TIME FRIDAY, MARCH 9
10 a.m. Northwestern vs. Iowa State
12:30 p.m. Lipscomb vs. Iowa State
3 p.m. Penn State vs. Northwestern
5:30 p.m. Lipscomb at HOUSTON
TIME SATURDAY, MARCH 10
9 a.m. Penn State vs. Lipscomb
11:30 a.m. Northwestern vs. Penn State
2 p.m. Iowa State vs. Lipscomb
4:30 p.m. Northwestern at HOUSTON
7 p.m. Iowa State at HOUSTON
TIME SUNDAY, MARCH 11
9 a.m. Lipscomb vs. Northwestern
11:30 a.m. Iowa State vs. Penn State
2 p.m. Penn State at HOUSTON
ON THE TOURNAMENT FIELD • Houston is 9-5 all-time against the tournament field. The Cougars are 6-1 all-time against Iowa State, 3-2 against Lipscomb and 0-2 against Northwestern. Houston and Penn State have never met on the diamond.
Lipscomb • The Lady Bisons enter the weekend with an 11-4 record. • Lipscomb is coming off a 2-2 weekend at its host Purple/Gold Challenge, but opened the season on a five-game win streak, highlighted by wins over Georgia Tech and Virginia, as well as a no-hitter against then No. 14/15 Ole Miss. • Lipscomb, a member of the Atlantic Sun Conference, owns a .271 team batting average and 1.49 team ERA. • Mandy Jordan is 7-0 and ranks second in the conference with a 1.09 ERA, while Caitlin Turner leads the team with a .333 batting average. • The Lady Bisons are led by Head Coach Kristin Ryman, who owns a 402-272-1 in her 13th season at the helm.
Iowa State • The Cyclones enter the weekend with a 10-10 record and are coming off a 2-3 showing at the Osprey Classic in Jacksonville, Fla. • As a team, ISU is batting .237 and holds a 3.25 ERA. • Sami Williams leads the team with a .338 average. In the circle, Brianna Weilbacher is 5-2 with a 1.83 ERA. • ISU, a member of the Big 12, is under the direction of first-year Head Coach Jamie Pinkerton. He previously served as the head coach at Tulsa (2001-04), Arkansas (2005-09) and Montana (2015-17), and has a 359-381 career record to date.
Northwestern • The Wildcats enter the weekend with a 10-8 record and are coming off a 3-2 showing at the Husky Classic in Seattle, highlighted by a 4-0 shutout of No. 11/11 Alabama on Sunday. • As a team, Northwestern is batting .258 and holds a 3.39 ERA in the circle. • Sabrina Rabin leads the team with a .338 batting average, while Morgan Newport anchors the staff with a 4-2 record and 1.87 ERA. • The Wildcats are coached by Head Coach Kate Drohan, who is 542-334-1 in her 17th season at the helm. • Houston and Northwestern met let season at the Mary Nutter Classic with the Wildcats prevailing 3-1.
Penn State • The Nittany Lions enter the weekend with a 1-12 record. Their lone win came in a 4-2 decision at Jacksonville. • As a team, PSU is batting .203 and owns a 4.64 ERA. • Tori Dubois is the team’s leading hitter with a .341 average. • The Nittany Lions are under the direction of fifth-year Head Coach Amanda Lehotak. She previously served as the head coach at Jacksonville (2007-11) and UTSA (2012-13) prior to taking over at PSU. Houston pitching coach Megan Gibson-Loftin served in assistant coaching roles with Lehotak at both UTSA and PSU.
Coogs in extras tonight. Currently in the Top of the 9th after both teams were scoreless through 7 and then both put up a run in the 8th. Heebner is throwing another gem.
KEY INNINGS 8th | With international tiebreaker in effect, the Lady Bisons plated one run on a throwing error in the top of the eighth to score the first run of the game. In the bottom frame, Houston answered with a run of its own to keep the game alive. With senior shortstop Maria Garcia placed on second, junior catcher Brooke Vannoy advanced her to third with a sacrifice bunt before James delivered her with a two-out single to center field.
9th | In the ninth, Lipscomb hit a two-run home run to take a 3-1 advantage, and Thomas scored on a passed ball in the bottom frame for the 3-2 final.
HOUSTON NOTES Top Offensive Players: Arielle James | 2-4, RBI Maya Thomas | 1-4, R Sarah Queen | 1-4
Pitching Breakdown: Savannah Heebner (L, 7-2) | 9.0 IP, CG, 4 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 9 K
I feel like these our teams the Coogs have to beat to be competitive and have a chance in the postseason. The pitching is their and hitting has shown stints. They need to learn to put it all together in multiple games.
