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University of Houston
17-6, 2-0
East Carolina*
11-4-1, 0-2
Cougars Ride Strong Pitching To C-USA Opening Wins
3/2/2004 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 2, 2004
HOUSTON, Texas - Behind the pitching of seniors Jamie Falco and Jenny Johnson and sophomore Crystal Briscoe the University of Houston Cougar softball team opened Conference USA play this afternoon with a doubleheader sweep of East Carolina by scores of 2-1 and 4-0.
With the pair of wins Houston improves to 17-6 overall-its best start in its four-year history-and 2-0 in C-USA action. The Pirates fall to 11-4-1 and 0-2.
Falco and Johnson combined to limit the Pirates to just one run in the first game. Falco remained perfect on the season, improving to 5-0, while Johnson set a new Conference USA single-season record by recording her sixth save of the season.
The Cougars scratched one run in second and another in the third, as the UH offense worked five walks and banged out five hits against ECU starter Brentley Bridgeforth (5-2). Junior Jenilee Skender started off the second with a single up the middle, and with one out senior Arelis Ferreris moved Skender to second with a single to left field. After a strikeout both sophomore Brooke Johnson and sophomore Jaci Gonzalez worked walks, with Gonzalez's plating Skender.
The Pirates escaped further damage when junior Kim Nesloney grounded out to third.
In the third the Cougars increased their lead to 2-0, when freshman Jamie Adams walked to start the inning. Junior Kristen Glowacz put two runners on with no outs when she singled through the left side of the infield. Skender popped up, but sophomore Brandi Clark loaded the bases with the one-out walk. Ferreris ripped the next pitch into deep left center to score Adams.
The Pirates scored their only run on the day when Kate Manuse hit a one-out home run to dead center.
After ECU put its leadoff runner on in the fifth, Johnson relieved Falco and worked the final three innings for the record-breaking save. Falco and Johnson combined to strike out eight Pirate batters.
Speaking of strikeouts, Briscoe set a personal best in the nightcap, when she struckout 10 ECU batters and pitched her second straight complete-game shutout. In going the distance for the third time this season, Briscoe (5-1) walked only one and allowed just three hits.
Houston struck for all four of their runs in the bottom of the second inning. Ferreris got it started with a single up the middle but was forced on Clark's fielder's choice groundout. Junior Michelle Keith reached on a hit by pitch, and when senior Jenny Baker attempted to sacrifice the runners over, ECU's Andiey Acosta bobbled the grounder and allowed Baker to load the bases.
After a forceout at home, the Cougars plated their first run on a wild pitch by Maggie Lingo (3-2), and on an errant throw by catcher Krista Jessup, Baker scored all the way from second for a 2-0 Houston lead. Nesloney was intentionally walked to bring up Adams, who promptly laced a single into center field to score senior Lindsay Durham. Glowacz brought the final run home on a sharp single down the left field line.
Glowacz was 3-for-5 in the doubleheader to raise her batting average over .300 (.301) for the first time this season.
Houston concludes the C-USA series with East Carolina in a noon match-up tomorrow afternoon.
--- www.UHCougars.com ---
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Crystal Briscoe (5-1)
L: Maggie Lingo (3-2)
Batting:
2B: Lacassa Hill 1
SH: Lara Brickhouse 1
Batting:
RBI: Jamie Adams 1 ; Kristen Glowacz 1
SH: Kristen Glowacz 1 ; Jenny Baker 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Kim Nesloney 1 ; Michelle Keith 1 ; Jenny Baker 1 ; Lindsay Durham 1
HBP: Michelle Keith 1
