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Friday, February 11
Houston, Texas
6 p.m.
University of Houston
1-0
13
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UTSA
0-2
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4
5
R
H
E
UTSA
0
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Houston
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Photo by: Erik Williams
Cougars dominate UTSA on Opening Day
2/11/2022 7:12:00 PM | Softball
Schulte's two home-run game leads the way for run rule victory
HOUSTON − The Houston Cougars softball team dominated UTSA on opening day with a 13-1 victory on Friday night. Houston tallied 11 hits in the ball game and held UTSA to just two hits.
Right-handed pitcher Kenna Wilkey picked up the win for the game while UTSA (0-2) pitcher Tatum Seith recorded the loss. Wilkey fanned seven in her Cougar debut, striking out the side in the first inning and again in the fourth.
The Cougars (1-0) managed to escape the first inning without conceding any runs as Wilkey struck out the side with bases loaded heading towards the bottom of the first.
In the bottom half of the inning, after getting two runners on base, second baseman Becca Schulte hit a 3-run home run to get the Cougars on the board up 3-0 in the first inning. The home run marked her first home run since March 10, 2020 against #21 Baylor, the last game before COVID-19 shut down the season.
After a 2-run RBI single by left fielder Bethany Busch, center fielder Aspen Howie threw her name in the mix with another 3-run home run to extend the lead to 8-0 with no outs in the second inning. On Schulte's next at-bat, she hit her second home run in as many innings to grow the Cougars' lead to 9-0. Schulte homered twice in a game for the first time since Lindsey Stewart-Vaughn did so on April 7, 2021 against Louisiana.
At the bottom of the third inning, right fielder Paige Hulsey scored after a fielding error at shortstop base to hand UH a 10-0 lead. A second fielding error at third base allowed two unearned runs by Busch and third baseman Ja'Naiya Thomas to boost the Cougars' lead to 12-0.
At the bottom of the fourth, a Thomas single through the left side brought designated player Emma Robertson home for a 13-0 lead heading to the top of the fifth inning.
UTSA managed to avoid the shutout as second baseman Kat Ibarra hit a solo home run to cut the deficit to 13-1.
Two outs later, the Cougars ended the game on a diving stop by shortstop Rock Benavides via run rule to pick up its first win of the season.
UP NEXT
The Cougars look to pick up where they left off when they play host to UTSA and Texas Tech for a double-header on Saturday, Feb. 11 at 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. CT at Cougar Softball Stadium.
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.
Right-handed pitcher Kenna Wilkey picked up the win for the game while UTSA (0-2) pitcher Tatum Seith recorded the loss. Wilkey fanned seven in her Cougar debut, striking out the side in the first inning and again in the fourth.
The Cougars (1-0) managed to escape the first inning without conceding any runs as Wilkey struck out the side with bases loaded heading towards the bottom of the first.
In the bottom half of the inning, after getting two runners on base, second baseman Becca Schulte hit a 3-run home run to get the Cougars on the board up 3-0 in the first inning. The home run marked her first home run since March 10, 2020 against #21 Baylor, the last game before COVID-19 shut down the season.
After a 2-run RBI single by left fielder Bethany Busch, center fielder Aspen Howie threw her name in the mix with another 3-run home run to extend the lead to 8-0 with no outs in the second inning. On Schulte's next at-bat, she hit her second home run in as many innings to grow the Cougars' lead to 9-0. Schulte homered twice in a game for the first time since Lindsey Stewart-Vaughn did so on April 7, 2021 against Louisiana.
At the bottom of the third inning, right fielder Paige Hulsey scored after a fielding error at shortstop base to hand UH a 10-0 lead. A second fielding error at third base allowed two unearned runs by Busch and third baseman Ja'Naiya Thomas to boost the Cougars' lead to 12-0.
At the bottom of the fourth, a Thomas single through the left side brought designated player Emma Robertson home for a 13-0 lead heading to the top of the fifth inning.
UTSA managed to avoid the shutout as second baseman Kat Ibarra hit a solo home run to cut the deficit to 13-1.
Two outs later, the Cougars ended the game on a diving stop by shortstop Rock Benavides via run rule to pick up its first win of the season.
UP NEXT
The Cougars look to pick up where they left off when they play host to UTSA and Texas Tech for a double-header on Saturday, Feb. 11 at 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. CT at Cougar Softball Stadium.
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.
− UHCougars.com −
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Wilkey, Kenna (1-0)
L: SEITH, Tatum (0-1)
Batting:
HR: IBARRA, Kat 1
RBI: IBARRA, Kat 1
Base Running:
RUNS: IBARRA, Kat 1
Batting:
HR: Howie, Aspen 1 ; Schulte, Becca 2
RBI: Busch, Bethany 2 ; Howie, Aspen 3 ; Schulte, Becca 4 ; Hulsey, Paige 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Thomas, Ja'Naiya 2 ; Busch, Bethany 3 ; Howie, Aspen 1 ; Schulte, Becca 2 ; Robertson, Emma 1 ; Benavides, Rock 1 ; Brown, Kati Ray 1 ; Hulsey, Paige 2
SB: Busch, Bethany 1 ; Hulsey, Paige 2
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
2
H
3
RBI
1
AB
3
R
3
H
2
RBI
2
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
4
AB
4
R
2
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
INF
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
UTL
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
RHP
/ SoftballHIGHLIGHTS: Houston 5, Utah 2
Sunday, March 30
HIGHLIGHTS: Houston 10, McNeese 6
Wednesday, March 26
HIGHLIGHTS: Houston 10, Lamar 6
Wednesday, March 19
Cinematic Recap vs. Iowa State
Tuesday, March 11