Feb. 17, 2008

IRVING, Texas - Houston freshman Jennifer Klinkert hit her first career grand slam to give the Cougars an 8-0 win against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi to close out the Crowne Plaza Classic on Sunday. The Chino, Calif. native hit two home runs during No. 23 Houston's 5-0 finish at the tournament. With the perfect record over the weekend, Houston moved to 9-0 on the season and boasted two wins over No. 14 DePaul.

Facing Boston College in the title game of the Pirate Invitational, East Carolina used timely hitting and an error-prone Eagle defense to post a 6-0 victory Sunday. The Pirates now stand at 9-2 and in second place in the league standings. The title marked the first tournament win for the team this season and third in the last two seasons. East Carolina finished the tourney 5-0.

EAST CAROLINA
Facing Boston College in the title game of the Pirate Invitational, East Carolina used timely hitting and an error-prone Eagle defense to post a 6-0 victory Sunday at the ECU Softball Field. The Pirates now stand at 9-2. The title marks the first tournament win for the team this season and third in the last two seasons. East Carolina finished the tourney 5-0.

With the complete-game shutout, Brooke Swann improved her record to 4-1 while paring down her ERA to a team-leading 1.27. The Callao, Va. native scattered three Eagle hits while striking out three. Erin St. Ledger provided much of the offense in the game, going 2-for-4 with three RBI and bettering her squad-best average to .438.

East Carolina used two more solid pitching efforts Saturday and some late offensive heroics to defeat Ohio 6-2 and Maine 3-2, advancing to the championship of the Pirate Invitational.

Freshman Britt Howell turned in her second complete game of the season to grab the win against the Bobcats. She allowed seven hits while striking out five. Swann, like Howell, threw her second complete game in as many days. The junior scattered seven hits while also striking out seven. St. Ledger was 2-for-3 in the contest.

Howell and Swann allowed just one run between them Friday to lead ECU to a sweep over Boston College and Maine on the first day of the Pirate Invitational.

East Carolina will remain at home next weekend as it hosts the 2008 Pirate Classic. The field includes opponents from the Big Ten and Big East conferences in Penn State, Syracuse and Purdue. Appalachian State will also take part in the Classic. Syracuse serves as the Pirates' first opponent as the teams will face off at 2 p.m. on Friday.

HOUSTON
Houston freshman Jennifer Klinkert hit her first career grand slam to give the Cougars an 8-0 win against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi to close out the Crowne Plaza Classic on Sunday. The Chino, Calif. native hit two home runs during No. 23 Houston's 5-0 finish at the tournament. With the perfect record over the weekend Houston moved to 9-0 on the season.

Senior Barbie Love (3-0) pitched the entire game giving up two hits, one walk, no runs and no errors.

Houston pulled out a thrilling 1-0 victory over No. 14/13 DePaul in their first game Sunday afternoon. With defense dictating the game, it would take five innings before Houston would finally get a run on the board. In what was a close call, Jessica Valis got in a run down between first and second base. But before being tagged out by DePaul's Tara Voss, senior Courtney Spittler crossed home for the score.

Senior Angel Shamblin pitched the entire game against the Blue Demons giving up four hits, no walks, no runs and no errors. She moves to 4-0 when on the mound this season.

UH continued its winning ways on Saturday defeating Army 10-1 in just five innings during the second day of the Crowne Plaza Classic. Freshman Bailey Lott pitched the entire game striking out six batters, giving up two hits with one run and one error.

Houston used solid hitting to defeat No. 14 DePaul and Army during day one. The Cougars knocked four home runs out of the park after holding both opponents to a combined six hits and no runs. Klinkert hit her second career home run against DePaul (5-3) to pace the Cougars in game one.

Junior Elaina Nordstrom, Leah Wagner and senior Amanda Grote each hit home runs in the Cougars 9-0 win over Army to close out the first day of the tournament.

Next weekend, Houston will host the Marriott Houston Classic at Cougar Softball Stadium. The first game is slated to begin at 9am on Feb. 22. Houston will take the field at 5pm and 7pm against Cal State Northridge and Boston University. On Feb. 23 Houston will again play the late games against Kansas and Centenary College and will conclude with Texas State at 1pm on Feb. 24.

MARSHALL
Marshall lost to Evansville, 2-1 in its Auburn University Tiger Invitational finale, Sunday morning at Jane B. Moore Field. Marshall's (5-6) Autumn Mitchell picked up her first loss of the season without surrendering an earned run. Despite the loss, she maintains the lowest ERA on the team with a 1.52 mark. Marshall went 2-3 at the tournament.

MU fell behind early and lost 7-2 to Auburn Saturday evening. The team was led by Rachael Sofie and Rachel Folden who both had multi-hit efforts. Folden went 2-for-2 in the contest with a home run, while Sofie followed with a 2-for-2 performance with a double.

