The University of Houston softball team lost its Big 12 series finale against the University of Central Florida, 22-8, at Cougar Softball Stadium on March 29.
The game saw the Cougars (17-21, 1-11 Big 12) close the gap to three runs after multi-run innings in the third and fourth before UCF (28-10, 6-6 Big 12) pulled away with an eleven-run seventh inning.
Freshman Hailey Gore made her first career start and hit her first home run for Houston, a three-run shot to left center field in the fourth inning. Sophomore Maddie Hartley recorded her fifteenth home run of the season with a three-run homer in the third. Hartley tied her career high with four runs batted in during the game.
Three Houston players—Hartley, sophomore Madox Mitchael, and senior Mandy Esman—had two hits each. Senior Gabby Rawls contributed with a single in the second inning for her third hit of the season.
In key moments from Sunday’s game, Hartley’s three-run homer cut into an early deficit in the first inning. Later, Gore’s home run brought Houston within four runs during a rally attempt in the fourth.
Houston will begin a seven-game road trip starting Tuesday against Texas A&M–Corpus Christi at 4 p.m., with streaming available on ESPN+.
