Southern Miss
Houston (DH)
Southern Miss Drops Doubleheader to No. 11 Houston
3/21/2008 12:00:00 AM | Softball
In the first game, Houston (27-4, 5-0) wasted little time getting on the board. Jessica Valis led off the first with a four-pitch walk, and Katie Bush reached on a bunt single. Two batters later, Jennifer Klinkert hit a two-run double down the left field line.
After Laurie Wagner reached on a fielder's choice, Angel Shamblin doubled to right center, scoring Klinkert and giving the Cougars a 3-0 lead after one.
UH added two more runs in the second. Christa Raley hit a leadoff double to left center, and scored on Valis' single to center. After Valis went to third on a wild pitch, Elaina Nordstrom drove her in with a single to center field.
Southern Miss (14-16, 2-6) got two runs back in the fourth inning. With one out, Kristin Pilgrim ended Shamblin's no-hit bid by singling to right field. Jennifer Fox followed by taking a 1-2 pitch and wrapping around the left field foul pole, cutting the deficit to 5-2. It was Fox's third home run of the season.
However, Houston got those runs back in the bottom half of the inning. With two outs, Klinkert walked and Wagner singled. Amanda Grote then brought them in with a double to center field.
UH added another run in the fifth inning. In the sixth, Klinkert drew a leadoff walk, and Wagner was it by a pitch. After Shamblin reached on Fox's error to load the bases, Haley Valis was hit by a pitch, driving in Klinkert. Raley then ended the game with a grand slam over the left center field wall.
Meghan Harbuck struck out four in the loss, falling to 2-5 on the year. Angel Shamblin threw a two-hitter for the Cougars.
In the second game, the Lady Eagles had a chance to strike early. Sophomore Meghan Hill led off the game with a walk, and stole second. Two batters later, senior Jennifer Fox singled up the middle. But, Hill was thrown out at the plate, ending the inning.
Houston got on the board in the second inning. Leadoff hitter Jennifer Klinkert, after working the count full, hit her team-high eighth home run of the year. Two batters later, Angel Shamblin followed Klinkert's lead, driving Samantha Davis' 1-1 pitch over the left center field wall, giving UH the 2-0 lead after two innings.
In the third for UH, Christa Raley reached on an error by Fox, and Jessica Valis reached on a bunt single. They were then sacrificed over by Katie Bush. But, Elaina Nordstrom lined out second, and Davis struck out Klinkert to end the inning.
Southern Miss got a run back in the fourth inning. After Holly Milner grounded out, the Lady Eagles cut the deficit to one on a Kristin Pilgrim walk, followed by three straight singles. However, Ashlyn Harmon struck out, and Allison Bullard grounded into a fielder's choice, leaving the bases loaded.
The Cougars batted around in the sixth. Houston drew three straight walks to load the bases with no outs. Two batters later, Amanda Grote hit a bases clearing double, putting UH ahead 5-1. Houston added two more runs in the inning.
The Lady Eagles rallied in the seventh. Allison Bullard hit a leadoff double, and Kristin Chaney followed with a single. Meghan Hill drew her second walk of the game to load the bases. Milner then walked, bringing in Bullard. Two batters later, Fox drove in Chaney on a fielder's choice. Lauren Castellvi reloaded the bases with a walk, but Logan James popped out to short to end the game.
The series concludes tomorrow with a single game at 1:00 p.m. (CT).
