University of Houston
20-20
Sam Houston
15-19
The Streak Is Broken With A New One Begun
4/6/2005 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 6, 2005
HUNTSVILLE, Texas - With the score tied at 2-2, freshman Dru Daniels scored the winning run in the ninth inning of the first game of Wednesday's twin bill with Sam Houston State in Huntsville, Texas, to snap the Cougars' eight-game losing skid.
Houston then completed the doubleheader sweep in Game 2 with a 4-1 win that brings the Cougars back to the .500 mark at 20-20 on the 2005 season.
Senior Kristen Glowacz came a step closer to another milestone in her illustrious career at Houston, the Katy, Texas, native went back-to-back with homers in both games to come within one bomb of her own record for most home runs in a career with 13 this season.
In the circle, junior Crystal Briscoe (4-2) and freshman Barbie Love (3-6) picked up the wins for the Cougars. Sophomore Carla Kennimer went seven innings in Game 1 allowing two runs on one hit before Briscoe entered in relief to earn the win. Love threw a complete game in Game 2, allowing one run on five hits.
With one out in the top of the fourth, Houston struck first in Game 1 as Glowacz sent the first pitch she saw in the fourth inning over the leftfield fence giving the Cougars the first run of the game.
In the bottom of the fifth, the Bearkats Reeves hit a two-run homer over the right field fence to take the lead at 2-1.
Senior Kim Nesloney wasted no time in returning the favor to the Bearkats, sending a leadoff homerun in the top of the sixth over the centerfield fence to tie up the score at two apiece and forced the game into extra innings.
The top of the ninth saw Houston break the tie after Daniels, who was placed on second to start the inning due to international rules, advanced to third on a sacrifice hit by freshman Angel Shamblin.
Looking to avoid another homerun, Sam Houston intentionally walked Glowacz, bringing senior Jeanie Davis to the plate. Davis lined out to the shortstop, but an error by the Bearkats' shortstop attempting to throw out Daniels at third, allowed Houston to take a 3-2 lead as Daniels was awarded home plate and what proved to be the winning run.
Briscoe, who came in at the beginning of the eighth inning, gave up one hit and no runs in the extra innings to help lead the Cougars to the 3-2 victory.
Game 2 saw the Bearkats take a 1-0 lead in the third inning, and then go on to load the bases. However, the Cougars' freshman pitcher Barbie Love got out of the jam by forcing the last batter to ground out and escape with no more runs coming in.
Houston's bats came to life in the fifth inning as the Cougars took the lead from the Bearkats with back-to-back jacks to go ahead 2-1.
Senior Jenilee Skender began the scoring in the leadoff position, hitting over the right field fence. On the very next pitch, senior Michelle Keith put Houston on top with her fifth home run of the season as the Cougars went back-to-back in the inning to take the lead.
The next inning, the Cougars increased their lead to 4-1 when Glowacz belted her second bomb of the day, this one being a two-run shot in the sixth that plated Daniels who had reached on a single her second single of the game.
Houston held on through the next inning to claim the two-game sweep and claim the 4-1 victory.
Houston returns home this weekend to continue Conference USA play with a three-game series against Saint Louis beginning with a Saturday doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. on April 9 at the Cougar Softball Field.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Barbie Love (3-6)
L: Blythe, Shalayne (7-8)
Batting:
HR: Kristen Glowacz 1 ; Jenilee Skender 1 ; Michelle Keith 1
RBI: Kristen Glowacz 2 ; Jenilee Skender 1 ; Michelle Keith 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Dru Daniels 1 ; Kristen Glowacz 1 ; Jenilee Skender 1 ; Michelle Keith 1
SB: Brandi Clark 1 ; Courtney Spittler 1
Batting:
2B: Boone, Lauren 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Reeves, Kara 1
