The University of Houston Softball team secured a comeback victory over Baylor in a marathon game on April 2, marking the longest regular season contest in Big 12 Conference history. The Cougars defeated the Bears 3-2 at Getterman Stadium after junior Makenna Mitchell hit a solo home run in the top of the 15th inning.
The extended matchup saw Houston (19-21, 2-11 Big 12) overcome an early two-run deficit and break up Baylor’s no-hit bid with a two-run fifth inning. Both teams then entered a lengthy pitcher’s duel, with nine consecutive scoreless innings before Mitchell’s decisive homer gave Houston its first lead of the night.
Junior Gigi Solis set a new program record by pitching for 12.2 innings and throwing 185 total pitches during the game. The contest lasted four hours and fifty-one minutes, surpassing Houston’s previous longest game both by innings and duration. According to team records, this outing also marked Solis’s best performance in terms of innings pitched, beating Kenna Wilkey’s previous mark from April last year.
Mitchell’s home run was her fifteenth of the season, tying her for seventh place on Houston’s single-season list alongside teammate Maddie Hartley and former player Jennifer Klinkert. Sophomore Madox Mitchael contributed with a two-RBI single that tied the game in the fifth inning—her fifth multi-RBI performance this season.
Senior Mandy Esman achieved new personal bests with her twenty-fifth and twenty-sixth hits of the season while recording her eighth multi-hit game this year. The win opens their weekend series against Baylor ahead of their next matchup scheduled for Friday evening.
Houston fans can follow future games via ESPN+ or stay updated through social media channels managed by Houston Softball.
