Cougars Stumble to Open Easton Classic II

HOUSTON – The University of Houston Softball team came up short in both games of a doubleheader to start the Easton Classic II on Friday at Cougar Softball Stadium. After dropping the first game to Pitt, 6-3, the Cougars couldn't hold on to an early lead and fell to Nevada, 10-7, in nine innings in the nightcap.

GAME ONE – PITT 6, HOUSTON 3
Houston (5-1) suffered its first loss of the season in the opener, falling to Pitt (5-2), 6-3. Paris Lehman (0-1) took the loss in the circle in her second start of the season, allowing five runs (four earned) on six hits while striking out two. Kyra Pittman (2-1) secured the victory in the circle after ceding two runs in five innings while Kendall Brown picked up her first save of the season with two innings in relief.

Player Highlights

Maddie Hartley: 1-4, R, HR, 2 RBI
Makenna Mitchell: 2-4, RBI
Isabel Cintron: 1-1, R, BB
Gabby Rawls: 1-2, 2 BB

Game Highlights

Freshman Maddie Hartley picked up her third multi-RBI game of the season with her two-run homer, the second blast of her career.
Sophomore Makenna Mitchell recorded her third multi-hit game of the season.
Houston, who led the nation with 38 walks entering the contest, drew another six in the game.
The Cougars did not strike out in the game, their first time not suffering a strikeout in a game since April 3, 2022 against Memphis.

Key Innings
1^st | Pitt jumped out to an early lead with a pair of homers in the top of the opening frame. Kaitlyn Brannstrom put the Panthers up with a solo homer followed by a two-run shot from KK Esparza to give Pitt a 3-0 lead.

3^rd | Houston answered with a home run of its own in the third. After sophomore Jordee Wilkins reached on a single, Hartley hit her second homer of the year to left center, shrinking the gap to 3-2.

6^th | After Pitt reclaimed a three-run lead with a pair of runs in the fourth, Mitchell cut the deficit with a RBI single that plated freshman Isabel Cintron. Pitt would go on to add another in the seventh, claiming a 6-3 win.

GAME TWO – NEVADA 10, HOUSTON 7 (9 INN.)
Maddie Hartley (2-1) suffered her first loss of the season in relief for the Cougars (5-2), allowing seven runs (four earned) in 3.2 innings pitched. Nevada's (6-1) Hailey McLean (5-0) continued her undefeated streak with 5.2 innings in the circle to pick up the victory.

PLAYER HIGHLIGHTS

Mikalah Nitta: 2-3, BB
Makenna Mitchell: 0-2, 3 BB, 2 RBI, R
Brooke Wells: 1-5, 3 RBI, R, HR, BB
Gabby Rawls: 2-4, R, BB

GAME HIGHLIGHTS

Entering the game averaging 7.33 walks per game, Houston drew 10 in the contest.
After playing just two games last season that eclipsed three hours in duration, Houston has played five already this season as the game clocked in at 3:55.
The Cougars scored in five of the nine innings.
Mitchell posted her fifth multi-RBI game of the season while freshman Brooke Wells earned her third.

KEY INNINGS
4^th | After Mitchell forced home a run with a walk in the second and freshman Madox Mitchael plated another with a single to center, Houston pushed its lead to five in the fourth. Hartley reached on a lead off double and was joined on the bases by Mitchell with a walk. Wells drove home both with her third homer of the year to give Houston a 5-0 edge.

6^th | Getting on the board with a run in the fifth, Nevada took the lead with a five spot in the sixth. A lead off walk allowed Hannah Di Genova to hit a two-run homer in the next at-bat to make the score 5-3. After loading the bases later in the inning, a fielder's choice plated a run and also left runners on the corners. Both runners ended up scoring in the next at-bat as Madison Clark singled to center to secure a 6-5 lead.

7^th| Houston forced extra innings by tying the game in the seventh. A walk, single and error loaded the bases and Hartley drove home a run with a sac-fly to even the score at 6-all.

9^th | Following a scoreless eighth, Nevada put a pair of runners in scoring position with two outs. Back-to-back singles plated both runners followed by a two-run double from Haylee Engelbrecht that put Nevada up 10-6.

While Houston answered with a sac-fly to score a run in the bottom of the frame, it wasn't enough to complete the comeback, securing a 10-7 win for Nevada.

UP NEXT
Houston continues play in the Easton Classic II on Saturday, facing rematches against both of today's foes. The Cougars battle Pitt at 4 p.m. before a 7 p.m. tilt against Nevada.

SUPPORT YOUR COOGS
Fans can make a direct impact on the success of Houston Softball by supporting LinkingCoogs – UH's very own NIL collective – and by joining the Diamond Club which provides financial support directly to Houston Softball for needs beyond its operating budget.

STAY CONNECTED
Fans can receive updates by following @UHCougarSB on X, formerly known as Twitter, and catch up with the latest news and notes on the team by clicking LIKE on the team's Facebook page at Houston Softball. Fans also can follow the team on Instagram at @UHCougarSB.

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Mikalah Nitta

Gabby Rawls

Maddie Hartley

Brooke Wells

Players Mentioned

Isabel Cintron

Maddie Hartley

Paris Lehman

Madox Mitchael

Makenna Mitchell

Mikalah Nitta

Gabby Rawls

Brooke Wells

Jordee Wilkins

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