.png&width=48&height=48&type=webp)
University of Houston Athletics
Softball Plays Host to Pivotal C-USA Series
4/20/2006 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 20, 2006
Southern Miss at Houston Game Notes (PDF)
Download Free Acrobat Reader
HOUSTON - The University of Houston softball team (28-18, 9-6 C-USA) continues Conference USA action with a key weekend series against Southern Miss (24-27, 10-5 C-USA). After losing five of its first seven games to start the month of April, the Cougars rebounded to take two out of three games at Marshall last weekend.
"Our biggest goal this weekend to continue to play solid in all aspects of the game", head coach Kyla Holas said. "If we continue to execute and play the way we know we can, we will come out on top this weekend."
Houston has a slim 11-10 advantage in the all-time series with Southern Miss, but the Golden Eagles are 7-0 against Houston at the Cougar Softball Stadium. That includes a pair of sweeps during the 2002 and 2004 seasons and a 7-6 extra-inning victory in an elimination game at the 2003 C-USA Tournament. USM has outscored the Cougars 56-17 in those seven meetings.
However, Houston has won four of the last five meetings between the two schools, including both meetings in the 2004 and 2005 Conference USA Tournaments.
Jessica Valis has been a spark at the top of the Cougar lineup and has started every game at shortstop this season. She is second on the squad and eighth in Conference USA with a .347 batting average and has racked up a team-best 18 multi-hit games. Valis is also ranked in six different categories in Conference USA.
Valis has hit safely in eight of her last nine games en route to a team-high 52 hits. The 52 hits are tied for third in C-USA. Valis is only three hits away from matching Kristin Glowacz's freshman-record 55 hits set during the 2002 season. Of her 52 hits, 38 have not left the infield.
The Shiner, Texas, product also has scored a run in 29 of 46 games on the season, including 11 of her last 15 outings. Valis has also reeked havoc on the base paths, going 16-for-20 in the stolen base department. The 16 stolen bases in a season match a program record set by Riane Netardus (2002) and Kim Nesloney (2005).
Katie Bush follows Valis at the top of the batting order. She has started all but one game this season for the Cougars in centerfield. Her 38 hits are tied for third on the team and are fifth-highest for a freshman in program history. Bush is six hits away from matching Arelis Ferreris mark of 44 hits set during the 2001 season.
The Brenham, Texas, native has hit safely in eight of her last 11 games. She headlines the squad and is tied for second in C-USA with 13 sacrifice hits on the season.
Elaina Nordstrom is the first California native to play softball for the Cougars and has provided a big bat in the middle of the batting order. She is hitting a team-high .348 to go along with a team-best 39 RBIs. Her batting average and RBIs rank inside the Top 10 of Conference USA.
Nordstrom's 39 RBIs on the season have already eclipsed Kristin Glowacz's freshman record of 35 RBIs set during the 2002 season. The LaPalma, Calif. native has registered a RBI in six of her last eight games.
After starting the season with an 11-game hitting streak, Nordstrom has hit safely in 16 of her last 20 games and has reached base in 41 of 46 games this season.
Christa Raley has given a new meaning to being a utility player this season and has already seen time at four positions during the 2006 campaign. She has seen action at catcher, first base, third base and designated player.
Raley has hit safely in three of her last five games and went 2-for-3 with a pair of RBIs in the series opener at Marshall. She is one of only four players to hit five home runs for the Cougars this season.
Jamie Adams has come on strong, hitting safely in seven of nine Conference USA contests, including a career-best three-hit performance that included a RBI-single in the final game of a weekend series at UCF. In C-USA action, Adams is hitting .417 and has registered a .583 slugging percentage.
Jaci Gonzalez enters the weekend six hits away of reaching Michelle Keith's (2002-05) 119 career hits for the No. 5 spot all-time in program history. She has reached base in 20 of 29 games this season when in the batting order, including six of her last seven outings. The San Antonio native has also hit safely and scored in five of her last seven games.
In the circle, Angel Shamblin has registered a 11-6 mark to go along with a staff-low 1.73 ERA and is holding the opposition to a .223 batting clip. Her ERA and opponent batting average in the Top 10 of Conference USA. She joins C-USA Preseason Pitcher of the Year Keli Harrell and Allison Kime of UCF as the only hurlers to be named C-USA Pitcher of the Week twice this season.
The Davie, Fla. native paces the Cougar pitching and is fifth in C-USA with 126 strikeouts in 117.1 innings of work and has already passing her strikeout total from a season ago, hitting the 200-career mark against UTEP. She enters the weekend three strikeouts shy from matching Jenny Johnson's mark of 129 Ks for fifth-most strikeouts in a season.
Shamblin has logged 15.0 consecutive innings without allowing a run over her last four appearances, dating back to the seventh inning of the UTEP series opener on April 1.
After a rough opening outing against No. 19 Florida, Carla Kennimer has reeled off a win in her last six decisions to improve to 6-1 on the season with a 2.35 ERA and has held opponents to a .211 batting average. Her ERA and opponent batting average are in the Top 10 of Conference USA.
In C-USA action, Kennimer has registered a 3-0 record with a blistering 0.88 ERA The southpaw has been touched up for only nine hits in those starts and has held the opposition to a .155 clip.
The two teams will play a Saturday doubleheader followed by a Sunday single game. First pitch on both days is on tap for 1pm. Saturday is also Father/Daughter Day as fathers and daughters will receive 2-for-1 admission, while the Cougars will welcome the YMCA on Sunday.
All of the action from the Cougar Softball Stadium will have live stats on UHCougars.com and a live webcast from the Southern Miss ISP Sports Network is available for fans who have purchased the CSTV All-Access package.
