Cougars Split Second Day at Cajun AC Louisiana Clash

Saturday, February 21

Lake Charles, La.

11 AM

University of Houston

10-2

McNeese

11-5

Houston

McNeese

Photo by: Kirk Meche

Cougars Split Second Day at Cajun AC Louisiana Clash

2/21/2026 5:35:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Houston thrashes McNeese with four homers; drop back-half of Saturday doubleheader to Missouri

LAKE CHARLES, La. – The University of Houston Softball team split its second day of play at the Cajun AC Louisiana Clash, first coasting past McNeese 9-1 before falling to 8-2 against Missouri at Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond on Saturday.

The Cougars (10-3) produced four home runs on day while holding McNeese (11-5) scoreless through 6.2 innings off the hand of sophomore Nevaeh Brown. Houston produced six hits against Missouri (4-9), fighting to claw back into the game following the Tigers' six-run second inning.

Game 1 (9-1 W vs McNeese)

Player Highlights

Maddie Hartley: 3-4, HR, 3 RBI, R, 2B, BB
Makenna Mitchell: 2-5, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 2 R
RyLee Gardner: 1-3, HR, RBI, 2 R

Game Highlights

Freshman RyLee Gardner tallied a solo shot to right field for the game's opening score, marking her third homer of the season.
Junior Makenna Mitchell homered in back-to-back innings, tallying her third and fourth of the weekend while extending her home run streak to five games.
Sophomore Maddie Hartley stayed hot at the plate, blasting her second home run in as many days at the top of the sixth, good for her fourth in the last five games.
Sophomore Nevaeh Brown improved to 5-0 this season after pitching a near-complete game, tossing 6.2 innings with four strikeouts while only giving up one run.
Freshman Kylee Savant made her collegiate debut, pinch hitting in place of junior Bethany Aguilar at the top of the seventh.

Key Innings
2^nd | After a scoreless opening inning, Gardner sparked momentum for the Cougars as she drove her third home run of the season to right field, giving Houston a 1-0 lead.

5^th | Following a Hartley walk to lead off the fifth, Mitchell took her second pitch of the at bat deep to center field for her third home run of the weekend, giving Houston a 3-0 lead. After loading the bases on the ensuing four at bats, Gardner scored off a passed ball from third, extending the Cougars' lead to 4-0.

7^th | After reaching second via throwing error and a stolen base, sophomore Madox Mitchael scored courtesy of a single to left field from freshman Hailey Gore, tallying her second career hit and first career RBI. A Hartley double with runners on the corners scored both Gore and sophomore Ariel Redmond to stretch the lead to 9-0.

Game 2 (8-2 L vs Missouri)

Player Highlights

RyLee Gardner: 2-3, R, 2B
Isabel Cintron: 1-3, RBI

Game Highlights

Down 6-0 in the second, sophomore Isabel Cintron delivered Houston's first run of the game on a single, scoring Gardner from third.
Freshman Leilani Garcia reached home on a fielder's choice, scoring Mitchael to cut into the deficit at 6-2.

Key Innings
2^nd | Trailing after Missouri's six-run second inning, Gardner and Mitchael reached the corners on a double and single, respectively. Down 0-2 in the count, Cintron drove in the first run of the game for the Cougars with a single to right. Garcia followed up to bat and put the ball in play, reaching first on a fielder's choice to score Mitchael for the second run of the game.

UP NEXT
The Cougars wrap up the Cajun AC Louisiana Clash with a date against Louisiana at 1:30 p.m., Sunday, at Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond.

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