University of Louisville
Houston
Softball Falls at Houston
March 29, 2014 | Softball
March 29, 2014
HOUSTON - The University of Louisville softball team fell 6-5 and 4-0 to host Houston in an American Athletic Conference doubleheader Saturday afternoon. Louisville (20-13, 2-3 AAC) and Houston (18-10, 5-0) will meet again Sunday at 1 p.m. (EDT).
Houston 6 - Louisville 5
Down 5-2 in the seventh, the Cardinals rallied behind home runs by Taner Fowler and Whitney Arion in the seventh to tie the score at 5-5, but a bases-loaded hit batter gave the Cougars a 6-5 win in the home half of the inning.
After playing through two and a half scoreless innings, Houston broke through with a run in the third. Kendra Cullum led off with a single and stole second. She moved to third on Tiffany McKnight's groundout and came home on a groundout by Haley Outon.
Louisville answered in the top of the fourth when Katie Keller drew a one-out walk and moved to third on Maryssa Becker's base hit. Brittany Duncan's RBI single plated Keller to tie the game at 1-1. Maggie Ruckenbrod's hit loaded the bases and Becker came home on Kayla Soles' groundout to give the Cards a 2-1 lead.
Houston regained the lead behind Haley Outon's grand slam in the in the fifth. Selena Hernandez drew a leadoff walk, Kendra Cullum reached on an error and McKnight singled to load the bases to set up Outon's home run which gave the Cougars a 5-2 lead.
The Cardinals responded with three runs in the top of the seventh. Soles was safe on an infield single and Taner Fowler followed with a shot over the left field wall to cut the lead to one run. Two outs later, Whitney Arion took a pitch over the centerfield fence to tie the game at 5-5.
The Cougars scored an unearned run on a bases-loaded hit batter in the bottom of the seventh. Jaime Edwards reached on a fielder's choice. Pinch-runner Hayley Chamberlain took second on Kayla Hollands's base hit. Catcher's interference allowed Diedre Outon to reach and loaded the bases with one out. Jordan Rains was hit by a pitch to bring home the winning run.
Maryssa Becker (8-2) took the loss, allowing six runs, four earned, on eight hits and striking out six in 6.1 innings. Fowler went 1 for 3 with a run and two RBIs.
Diedre Outon (8-5) got the win, allowing five earned runs on seven hits and striking out one in 7.0 innings. Haley Outon was 1 for 2 with five RBIs.
Houston 4 - Louisville 0
In game two, the Cougars scored the only runs of the game in the third inning. Julana Shrum walked and was safe at second on an error when Katie St. Pierre reached on a fielder's choice. Kendra Cullum's RBI single plated Shrum to put Houston on the scoreboard. Tiffani McKnight's single brought St. Pierre home. Haley Outon was hit by a pitch and Deidre Outon walked to load the bases for Holland's RBI hit. A wild pitch sent Haley Outon home to bring the score to 4-0.
The Cardinals threatened to score in the top of the seventh. Brittany Duncan led off with a single and was lifted for pinch-runner Jordan McNary who moved to second when Kayla Soles was hit by a pitch. Morgan Meyer entered to run and Hannah Kiyohara's two-out single loaded the base. A foul-out ended the game.
Caralisa Connell (7-5) took the loss, allowing four runs, three earned, on two hits and striking out one in 2.1 innings. Rachel LeCoq held the Cougars in check allowing three hits and striking out two in 3.2 innings of relief. Maryssa Becker, Brittany Duncan and Hannah Kiyohara each had a hit for the Cardinals.
Julana Shrum (6-3) got the win, holding the Cards scoreless on three hits and striking out three in a complete game effort. Cullum was 3 for 4 with one RBI to lead the Cougars at the plate.