The Herd shook off a three run deficit with an eight run fourth inning to cruise to an 11-3 victory over the Furman Paladins Saturday afternoon. Marshall finished the contest with 12 hits with seven of them coming in the Herd's explosive fourth inning. The inning was culminated by a three run Kelly Nielson double.

After a four-run seventh inning, Marshall came back to defeat McNeese State 8-7, Friday evening. Down 7-4 going into the bottom half of the last inning, Marshall forced three hits scoring the four runs it needed to clinch the victory.

The Herd fell 4-2 to Gardner-Webb in its opening round game at the Tiger Invitational, Friday afternoon. The Herd recorded two hits in the contest with four walks. Folden led Marshall with two walks and Caitlyn Jackson and Sofie teamed up for the Herd's hits.

Marshall returns to action, Friday, Feb. 22 when it travels to San Diego, Calif., to participate in the University San Diego Tournament. Marshall opens play against Nevada at 9:30 p.m. (PT).

MEMPHIS
Memphis exploded for 10 runs on 12 hits in a 10-1 victory over Idaho State in the team's final game at the Kajikawa Classic on Sunday. With the win, the Tigers finish 3-1 in the tournament with the lone loss coming to No. 4 Arizona State. The U of M also had victories over the Big 12's Texas Tech and Nebraska.

Memphis (5-4) hit three home runs in the game led by a pair of dingers by redshirt freshman Heather Mott who finished with four RBI. Junior second baseman Tori Gross also had a two-run homer in the second inning for her first hit of the season.

The Tigers overpowered Nebraska with three home runs for a 7-3 victory Saturday night. The Tigers hit back-to-back home runs in the first inning to pull away with an early 3-0 lead. Senior centerfielder Lindsey Kelso belted a two-run homer to right center, and she was followed by a home run to left by Kimmi Hayden.

Memphis fell 12-1 in five innings to No. 4/5 Arizona State on Saturday afternoon. The UofM managed three hits off ASU. Hayden provided the one run for Memphis with a solo shot to left field in the fourth inning for her first home run of the season.

The Tigers opened the Kajikawa Classic with a 5-3 victory over Texas Tech on Saturday. The game was postponed on Friday due to a steady rain in the bottom of the third inning with Memphis holding a 4-0 lead. Play resumed on Saturday morning with a Texas Tech scoring threat.

The Red Raiders had runners on first and second and Devin Zaragoza at the plate with a 3-1 count. But freshman lefty Janelle Valle fired a first pitch strike that was lined to Mott at shortstop who turned a double play by tagging the runner at second.

The Tigers never lost its first inning lead although Texas Tech made it a close contest with two unearned runs in the seventh inning.

Memphis will next open up its home schedule on Wednesday with a doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m. against Central Arkansas at the Tiger Softball Complex.

SOUTHERN MISS
Southern Miss pinch hitter Logan James singled up the middle in the top of the ninth inning for the only run of the game that proved to be enough for the Golden Eagles, as they won 1-0 over host Kennesaw State to win the K-Club Invitational.

Free runner Allison Bullard scored on James' single after moving to third on a sacrifice bunt by shortstop Kristin Chaney to start the inning. Samantha Davis pitched a complete game shutout to pick up her second win in as many days.

Southern Miss lost the first game of day two, 4-2, to Kennesaw State. The Golden Eagles took an early lead but Kennesaw State was able to score twice in their final at bat to take the game. The Golden Eagles has their opportunities in the game though, stranding 11 runners on base throughout the game.

USM picked up its second win on day one, a 7-2 victory over Eastern Kentucky, Friday afternoon. The Golden Eagle offense struck early and often, with two runs in the first and one run in the second, third and fifth to control the game early. They also added two runs in the seventh to put the game away.

Southern Miss scored five runs in the fifth inning to defeat Appalachian State 6-2 in the opening game of the K-Club Invitational. Senior Shea Naramore picked up her first win of the season (1-0) throwing a complete game, allowing only five hits and two earned runs.

The Golden Eagles (6-3) will play their home opener Wednesday, February 20, at the Southern Miss Softball complex against Jackson State, the first game of the doubleheader is scheduled to start at 5:00 p.m.

TULSA
Tulsa (3-6) lost another one-run game on Sunday afternoon when it fell to UC-Santa Barbara 3-2. Against Indiana earlier in the day, Tulsa had taken a 6-5 lead in the top of the seventh before the Hoosiers hit a walk-off home run with two outs in the bottom of the inning for a 7-6 win. Tulsa got on the scoreboard in the top of the second, sending nine hitters to the plate. The Golden Hurricane offense then mounted a two-out rally thanks to four singles and a hit batter to take the early 3-0 lead, but would ultimately fall.

