University of Louisville
Houston
Softball Falls 8-5 to Houston in Series Finale
March 30, 2014 | Softball
March 30, 2014
HOUSTON - The University of Louisville softball team fell 8-5 to Houston Sunday afternoon. Louisville drops to 20-14 (2-4 AAC) while Houston improves to 19-10 (6-0).
The Cardinals jumped to a 2-0 lead in the second. Taner Fowler led off the frame with a walk and Kayla Soles powered a shot over straight centerfield for her fifth home run of the season.
The Cougars answered with four runs in the bottom of the second. Diedre Outon smashed a leadoff home run. Kayla Holland walked and took second on a wild pitch. She stole third and came home on a throwing error to tie the score at 2-2. Katie St. Pierre reached on a bunt single and moved to second on Selena Hernandez's fielder's choice. Kendra Cullum's RBI hit gave Houston a 3-2 lead and an error on a pickoff attempt sent Hernandez home to make it a 4-2 game.
Louisville regained the lead in the top of the third when Whitney Arion walked and Maryssa Becker reached on an two-out error to set up Taner Fowler's fourth home run of the season which gave the Cards a 5-4 lead.
Houston responded with three runs in the home half of the third. Diedre Outon walked, took second on an error and third on Holland's sacrifice bunt. An RBI single by Jordan Rains evened the score at 5-5. Katie St. Pierre followed with another RBI single to give the Cougars a 6-5 lead. Hernandez walked to load the base and Cullum was hit by a pitch to bring the third unearned run of the inning across the plate and make the score 7-5.
Diedre Outon connected on a two-out home run in the bottom of the seventh to extend Houston's lead to 8-5
The Cardinals threatened in the top of the seventh when Brittany Duncan and Maryssa Becker got the inning started with back-to-back singles to bring the tying run to the plate with no outs. Houston reliever Diedre Outon retired Fowler, Soles and Autumn McDuffie to end the game. Louisville stranded nine runners in the contest.
Rachel LeCoq (6-6) took the loss, allowing five runs, one earned, on five hits and striking out two in 4.2 innings of relief. Maryssa Becker gave up three runs, two earned, on one hit and struck out one in 1.1 innings. Soles was 2 for 4 with two RBIs and a home run. Taner Fowler was 2 for 3 with a home run, two runs and three RBIs in the game.
Diedre Outon (9-5) got the win, holding the Cards scoreless on four hits in 4.1 innings of relief. She was also 2 for 3 with two home runs and three runs.
Louisville will travel to No. 10/10 Kentucky for a single game on Wednesday, April 2.
