 

In the first game of a back-to-back, Houston and Texas State’s offenses showed out, with the Cougars scoring eight runs on 13 hits, and the Bobcats scoring 12 runs on 11 hits. The struggle on the mound led to a 12-8 loss for Houston and to a 17-13 overall record. 

Beginning the barrage of hits for the Cougars was junior infielder Makenna Mitchell, who started the day with a 2-run home run in the first inning and added another in the seventh. 

Sophomore two-way Maddie Hartley made her first career start on the mound, and only managed 1.1 innings, giving up four hits and five runs, but made her impact on the offensive side, hitting a grand slam in the fourth inning. 

After Hartley’s early departure, the Cougars would try several arms in relief, such as redshirt senior Paris Lehman, junior Gigi Solis, and sophomore Neveah Brown. Together, the trio gave up seven hits and seven runs. 

Despite getting fewer hits, the Bobcats’ offense made its mark. It was led by junior infielder Kate Bubela, who hit a grand slam in the second, and redshirt freshman outfielder Harley Vestal, who hit another home run to cap off an eight-run inning. 

As the Cougars mounted a comeback in the sixth, down 8-6, the Bobcats would hit two more home runs by senior infielders Keely Williams and Aiyana Coleman to put the game out of reach. 

Junior pitcher Madison Azua would get the win for the Bobcats by moving to 12-5 on the season. In 6.1 innings, she would throw 112 pitches, give up 10 hits, six runs, and collect five strikeouts. 

Cougars’ losing streak extends to four with loss to Kentucky 

In its second game of the back-to-back, Houston’s pitching struggles struck again, as it gave up nine runs off 10 hits, another grand slam and lost 9-2.  

Brown made her 16th start of the season but never got it going, giving up nine hits and eight runs and falling to 8-5. 

Down 4-2 in the sixth, the Cougars started to put the pressure on, with two runners on and 1 out; top home run hitters Hartley and Mitchell came up to bat. Senior pitcher Sarah Haendiges struggled in the inning, but came through getting Hartley to fly out and striking out Mitchell. 

In the seventh inning with bases loaded and no outs, Brown came out, and Solis came in to preserve the game. Senior catcher Karissa Hamilton saw an opportunity and hit a grand slam to put the game away. 

Haendiges would get the win for the Wildcats, moving to 8-3, in four innings; she would only give up three hits, and record four strikeouts. 

Houston softball traveled to Ames, Iowa to take on Iowa State for a three-game weekend series where the Cougars hoped to gain conference play momentum.

Entering the series, both programs had one combined conference win, with the lone win coming from Houston when it came back to beat Kansas on March 13.

Despite the sweep, the Cougars may have found a little consistency scoring in conference matchups, as they have scored seven or more runs in three of their last four games after sustaining a scoring rollercoaster ride.

Houston’s pitching staff still has had its struggles, as the Cougars have now allowed 10+ runs in every game except for this series finale dating back to March 3 against McNeese.

Mitchell’s home run marks 50th of the season for Houston, fastest team in program history to reach number despite loss

Although Mitchell smacked Houston’s 50th home run of the season—becoming the quickest Cougar team to meet that mark—the Cougars lost 9-1 to Iowa State in the opening game of the series.

The solo shot occurred in the fourth inning to cut the Cyclones’ lead to 2-1 before Iowa State rattled off seven unanswered runs to force a sixth inning run-rule.

The historic moment had no influence on helping bring in runners in scoring position, however, as Houston stranded all 10 of them.

Home runs from freshman catcher Kasey Kane and senior infielder McKenna Andrews, a wild pitch to score sophomore utility hitter Jessie Clemons and an RBI single by sophomore catcher/outfielder Karlee Ford proved to be insurmountable for Houston in the final frame.

Senior infielder Mandy Esman was the only Cougar with multiple hits in the contest with two.

Brown was given the loss, as she allowed three earned runs off four hits in 4.1 innings.

For Iowa State, the win was awarded to junior right-hander Lauren Schurman, her eighth win of the season, after going four innings of one-run ball.

The save was given to senior right-hander Jaiden Ralston.

Scoreless final four innings in polarizing game for Houston gives Iowa State series win

Despite the Cougars putting up four runs in the first inning and seven in the first three overall, Houston found just two more hits in the last four frames to help Iowa State come back and win 9-7 in the series’ middle game.

Houston found eight of its 10 hits in the first three innings.

A bases-loaded walk from sophomore infielder Madox Mitchael, a groundout RBI by senior infielder Kylei Griffin, a RBI fielder’s choice off a bunt from sophomore catcher Isabel Cintron and an Esman RBI double gave Houston its first four runs.

A three-run bomb by Iowa State’s senior infielder Sydney Malott cut the lead to 4-3 to close out the first inning.

Mitchael then sent an RBI double down the left field line and scored one before sophomore outfielder Ariel Redmond was ruled out at home in the second.

Hartley scored Esman on an RBI single before Mitchell brought home senior infielder Gabby Rawls on a fielder’s choice hit to cap Houston’s lead at 7-3.

Mitchell’s RBI fielder’s choice also capped Houston’s scoring for the rest of the game, as it was all Iowa State to close it out.

In the fourth, senior outfielder Tatum Johnson provided an RBI single to score one, cutting the lead to 7-4.

Then in the fifth, senior infielder Ashley Minor hit a groundout RBI to score one and advanced runners into scoring position.

The next pitch allowed sophomore outfielder Hayleigh Oliver to score two off an RBI single up the middle that tied the game at 7.

The next pitch after that gave Iowa State the lead it would never let go, as Andrews laced an RBI double to score Oliver.

Houston’s final nail in its coffin came off a solo homer from Ford, capping off scoring.

The loss was given to Lehman, as she allowed five runs off six hits in 3.1 innings. The loss dropped her to 2-2 on the season.

The win and save was once again given to Schurman and Ralston, as Schurman’s 3.1 innings of no-run, two hit ball.

Lehman earns 100th career strikeout as Houston squanders another multi-run lead to seal series sweep

A throwing error on a routine throw to first base by senior pitcher Nicole Bodeux allowed Iowa State’s Malott to score the walk-off run, beating Houston 8-7 in the series finale.

Despite the loss, Lehman earned her 100th career strikeout in the bottom of the third when she struck out sophomore infielder Kadence Shepherd.

Houston took a first inning 2-run lead before opening a 6-3 lead off another Mitchell home run going into the bottom of the fourth.

RBIs in the fourth from senior outfielder Tiana Poole, senior infielder Reagan Bartholomew, and Johnson tied the game at six before sophomore outfielder Victoria Prado gave the Cyclones a 7-6 lead off an RBI single in the fifth.

Hartley then tied the game at 7 with a home run to left center for her 14th homer of the season, tied for most on the team alongside Mitchell.

Then in the bottom of the seventh, Prado smacked a roller to the mound leading to the game-losing mishap, sealing the victory and sweep for Iowa State.

In the finale, Houston had a series-high 11 hits with Mitchell leading the day with three hits and three RBIs.

Mitchell has gone six straight games with a hit.

The loss was given to Bodeux who allowed two runs and the aforementioned game-losing throw.

Schurman was once again given the win for her 10th on the season.

Next, the 17-17 Cougars will hope to get back in the win column when they travel to Beaumont to take on the 17-15 Lamar Lady Cardinals on March 24 at 5:30 p.m.