HUNTSVILLE — The Sam Houston softball team closed out the nonconference portion of the schedule with an 11-6 loss to Houston on Tuesday night at Bearkat Softball Complex. 

The Bearkats (19-29) fell in an early hole before stepping to the plate as the Cougars (25-26) jumped out to a 2-0 lead without getting a hit in the first inning. Starting pitcher Daryn Grams walked five batters in the frame. 

Houston finally recorded a hit in the second and made it count. The Cougars hit two home runs as part of a four-run inning to push the advantage to 6-0. 

The Cougars scratched across five more runs off reliever Mika Vento in the third to put the run rule into effect, but the game was far from over.  

Sam Houston was able to break through with a run in the bottom of the third. Jordan Peno ripped a double into the right-field corner to get things going, then crossed home on an RBI single by Ellie Grill, who was thrown out trying to stretch it into a double to end the threat. 

Elia Hebel started the fourth inning with a bang for the Kats. She led off with an absolute no-doubt home run to the left of the videoboard in left-center as Sam Houston got rolling. 

A fielder's choice and a walk put two runners on for the Bearkats to keep the rally going. Morgan Holliday kept Sam Houston alive with a three-run home run to make it a six-run game. 

The Kats' final run came on an RBI double by Brodie Quinlan in the bottom of the fifth. 

Sam Houston will wrap up the season with a three-game Conference USA series against Jacksonville State beginning Friday at 6:30 p.m.