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Friday, February 25
Houston, Texas
3:30 p.m.
University of Houston
5-6
9
vs
6
Northern Colorado
2-9
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Northern Colorado
2
0
2
0
0
2
0
6
11
4
Houston
0
1
5
2
0
1
X
9
10
3
Photo by: Erik Williams
Houston Splits Tournament Openers
2/25/2022 9:37:00 PM | Softball
Thomas’ 4 RBI highlight tournament 's 1st day
HOUSTON – The University of Houston softball team split its opening games of the Houston Tournament on Friday − a 9-6 win over Northern Colorado and a 6-5 eight-inning heart breaker against Lamar in the night cap.
GAME 1
Center fielder Aspen Howie went yard and left fielder Bethany Busch had a three-hit day with a triple as the Cougars (5-7) roared back against the Bears (2-9), scoring in four different innings, including a five-run third inning.
Collectively, Houston showed great plate discipline with just one strikeout offensively, while the pitching staff struck out six Northern Colorado hitters.
Trailing for the first three innings, UH scratched a run across to draw within a run in the second inning after a leadoff walk to right fielder Amanda Carden came around to score after a wild pitch, ground out and a fielding error allowed the sophomore to score.
Houston brought the bats in the third inning with four hits scoring five runs. A double steal scored Houston's second run of the game before the Cougars loaded the bases via a walk and a base hit.
A ground out scored the second run of the third inning and single through the right side by third baseman Ja'Naiya Thomas gave the Cougars the lead. The fourth hit of the inning by shortstop Rock Benavides, gave Houston a 6-4 lead.
Howie led off the fourth inning with her second home run of the season. A two-out triple to left field put Busch in scoring position, which Houston capitalized on via another Northern Colorado fielding error.
In relief, junior Megan Lee (3-1) tossed 4.1 innings in relief without allowing an earned run. Lee struck out four and earned her third win of the season.
GAME 2
A back-and-forth game that could have ended on two different plays in the seventh inning went the way of the Cardinals (4-8) 6-5 in eight innings.
Houston used a frantic three-run fourth inning to take the lead 3-2 after Lamar had taken the lead in the top half of the inning.
A single and an error off the bat of Carden plated a run to draw within one, and a big double down the line by Thomas gave the Cougars the lead, scoring second baseman Becca Schulte and Carden.
Houston looked to shore up the win in the top of the seventh with two outs until two shocking errors extended Lamar's chances, who scored three runs in the inning and took a 5-3 lead.
Down to their last out, the Cougars flexed their strength via the long ball by designated player Kylee Gibson. Shortstop Rock Benavides lined one to third for a base hit and then left fielder Bethany Busch sent a line drive to the left-center wall, plating a surging Benavides from first to tie the game.
Houston had the tying run in scoring position in the bottom of the eighth, but was unable to extend the game any further, falling by one run.
NEXT UP
Houston is back in action with a modified schdule in the Houston Tournament due to inclement weather against Texas A&M Corpus Christi and Houston Baptist with scheduled first pitches now of 2:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m., respectively.
The 11:30 a.m. game on Saturday between Lamar and Northern Colorado is now slated for 11:30 a.m. on Sunday. The rest of the games that day will move up in time with the Houston Baptist vs Lamar game now at 11:30 a.m., the game Houston vs Corpus Christi now at 2 p.m. and the Houston vs Houston Baptist now at 5:30 p.m.
Sunday will now have five games. With the 9 a.m. game between Corpus Christi and Northern Colorado staying the same, the 11:30 a.m. game from Saturday is now in the Sunday slot at the same time. The rest of Sunday's games get pushed back. So the Lamar vs HBU game is now at 2 p.m., the Houston vs Corpus Christi game is now at 4:30 p.m. and the Houston vs Houston Baptist game is now schedule for 7 p.m.
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.
GAME 1
Center fielder Aspen Howie went yard and left fielder Bethany Busch had a three-hit day with a triple as the Cougars (5-7) roared back against the Bears (2-9), scoring in four different innings, including a five-run third inning.
