Owls' Softball Falls at Houston, 7-6, on Sunday

Sunday, March 23

Houston, Texas

12 p.m.

Temple University

7-14, 0-3

Houston

16-10, 3-0

Temple University

Houston

Owls' Softball Falls at Houston, 7-6, on Sunday

3.23.14 | Softball

Box Score

HOUSTON, Texas - The Temple softball team narrowly missed picking up its first American Athletic Conference win, falling at Houston 7-6 on Sunday afternoon. The Owls outhit the Cougars, 10-7, in the game and left nine stranded on the bases.

After struggling offensively the day before, the Cherry & White bats finally came alive and the squad scored once in each of the first four innings, while adding a pair of runs in the fifth.

Houston (16-10, 3-0 AAC) led 5-3 after three innings, but the Owls got within one on a Sarah Prezioso RBI single in the top of the fourth. Prezioso then stole second, giving her eight on the year and 50 in her career, which is tied for the Temple all-time record.

TU took the lead, 6-5, in the fifth when Brooklin White delivered a one out RBI single to score Leah Lucas, who had reached via walk to open the inning. One out later, with the bases loaded, Toni Santos drew a walk to bring another run across the plate.

Houston relief pitcher Diedre Outon, the host team's third pitcher of the game, settled in to shut the Owls down in the sixth and seventh. The Cougars then used two hits and a Temple error in the bottom of the seventh to score two runs in the come-from-behind 7-6 victory.

Outon (7-5) got the win in 2.2 innings of work, allowing three hits and walking one. Jessica Mahoney (1-5) took the loss, going 6.1 innings, giving up seven hits, five walks and striking out two.

Prezioso was 2-for-4 with two RBI, while Lucas had a 2-for-3 performance with her team-leading fourth homerun of the season. Kaylyn Zierke also had a multiple hit performance for the Owls, going 2-for-4.

Temple (7-14, 0-3 AAC) will be in action next with its home-opener on Wednesday, hosting Wagner for a doubleheader beginning at 2:30 p.m.