University of Houston Athletics
White Clinches Series with 6-5 Win
2/3/2018 12:00:00 AM | Softball
HOUSTON -- The University of Houston Softball team concluded its preseason with White's 6-5, series-clinching win over Red on Saturday afternoon at Cougar Softball Stadium.
KEY INNINGS
2nd | White, the home team after being the visitor in Game 1, once again struck first by way of sophomore catcher Breezy Burton. After a leadoff double from junior pitcher Savannah Heebner, Burton brought her in with a home run in the next at bat.
3rd | Red answered with a home run from redshirt junior Sarah Barker in the top of the third to make it 2-1.
4th | In the fourth, Red tied the game on an RBI single from freshman outfielder Meagan McCarver before a throwing error on the play allowed the squad to take a 3-2 advantage. However, White followed with a grand slam from freshman shortstop Aspen Howie to regain the lead, 6-3.
5th | Continuing the long-ball trend, Red cut its deficit to two runs with a solo homer from freshman catcher Alex Jones in the top of the fifth.
6th | One inning later, Red plated the final run of the game on a bunt from McCarver for the 6-5 final.
TEAM WHITE NOTES
Top Offensive Players:
Aspen Howie | 1-4, GS, 4 RBI, R
Breezy Burton | 1-2, HR, 2 RBI, 2R
Maya Thomas | 2-3
Pitching Breakdown:
Savannah Heebner | 4.0 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 4 K
Presley Bell | 3.0 IP, 5 H, 1 B, 1 K
TEAM RED NOTES
Top Offensive Players:
Alex Jones | 1-2, HR, RBI, R
Sarah Barker | 1-4, HR, RBI, R
Pitching Breakdown:
Trystan Melancon | 5.0 IP, 7 H, 2 BB, 2 K
Presley Bell | 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 1 K
ON DECK
Houston will open its season at Texas A&M's Aggie Classic running Feb. 9-11. The Cougars will face the host Aggies as well as fellow participants Texas Tech and Boston College across the three-day tournament.
COUGAR SOFTBALL STADIUM UPGRADES
Thanks to a record year for the Diamond Club, Houston Softball announced the addition of an LED, Daktronics video board (completed) and indoor practice facility as major upgrades to Cougar Softball Stadium.
According to Daktronics, the new outfield video board will be the fifth largest at an on-campus softball stadium in the country and the largest in the state of Texas. The board, which will sit just beyond the left-field wall, will stand 29-feet-3.1-inches tall and measure 24-feet-4.0-inches wide with 576 square feet of space (24-feet by 24-feet) for live video, instant replays, statistics and scoring information, graphics and animations, and sponsor messages. The display features a 13HD pixel layout for crisp, clear imagery for a great view from every seat at the stadium.
The indoor facility, which will replace the current batting cage down the right-field line, will measure 70-feet by 80-feet. The 5,600-square-foot space will feature five batting cages, measuring 60-feet long by 15-feet wide each, with retractable nets for the space to be used in a variety of ways. The facility will have a synthetic turf floor and will be temperature controlled.
In total, the two capital projects represent $1.2 million in upgrades.
SHASTA PASS
The Houston Athletics Ticket Office is once again proud to offer the Shasta Pass for the 2017-18 season. For just $80, Cougar fans can purchase one Shasta Pass, which allows season-long general admission entrance to all Houston Volleyball, Soccer, Women's Basketball and Softball home games.
The Shasta Pass offers Houston fans a substantial saving as single-game tickets start at $5 for all four sports. To purchase a Shasta Pass, call 713-GO-COOGS or CLICK HERE.
STAY CONNECTED
Follow Houston Softball on Twitter and Instagram at UHCougarSB, and "Like" UHCougarSB on Facebook.
JOIN DIAMOND CLUB
Fans can help support the Houston Softball program by joining the Diamond Club. To find out more information about the Diamond Club, visit UHCougars.com or call Cougar Pride at (713) 743-GoUH. For more information, CLICK HERE.
