PROVO, Utah \u2013\u00a0The University of Houston Softball team fell in its Big 12 weekend series finale, 10-9, against BYU at Gail Miller Field on Saturday.
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\nThe Cougars (20-25, 3-15 Big 12) and BYU (14-26, 5-10 Big 12) engaged in a battle of the bats with a combined 21 hits on the day, as both teams traded the lead three times including twice in the sixth inning.\u00a0
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\nDown 7-2 after three, Houston produced seven unanswered runs to take the lead in the sixth before BYU regained the advantage in the bottom of the frame to close out the game.
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\nPLAYER HIGHLIGHTS:<\/p>\n
NOTABLES<\/p>\n
KEY INNINGS
\n\tSophomore Maddie Hartley<\/a> belted a pair of homers, earning her 17th\u00a0and 18th\u00a0of the season while recording her first career multi-home run game.
\n\tJunior Makenna Mitchell<\/a> cracked her 16th\u00a0homer of the year on the game’s opening at bat, hitting from the leadoff spot for the first time this season while recording her third-consecutive multi-hit game.
\n\tHartley and Mitchell have now homered in the same game seven times this season.
\n\tSenior Kylei Griffin<\/a> doubled her precious career high in hits with four on the day, going perfect from the plate to total her seventh hit of the series.
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\n1st\u00a0| Leading off for the first time this season, Mitchell belted a full count pitch to deep center for her 16th\u00a0homer of the season, giving Houston a 1-0 lead. Two batters later, Hartley followed up with a solo shot of her own to deep left field for her first of the day, doubling the Cougar lead to 2-0.\u00a0
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\n4th\u00a0| With a pair of runners on, Hartley cracked her second homer of the day for a three-run blast to deep center, cutting the Houston to 7-5. Following a pair of walks and a single to load up the bases, sophomore Ariel Redmond<\/a> put the ball in play to force a fielding error at second, opening to door for freshman RyLee Gardner<\/a> to score from third to close in the gap to 7-6.
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\n6th\u00a0| With bases loaded to start the frame, senior Mandy Esman<\/a> singled to left field to score freshman Shelby Taylor<\/a> from third to tie the game at 7-7. Two batters later, a wild pitch opened the door for Redmond to reach home, giving Houston an 8-7 lead before a single from sophomore Madox Mitchael<\/a> added the final run for Houston to lead 9-7.\u00a0
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\nUP NEXT
\nHouston returns home for its final Big 12 home series where it hosts Arizona State on April 17-19 with game one set for 6 p.m., Friday. All games will be streamed on ESPN+.
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\nSUPPORT YOUR COOGS\u00a0
\nFans can make a direct impact on the success of Houston Softball by\u00a0supporting LinkingCoogs<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 UH’s very own NIL collective \u2013 and by\u00a0joining the Diamond Club<\/a>\u00a0which provides financial support directly to Houston Softball for needs beyond its operating budget.
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\nSTAY CONNECTED
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