April 12, 2008

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CBS College Sports Network Highlights: Game 1  l Game 2 

Game One Box Score in PDF Format

Game Two Box Score in PDF Format

HOUSTON -- The University of Houston softball team defeated ECU 16-0 and 6-2 in two games on national television Saturday at Cougar Softball Stadium. Houston registered five home runs on the day, including a grand slam by senior Amanda Grote in game one.

No. 10 Houston moves to 36-5 on the season and 12-1 in Conference USA. They take a 14-8 lead in the all-time series against the Pirates.

In game one, the Cougars scored ten runs in the third inning including three home runs. Laurie Wagner, the second batter of the inning, hit her 11th home run this season through right field, scoring freshman Jennifer Klinkert, who reached base on a walk.

Junior Jessica Valis put Houston up 9-0 in the inning hitting her first home run of the season, while scoring juniors Haley Valis and Christa Raley.

Grote, who entered the game with four home runs this season, capped the scoring in the inning hitting a grand slam and giving them their final margin of victory of 16-0. It was the fourth Cougar grand slam this season.

In the inning, Houston scored eight of their runs with two outs on the board.

Senior Angel Shamblin pitched 3.1 innings, allowing one hit, no runs, no walks and five strikeouts. Freshman Baillie Lott entered the game in middle of the fourth inning to close out the game allowing just one in and two strikeouts. Shamblin is now 21-2 this season.

In the second game of the double-header, Houston continued its hot hitting, registering 10 hits in their second consecutive game.

With two outs in the third inning, Klinkert hit a home run over left center. The homer gives her 11 for the season, tying with Wagner for most on the team this season. The duo also ranks fourth in the Cougar record books for most home runs in a single season. The single season record is held by Kristen Glowacz (2005) at 17.

As the leadoff batter in the fifth inning, junior Elaina Nordstrom hit the fifth home run of the day for the Cougars. The home run, over center field, gives her ten on the season. UH would go on to put up a final run in the inning to win, 6-2.

Senior Barbie Love moved to 9-1 in the circle this season after pitching four innings, allowing five hits, two runs, one walk and two strikeouts. Shamblin entered the game to pitch three innings to get her third save this season.

The Pirates avoided a second shutout, putting up two runs in the first inning.

ECU is 27-20 overall this season and 5-8 in C-USA.

The final game of the series will begin tomorrow at 12:06pm. It will air on tape-delay on CBS College Sports. Jason Knapp (play-by-play) and Ann Schatz (analyst) will call the games' action.

Livestats for all University of Houston softball games are available by clicking the Gametracker link on the schedule page at www.UHCougars.com. Streaming video for all home games is available by clicking the All-Access link on www.UHCougars.com.

Following the series against ECU, Houston will host a doubleheader against Baylor on April 16 before taking to the road for two-straight C-USA series against Tulsa and UAB.