San Diego State used a two-out, two-run single in the fifth inning to post a 2-0 victory over Tulsa on Saturday. Sophomore Vanessa Vice recorded two of TU's four hits on the contest. Second-year hurler Jackie Lawrence was saddled with her second loss of the season, in a complete game performance. She also recorded a pair of strikeouts in the game.

Tulsa recorded its third split of the season on Friday. Former Western Athletic Conference rival Fresno State took full advantage of TU miscues in an 8-1 victory. The Golden Hurricane bounced back in the final game of the day with a 9-8 win over Utah State in nine innings.

In the contest against Utah State, TU hammered out a season-high 14 hits. Senior Sara Dyer complimented a 4-for-4 performance with three doubles. Eight of TU's 12 hitters in the game recorded at least one hit in the contest. Sophomore Lauren Lindsay posted three hits, including a double, while junior Kailey Yarmer also had two hits with a double.

UAB
UAB dropped its final game of the Seminole Classic, 4-1, to host school Florida State on Sunday. The Blazers (7-4) rallied in the top of the sixth to tie the score at 1-1, before a three-run homer for the Seminoles helped settle the affair. Jennifer Nelson (4-3) struck out six but walked four batters, in her third start of the tournament.

The Blazers won their third game of the Seminole Classic, holding off a late-inning surge by Jacksonville, for the 6-4 victory Saturday evening. The Blazers recorded a season-high six runs and eight walks in the victory, and tied the 2002 squad for the most wins through 10 games

UAB, backed by a one-hitter from Kayla Harris, defeated Bethune-Cookman, 2-0, before falling to Michigan State, 5-1, Friday. Harris was on cruise control for most of the game and gave up her only hit in the top of the seventh inning to the 22nd batter she faced. Holly Krzan went 3-for-3, while Andrea Rogers and Laura Callaway both drove in runs for UAB.

UAB opens its home schedule at George Ward Park Tuesday afternoon with a doubleheader against Kennesaw State beginning at 4 p.m.

UCF
UCF opened championship day at the Hawaii Paradise Classic with a 5-0 loss to Long Beach State Sunday, before dropping a 4-1 decision to Kentucky later in the day at the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium. Breanne Javier and Cat Snapp paced the Knights' offense with three hits apiece in the pair of contests, with Snapp going 3-for-3 with a double and a home run against the Wildcats.

Javier was 2-for-3 with a double in the second game, extending her hitting-streak to seven games. The junior first baseman recorded at least one hit in every game of the tournament.

It was just another day in paradise for Javier Saturday as the junior first baseman was a perfect 3-for-3 in UCF softball's 4-2 loss to Long Beach State, hitting her first home run of the season over the center field fence. Javier followed up the performance with another three-hit outing in the Knights' 6-0 win over Kentucky a game later. Javier has recorded three hits in a game three different times this season.

UCF opened day two of the Hawaii Paradise Classic with a 7-2 win over Kentucky Friday afternoon before falling to No. 16 Hawaii, 3-1, in the Kime and Javier led the Knights at the plate with three hits a piece on the day, while took the win in the circle over the Wildcats.

Freshman shortstop Tiffany Lane hit a three-run walk-off home run in the 10th inning to lift UCF to a 5-3 victory over Long Beach State Friday afternoon. The home run was the first of Lane's career.

UTEP
UTEP defeated San Jose State, 4-3, but was clipped by Bradley, 4-3 (nine innings) to wrap up a successful 4-1 showing at the Louisville Slugger Desert Classic in Las Vegas on Saturday. The Miners move to 7-3 on the season.

The Orange and Blue combined for seven runs on 15 hits, including nine doubles. Stacie Townsend went 1-1 on the day, suffering a tough-luck loss against Bradley as the sophomore fired 3 1/3 innings of unearned softball. For the day, Townsend pitched 10.1 innings and compiled 10 strike outs for a perfect ERA. Townsend also came up big offensively for the Miners, lacing three hits in seven trips to the plate. She scored once, contributed two doubles and two RBI.

After starting the season 0-2, the UTEP bounced back and won six games in a row, capped off by defeats over Cal State Bakersfield (4-0) and UC Davis (8-2) on Friday. Simone Holland continued to lead the Miners, going 5-of-7 with one run, one double and three RBI for the day.

Renee DiPuccio and Townsend secured the victories in the circle. As a team, the Miners combined for 12 runs on 20 hits three doubles, one home run and 12 RBI.

Rallying from a 4-2 deficit, the Miners knocked in 10 runs in the top of the fourth to defeat Northwestern State, 12-4, on Thursday. Townsend, who came in as a relief pitcher for the Miners, received the victory. She fanned five of eight batters and walked one in just 2.1 innings of play. The Miners combined for 12 runs on 10 hits in the game including two doubles and a home run.

The Miners return to action on Wednesday, Feb. 20, at I-10 rival New Mexico State then open their home season on Feb. 23, taking on UTSA on at 3 p.m. in a doubleheader.