Sunday, April 16
Wichita, Kan.
Noon
University of Houston
19-21, 0
4
at
0
Wichita State
36-8, 0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Houston
0
0
1
0
0
1
2
4
10
0
Wichita State
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
0
Cougars Shock #20/#23 Shockers in Series Finale
4/16/2023 3:15:00 PM | Softball
Houston earns its first win over a ranked opponent this season
WICHITA, Kansas – After two 1-run losses to #20/#23 Wichita State earlier in the weekend, Houston surged in the series finale, posting a 4-0 win over the Shockers on a windy Sunday afternoon at Wilkins Stadium.
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Kenna Wilkey (14-9) tossed a three-hit shutout for Houston (19-21, 6-3). She tallied her fourth solo shutout of the year in her 12th complete game while striking out seven. Alison Cooper (11-4) picked up the loss for Wichita State, allowing four runs and eight hits in 6.1 innings in the circle.Â
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The win extends head coach Kristin Vesely's streak of years with a win against a ranked opponent. She's defeated a ranked team in all seven of her years as Houston's head coach.
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Player Highlights
Game Highlights
Key Innings
3rd | Cantu hit her 12th career home run, a solo-shot to right field, to put Houston up 1-0.Â
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Wilkey battled through a two-on, one-out situation in the bottom of inning to keep the lead intact.Â
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6th | On the heels of three consecutive singles from senior outfielder Paige Hulsey, Coleman and senior infielder Britaney Shaw, Baylea Myers notched a pinch-hit sac-fly to add an insurance run, making the score 2-0.
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7th | Houston, not willing to hit the brakes on offense, posted another two runs in the seventh. Senior catcher Kati Ray Brown doubled to lead off the inning, and a single from sophomore infielder Ja'Naiya Thomas put two on with no one out. Sophomore infielder Brooke Lorenzo advanced the runs with a sacrifice bunt, bringing up the top of the order for Houston with only one out.
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Following a pitching change for Wichita State that brought Alex Aguilar to the circle, Cantu hit a sac-fly, scoring Brown and advancing Thomas, who scored in the next at-bat as Hulsey singled up the middle to make the score 4-0.Â
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Wilkey continued to deal in the bottom of the seventh and, while allowing her third hit of the game in the frame, she shut the door on the ranked Shockers, clinching the shutout win.
UP NEXT
Houston returns home for a three-game series against Tulsa to continue conference play. The series starts on Friday at 6 p.m., followed by a 2 p.m. Saturday contest and a noon Sunday game. All three games will be streamed on ESPN+.Â
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BUY TICKETS
Fans can purchase Houston Softball tickets by calling 713-GO-COOGS (462-6647) or by clicking here.Â
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SUPPORT HOUSTON RISEÂ
Join Houston Rise, a $150 million fundraising campaign for Houston Athletics dedicated to championship success in the Big 12 Conference. Every Houston Rise contribution prepares our Cougars to compete and win when we start Big 12 competition in July 2023. Click here to rise and be counted.
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JOIN the DIAMOND CLUB
Fans can help support the Houston Softball program by joining the Diamond Club. To find out more information about the Diamond Club, click here or call Cougar Pride at 713-743-GoUH (4684).
STAY CONNECTED
Fans can receive updates by following @UHCougarSB on Twitter and catch up with the latest news and notes on the team by clicking LIKE on the team's Facebook page at Houston Softball. Fans also can follow the team on Instagram at @UHCougarSB.
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Kenna Wilkey (14-9) tossed a three-hit shutout for Houston (19-21, 6-3). She tallied her fourth solo shutout of the year in her 12th complete game while striking out seven. Alison Cooper (11-4) picked up the loss for Wichita State, allowing four runs and eight hits in 6.1 innings in the circle.Â
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The win extends head coach Kristin Vesely's streak of years with a win against a ranked opponent. She's defeated a ranked team in all seven of her years as Houston's head coach.
