Softball Splits on Day One of Wilson/DeMarini Invitational

Houston vs. Texas-Arlington Box Score (PDF)
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Feb. 10, 2007

HOUSTON - Christa Raley cranked a three-run walk-off bomb over the centerfield fence to lift the University of Houston softball team to a 4-2 comeback victory over Ole Miss in the nightcap of the Wilson/DeMarini Invitational Friday evening at the Cougar Softball Stadium.

With runners on first and second, Raley took the first pitch and blasted her first career walk-off homer. It was just the fifth time in the last 60 attempts since the 2004 season that Houston was able to win when trailing after six innings.

"I had been getting ahead of myself all day," Raley said. "Coach (Kyla Holas) told me to stay back, follow through on my swing and that's what I did."

Houston (1-1) received a stellar pitching performance from Conference USA Preseason Pitcher of the Year Angel Shamblin, who set a program-mark by racking up 14 strikeouts in a seven-inning game. She allowed just one earned run on five hits.

"I felt control of all of my pitches," Shamblin said. "I was able to focus on one pitch at a time, and I didn't allow a mistake to linger. I wanted to fight this game all the way through."

"There was no doubt that Angel was dominant," head coach Kyla Holas said. "She did a fabulous job of hitting her spots. There were a couple of things she needs to work on, but we also need to help her out on the defense end as well."

Ole Miss (0-2) dented the scoreboard first, using a two-out RBI single from Amber Tramp in the second inning to score Mary Jane Callahan, who reached on a single and advanced to second on a Houston error.

The Rebels pushed the lead to 2-0 in the fourth inning when Lauren Grill knocked a solo home run to straightaway center.

Laurie Wagner turned the tide and jumpstarted the Cougar offense in the sixth inning with a solo homer of her own to left field.

"We've always asked Laurie to be that spark plug for us," Holas said. "She's always bought into the hitting plan. She stayed focused which allowed her to make the most of that opportunity. That (home run) put our emotions over the edge (in the dugout) and made us believe that we could come back (and win)."

"I went up there thinking that it could be my last at-bat of the game," Wagner said. "I wanted to make up for striking out earlier."

Jessica Valis and Katie Bush continued that momentum from Wagner to start the comeback in the seventh inning. Valis reached a fielding error, while Bush notched an infield single on a hard-hit ball before Raley completed the comeback.

"We have to make sure that we have solid pitching and defense to allow our offense to come around," Holas said. "Your pitching should be ahead of your offense right now. We have to make sure we stay consistent in those two areas."

Houston lost a 4-2 decision to Texas-Arlington earlier in the day in similar fashion when Brittany Washington took a 3-2 offering from Barbie Love over the left field fence for a three-run walk-off longball. "The situation dictated that you were going to go down with your best pitch," Holas said. "Unfortunately for us, their hitter made contact. However, it's a mistake that you can learn from."

The Cougars jumped out to a 2-0 advantage in the second inning as Lara Lang and Jessica Valis provided a pair of RBI singles.

UTA trimmed the deficit in-half in the next frame when Dee Jay Nelson was hit-by-a-pitch with the bases loaded.

Houston had multiple opportunities to push runs across but stranded five of its eight baserunners in scoring position.

"We left too many runners (on-base)," Holas said. "I was pleased that we were getting runners (on-base) and that we were executing our sacrifices to put them in scoring position. We have to finish the job and drive them home."

Katie Jones doubled to left field, while Courtni Anderson drew a walk for UTA to set-up Washington's home run in the seventh. It was only the fourth time in the last 79 games since the 2004 season that the Cougars lost a lead when entering the final frame.

Houston continues the Wilson/DeMarini Invitational Saturday against No. 11 Michigan and Ole Miss. First pitch against the Wolverines is scheduled for 4pm with the game against the Rebels to follow 20 minutes later at the Cougar Softball Stadium.

"Tomorrow is tough day at the ball park," Holas said. "Ole Miss is going to want another crack at us and No. 11 Michigan speaks for itself."

Cougar Notes
The University of Houston softball program celebrated its seventh anniversary and has registered a 2-3 all-time on February 9th ... The only other time the Cougars have played on this date was in the inaugural 2001 season ... Houston falls to 2-5 in season openers ... Dating back to the 2005 season, the Cougars have won 26 of their last 34 games inside the Cougar Softball Stadium ... Houston also has won 10 of its last 12 games under the lights ... In the 4-2 victory over Ole Miss, the Cougars came back to win for just the fifth time in their last 60 attempts since the 2004 season when trailing after six innings ... The Cougars have won all three meetings with Ole Miss ... On the flip side against Texas-Arlington, it was only the fourth time in the last 79 games since the 2004 season that the Cougars lost a lead when entering the seventh inning ... Houston still leads the all-time series with UTA, 7-4 ... The Cougars have lost four of their last five games against Southland Conference opponents ... Houston has won 21 of its last 29 games when hitting a home run dating back to last season ... Jessica Valis and Elaina Nordstrom made their 64th and 65th consecutive starts ... Valis has started every game of her Houston career at shortstop and in the leadoff position of the batting order ... Katie Bush made her 61st and 62nd straight start in centerfield ... Against UTA, it was only the third loss in 13 games when the Cougars had Jessica and Haley Valis in the starting infield ... Jessica Valis, Katie Bush, Christa Raley and Laurie Wagner were the only Cougars to hit safely in both games ... Valis has hit safely in 23 of her last 28 games dating back to last season, including a stretch of eight of her last 10 ... Houston also is 29-8 when Valis scores a run ... With two hits, the Shiner native is 26 away from reaching the 100-mark ... Raley has notched a hit in six of her last seven outings ... Although she did not record a hit, Elaina Nordstrom has reached base in 59 of 65 career outings by drawing three walks ... Angel Shamblin has recorded six or more strikeouts in addition to allowing two or less earned runs in eight of her last 10 starts dating back to last season ... The Florida native set a program-record with 14 strikeouts in a seven-inning game against Ole Miss ... She struck out a program-best 15 batters last season in a nine-inning game against McNeese State (Feb. 15, 2006) ... Shamblin is now 21 Ks away from becoming the third UH pitcher to reach 300 career strikeouts ... Lara Lang made her Cougar debut with two starts in left field ... She notched her first career hit and RBI in the second inning against UTA ... Amanda Grote made her first appearance in a Houston uniform against Ole Miss at second base ... The Blinn College transfer went 2-for-3 with a pair of singles against the Rebels.

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