University of Houston Athletics
Cougars Drop A Pair In UH Tournament
2/22/2003 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 22, 2003
Oregon Box Score | Kentucky Box Score
The University of Houston fell to 5-7 on the year with losses to 25th-ranked Oregon and an extra-inning affair against Kentucky in the opening round of the UH Invitational hosted at the Cougar Softball Complex.
Against the nationally-ranked Ducks, the Cougars jumped out to a 1-0 lead before eventually falling, 6-3. Houston scored in the first inning when Jaci Gonzalez stole home on the back end of a double steal with Arelis Ferreris. Oregon plated four in the third off starting pitcher Crystal Briscoe and reliever Jamie Falco (2-3).
In the bottom half of the third the Cougars sliced the lead in half when Gonzalez led off the frame with a walk and was sacrificed to second by Kim Nesloney. Jeanie Davis lined a single into left field to score Gonzalez, but Davis was out trying to stretch the hit into a double.
Three innings later the Cougars edged closer to the Ducks with a run in the bottom of the sixth. With one out Ferreris singled through the left side of the infield and scored on a double by Kristen Glowacz. Houston was unable to push the tying run across the plate when Jenilee Skender flied out and Candis Turnbo popped up to the second baseman.
The Ducks iced the game in the seventh with two insurance runs.
In the final game of Day One of the rain-shortened tournament, the Cougars fell to the Wildcats, 5-4, in eight innings. Jenny Johnson went the distance for Houston, giving up seven hits and three earned runs while striking out eight.
Even though they scored an unearned run in the first inning, the Cougars were held without a hit until one out in the sixth inning when Glowacz laced a double down the leftfield line. Michelle Keith followed with a run-scoring single up the middle, tying the game at 2-2.
In the seventh the Cougars looked to pull out the victory by plating two runs. With one out Gonzalez legged out an infield single and advanced to third on a hit-and-run by Nesloney. Amber King knocked in Gonzalez with a sacrifice fly, and Ferreris added what was thought to be an insurance run with a double to left center.
The bottom of the inning proved to be a disaster for Houston, as Johnson stuck out the first hitter before allowing an infield single to Nikki Jones. The next batter, Megan Brooks, hit the first pitch out of the park to tie the game at 4-4, setting up Kentucky?s late inning heroics.
Next up for the Cougars are two games tomorrow afternoon, as UH faces Texas Tech and UTSA.
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