Houston softball falls to BYU, suffers fourth sweep of season

Houston softball suffered another blow in Big 12 conference play, suffering a sweep at the hands of BYU at Gail Miller Field in Provo, Utah April 9-11.

This marks the fourth time this season that Houston has been swept, and the second consecutive season being swept by BYU.

BYU wins opener in offensive affair despite late Houston comeback attempt

In a game that featured 31 hits and 23 runs scored, BYU outlasted Houston 13-10 to take the series opener on Thursday, thwarting a late comeback attempt from the red Cougars.

BYU jumped out of the gate early. Despite RBI base hits from sophomore catcher Isabel Cintron and junior infielder Bethany Aguilar in the top of the second, BYU took an 8-2 lead in the first three innings, thanks in large part to a five-run home first.

Houston answered back courtesy of sophomore infielder Maddie Hartley launching a solo home run to center field in the top of the fifth. 

UH added to this at the top of the sixth, as a triplet of RBI singles from sophomore outfielder Madox Mitchael, junior infielder Makenna Mitchell and freshman outfielder RyLee Gardner made it 8-6.

But BYU launched another five-run inning in the bottom half, where senior utility player Lily Owens contributed towards their last two runs with an RBI single and eventually scoring off a wild pitch, making it 13-6.

Houston attempted to get back in it late at the top of the seventh, with Cintron’s solo home run to deep center field and senior infielder Kylei Griffin’s pinch-hit, three-run double to right to make its deficit 13-10. But BYU held firm and stopped the comeback in its tracks.

For Brigham Young, junior pitcher Gianna Mares got the win to improve her record to 6-8. In six innings, she struck out eight batters while giving up three earned runs on eight hits, three walks, and a home run.

At the plate, six of nine starters for BYU had at least two hits, with Owens and sophomore infielder Danica Acosta tallying two runs and two RBIs each. In addition, senior first baseman Maddie Udall-Wooley got herself a solo home run in the bottom of the second.

Houston sophomore pitcher Nevaeh Brown earned a loss, falling to 9-9. In ⅔ innings, she struck out two batters while giving five runs (three earned) on four hits.

At the plate, including her home run, Cintron went 4-for-4 with two RBIs and three runs scored.

Home run fest helps BYU clinch the series

Thanks to four home runs, BYU convincingly took the series with a 10-6 victory in the middle contest on Friday.

After Gardner hit an RBI single through the left side in the top of the first to give Houston the early lead, sophomore catcher Ilove’a Brittingham began the home run festival for the blue Cougars with a three-run homer to deep center.

Two more were added in the bottom of the second, where a three-run homer from Owens and Brittingham’s second homer of the day, a two-run blast, gave BYU an 8-1 lead. 

Houston didn’t falter from this, cashing in three runs at the top of the third off an RBI fielder’s choice from sophomore outfielder Ariel Redmond and back-to-back RBI singles from Griffin and senior infielder Mandy Esman. 

UH added two more in the top of the fifth on Griffin’s two-run homer to left center, cutting its deficit to 8-6.

But that’s all Houston could muster as the blue Cougars added insurance with an RBI groundout from senior infielder Miranda Mansfield in the fifth and a solo home run from Acosta in the sixth, putting the nail in the coffin.

As for Brigham Young, sophomore pitcher Jada Villegas got the win to improve to 2-9. In three innings, she struck out two batters while allowing four earned runs on six hits and three walks.

Mares got her first save of the season, by way of 2 ⅓ hitless innings.

Junior pitcher Gigi Solis earned the loss to fall to 3-3. In 1 ⅓ innings, she allowed six earned runs on three hits and four walks.

Griffin led the team offensively, going 2-for-4 with one run and three RBIs.

Missed opportunities cost Houston a chance to salvage in finale loss

Houston’s hopes of avoiding the sweep on Saturday couldn’t be accomplished, falling in Saturday’s series finale 10-9.

Despite the close scoreline, UH had numerous opportunities to swing the game in its favor, but failed to capitalize.

In addition to stranding 14 baserunners, the team went 3-for-13 with runners in scoring position in comparison to the blue Cougars going 5-for-10. Houston also had the bases loaded twice but failed to capitalize in full. 

Houston started hot, with a pair of solo home runs from Mitchell and sophomore infielder Maddie Hartley at the top of the first. 

But BYU responded with a seven-run stretch over the next two innings that began with Brittingham’s third home run of the series, a solo shot over the left field wall.

However, Houston didn’t back down, responding at the top of the fourth with Hartley’s three-run homer, her second of the game, and Gardner scoring off a fielding error.

UH then added three more runs in the sixth off RBI singles from Esman and Mitchael, and Redmond reaching home plate on a wild pitch to take a 9-7 lead, their first lead of the entire series.

Yet, BYU clutched up in the bottom of the sixth. Thanks to freshman outfielder Rita Tavita’s two-run double and a sac-fly RBI from sophomore infielder Bre Townsend, BYU took a 10-9 lead that never relented, holding on to complete the sweep.

Villegas got her second win of the series for BYU improve to 3-9. In 3 ⅓ innings, she struck out four batters while allowing three earned runs on five hits and six walks.

At the plate, Tavita went 2-for-4 with two RBIs.

For Houston, Brown got her second loss of the series to fall to 9-10. In 4.1 innings, she struck out two batters while allowing five runs (two earned) on six hits and five walks.

Now sitting at 20-25 overall and 3-12 in Big 12 play, the red Cougars come back home, where they will take on Arizona State at Cougar Softball Stadium April 17-19.