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Player Highlights
- Bree Cantu: 2-3, R, 2 RBI, HR, SF
- Paige Hulsey: 2-3, R, RBI
- Kati Ray Brown: 1-3, R, 2B
- Kenna Wilkey: 7.0 IP, 3 H, 7 SO, 0 R
Game Highlights
- Houston set a new program single-season record with 20 sacrifice flies this season with sophomore infielder Baylea Myers and senior infielder Bree Cantu each hitting one in the game. Cantu moves into a six-way tie for third on Houston's single-season list with her fourth of the year.Â
- With Cantu's home run in the third, Houston has hit 30-or-more home runs in every season except its inaugural season in 2001.Â
- Cantu's eighth home run of the season tied her with sophomore utility Turiya Coleman for the team lead.
- The win is Houston's 53rd all-time against a ranked opponent.Â
- Behind a 10-hit effort with three players posting multi-hit games, Houston posted a double-digit hit total for the 14th time this season.Â
- The Cougars snapped a 12-game winning streak for Wichita State and a nine-game winning streak in the all-time series.
- Houston improves to 5-3 on Sundays this year.
Key Innings
3rd | Cantu hit her 12th career home run, a solo-shot to right field, to put Houston up 1-0.Â
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Wilkey battled through a two-on, one-out situation in the bottom of inning to keep the lead intact.Â
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6th | On the heels of three consecutive singles from senior outfielder Paige Hulsey, Coleman and senior infielder Britaney Shaw, Baylea Myers notched a pinch-hit sac-fly to add an insurance run, making the score 2-0.
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7th | Houston, not willing to hit the brakes on offense, posted another two runs in the seventh. Senior catcher Kati Ray Brown doubled to lead off the inning, and a single from sophomore infielder Ja'Naiya Thomas put two on with no one out. Sophomore infielder Brooke Lorenzo advanced the runs with a sacrifice bunt, bringing up the top of the order for Houston with only one out.
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Following a pitching change for Wichita State that brought Alex Aguilar to the circle, Cantu hit a sac-fly, scoring Brown and advancing Thomas, who scored in the next at-bat as Hulsey singled up the middle to make the score 4-0.Â
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Wilkey continued to deal in the bottom of the seventh and, while allowing her third hit of the game in the frame, she shut the door on the ranked Shockers, clinching the shutout win.
UP NEXT
Houston returns home for a three-game series against Tulsa to continue conference play. The series starts on Friday at 6 p.m., followed by a 2 p.m. Saturday contest and a noon Sunday game. All three games will be streamed on ESPN+.Â
Â
BUY TICKETS
Fans can purchase Houston Softball tickets by calling 713-GO-COOGS (462-6647) or by clicking here.Â
Â
SUPPORT HOUSTON RISEÂ
Join Houston Rise, a $150 million fundraising campaign for Houston Athletics dedicated to championship success in the Big 12 Conference. Every Houston Rise contribution prepares our Cougars to compete and win when we start Big 12 competition in July 2023. Click here to rise and be counted.
Â
JOIN the DIAMOND CLUB
Fans can help support the Houston Softball program by joining the Diamond Club. To find out more information about the Diamond Club, click here or call Cougar Pride at 713-743-GoUH (4684).
STAY CONNECTED
Fans can receive updates by following @UHCougarSB on Twitter and catch up with the latest news and notes on the team by clicking LIKE on the team's Facebook page at Houston Softball. Fans also can follow the team on Instagram at @UHCougarSB.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Wilkey, Kenna (14-9)
L: Cooper, Alison (11-4)
Batting:
2B: Brown, Kati Ray 1
HR: Cantu, Bree 1
RBI: Cantu, Bree 2 ; Hulsey, Paige 1 ; Myers, Baylea 1
SH: Hulsey, Paige 1 ; Lorenzo, Brooke 1
SF: Cantu, Bree 1 ; Myers, Baylea 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Cantu, Bree 1 ; Hulsey, Paige 1 ; Brown, Kati Ray 1 ; Thomas, Ja'Naiya 1
Batting:
2B: Barnard, Addison 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
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RHP
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