Collectively, Houston showed great plate discipline with just one strikeout offensively, while the pitching staff struck out six Northern Colorado hitters.
Trailing for the first three innings, UH scratched a run across to draw within a run in the second inning after a leadoff walk to right fielder Amanda Carden came around to score after a wild pitch, ground out and a fielding error allowed the sophomore to score.
Houston brought the bats in the third inning with four hits scoring five runs. A double steal scored Houston's second run of the game before the Cougars loaded the bases via a walk and a base hit.
A ground out scored the second run of the third inning and single through the right side by third baseman Ja'Naiya Thomas gave the Cougars the lead. The fourth hit of the inning by shortstop Rock Benavides, gave Houston a 6-4 lead.
Howie led off the fourth inning with her second home run of the season. A two-out triple to left field put Busch in scoring position, which Houston capitalized on via another Northern Colorado fielding error.
In relief, junior Megan Lee (3-1) tossed 4.1 innings in relief without allowing an earned run. Lee struck out four and earned her third win of the season.
GAME 2
A back-and-forth game that could have ended on two different plays in the seventh inning went the way of the Cardinals (4-8) 6-5 in eight innings.
Houston used a frantic three-run fourth inning to take the lead 3-2 after Lamar had taken the lead in the top half of the inning.
A single and an error off the bat of Carden plated a run to draw within one, and a big double down the line by Thomas gave the Cougars the lead, scoring second baseman Becca Schulte and Carden.
Houston looked to shore up the win in the top of the seventh with two outs until two shocking errors extended Lamar's chances, who scored three runs in the inning and took a 5-3 lead.
Down to their last out, the Cougars flexed their strength via the long ball by designated player Kylee Gibson. Shortstop Rock Benavides lined one to third for a base hit and then left fielder Bethany Busch sent a line drive to the left-center wall, plating a surging Benavides from first to tie the game.
Houston had the tying run in scoring position in the bottom of the eighth, but was unable to extend the game any further, falling by one run.
NEXT UP
Houston is back in action with a modified schdule in the Houston Tournament due to inclement weather against Texas A&M Corpus Christi and Houston Baptist with scheduled first pitches now of 2:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m., respectively.
The 11:30 a.m. game on Saturday between Lamar and Northern Colorado is now slated for 11:30 a.m. on Sunday. The rest of the games that day will move up in time with the Houston Baptist vs Lamar game now at 11:30 a.m., the game Houston vs Corpus Christi now at 2 p.m. and the Houston vs Houston Baptist now at 5:30 p.m.
Sunday will now have five games. With the 9 a.m. game between Corpus Christi and Northern Colorado staying the same, the 11:30 a.m. game from Saturday is now in the Sunday slot at the same time. The rest of Sunday's games get pushed back. So the Lamar vs HBU game is now at 2 p.m., the Houston vs Corpus Christi game is now at 4:30 p.m. and the Houston vs Houston Baptist game is now schedule for 7 p.m.
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: Ruiz, Aaliyah (3-4)
L: Lee, Megan (3-1)
Batting:
2B: Davis, Brooke 1
RBI: Davis, Brooke 1 ; Ancelot, Kaylee 1 ; Fleming, Audry 1 ; Kinkade, Hannah 1
SH: Ramirez, Nicolette 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Davis, Brooke 1 ; Bean, Sam 2 ; Fleming, Audry 1 ; Hankins, Piper 2
HBP: Kinkade, Hannah 1
Batting:
2B: Busch, Bethany 1 ; Thomas, Ja'Naiya 1
HR: Gibson, Kylee 1
RBI: Busch, Bethany 1 ; Thomas, Ja'Naiya 2 ; Gibson, Kylee 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Matthews, LA 1 ; Schulte, Becca 1 ; Carden, Amanda 1 ; Gibson, Kylee 1 ; Benavides, Rock 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
INF
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OF
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INF
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INF
/ 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