The Houston Cougars weren’t messing around in their debut home Big 12 game. Especially against the newly awarded number-one team in the country. 

Coming into the game, Texas head coach Mike White was undefeated 4-0 in debut conference games, and between the two schools, Texas had won six of the last seven meetings.

However, as early as the bottom of the first inning with one out, it became evident that history might change. 

Home Run. Double. Home Run. Ground out. Home Run.

Texas sophomore right-hander Citlaly Gutierrez gave up four runs in five batters, and Coach White decided enough was enough. The sophomore from Stamford, Texas, was done with her day. 

Texas bounced back in the third. Freshman outfielder Kayden Henry singled up the middle, allowing for senior outfielder Bella Dayton to score. Senior infielder Joley Mitchell hit a three-run home run to tie the game up at four a piece. Senior second baseman Alyssa Washington added to the tally with a solo shot to left field to extend the Longhorns’ lead by one. Henry also homered in the fourth, extending the Longhorns’ lead to three.

But, in the bottom of the fourth, disaster struck for Texas and Coach White.

Senior left-handed pitcher Estelle Czech was doing well in replacing Gutierrez, going perfect in the first eight batters she faced. But in the fourth, Czech hit two of the first four batters she faced and walked another. The bases were loaded with one out, and there was no getting out of it. 

Facing the pressure of a loaded diamond in hostile territory, the Longhorns committed two costly errors for two runs against them, gave up a single that drove in one, and a three-run home run that propelled the Cougars to an 11-7 lead. The seven runs scored on Czech were the first earned runs given up by the lefty all season. With a single down the left field line, Houston had one more run in them after junior right-handed hurler Sophia Simpson relieved Czech. The most runs given up in a game by Texas prior to Houston was four, and Houston had earned their 12th run against Texas in just four innings.

Texas was able to shave the lead down to two with a pair of doubles by junior third baseman Mia Scott and sophomore catcher Reese Atwood, but the mountain was just too high to climb. Houston went on to win 12-10 against the Longhorns as they improved their record to 17–5 with Texas falling to 19–2.

Texas will have a chance at redemption, as two games remain in this series. They are to be played at Cougar Softball Stadium on Saturday and Sunday.