University of Houston
0-4
Hilton Plaza Invite - Alabama
9-0
Day 1 of Houston Hilton Plaza Invitational
2/11/2005 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 11, 2005
HOUSTON - The Houston softball team went 1-1 on the first day of the Houston Hilton Plaza Invitational at the Cougar Softball Field where the Cougars fell 7-4 to No. 14 Alabama, but bounced back to blank Sam Houston State 3-1 in the nightcap on Friday evening.
The Houston Hilton Plaza Invitational brought in three teams for the three-day tournament. Opening the tournament on Friday was No. 12 Alabama defeating No. 4 Oklahoma 0-2, the Sooners then downed Sam Houston State 1-0, before the Cougars wrapped up Day 1 with back-to-back evening games.
Freshman Angle Shamblin picked up her first victory as a Cougar and gave Houston (1-4) its first win of the year. Shamblin recorded a complete game while allowing one run on six hits with six strikeouts against the Bearkats.
"I am very please to get that first win," said head coach Kyla Holas. "This has been a tough start for us, so to have Angel get that win was great because it showed us a glimmer of things still to come from her."
Against Alabama (9-0), the Cougars fell behind 2-0 in the first inning before senior Jenilee Skender sent a solo homerun over the wall in left center to bring Houston within one at 2-1 after two innings of play.
The Cougars continued to chasse the Tide with the teams trading runs in the innings.
Down 5-2 in the sixth, another senior, Michelle Keith, hit her first homer of the season. This one was a two run shot that drove in freshman Courtney Spittler who was pinch running for Skender after Skender had reached first on a single to center field. Spittler successfully stole second base before Keith's bomb brought her home.
Unfortunately the Cougars could not mount a large enough comeback to take the game and fell 7-4 for the fourth time to a ranked team in the early going of the 2005 season.
Looking to bounce back from that loss and their four-game skid to begin the year, Houston jumped out of the gates against Sam Houston State to build a 3-0 lead after the first three innings.
The Cougars scored early in the first inning thanks to the senior duo of Kim Nesloney and Kristen Glowacz.
With Nesloney on second base and one out in the inning, Glowacz hit into centerfield driving Nesloney home and giving Houston a 1-0 lead.
In the third, Nesloney once again provided some scoring power for the Cougars after hitting a double and then being reaching home on a double by freshman Dru Daniels. Glowacz then singled to advance Daniels to third. A wild pitch by the new Bearkat pitcher allowed Daniels to score and give Houston a 3-0 lead.
The Cougars kept the Sam Houston off of the board until the seventh inning when the Bearkats made a push to tie the game by getting a solo homerun and an RBI score. But the Cougars ended the rally with Shamblin striking out the final batter.
The Houston Hilton Plaza Invitational continues Saturday and Sunday beginning at 11 a.m. on Saturday. Sam Houston and Oklahoma start off the day, followed by Houston and Oklahoma at 1 p.m. The 3 p.m. game feature Alabama and Sam Houston and the nightcap will be Houston facing off with Alabama.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Jennifer Wright (3-0)
L: Barbie Love (0-1)
S: Chrissy Owens (1)
Batting:
2B: Ashley Courtney 1 ; Capper Reed 1
HR: Dani Woods 1
RBI: Jordan Praytor 2 ; Dani Woods 2 ; Capper Reed 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Ashley Courtney 1 ; Staci Ramsey 1 ; Deasy Phillips 1 ; Stephanie VanBrakle 1 ; Mandy Burford 1 ; Dani Woods 1 ; Jackie Wilkins 1
SB: Jordan Praytor 1 ; Deasy Phillips 1 ; Mandy Burford 1
CS: Ashley Courtney 1
Batting:
2B: Kristen Glowacz 1 ; Brooke Johnson 1
HR: Jenilee Skender 1 ; Michelle Keith 1
RBI: Kristen Glowacz 1 ; Jenilee Skender 1 ; Michelle Keith 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Kim Nesloney 1 ; Jenilee Skender 1 ; Courtney Spittler 1 ; Michelle Keith 1
