Shamblin Sets Single Game Strikeout Mark as Softball Dismisses Memphis

Houston at Memphis (Game One Box Score - PDF)
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March 24, 2007

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Angel Shamblin racked up a career-best and set a program single game record with 16 strikeouts as the University of Houston softball team won a 5-1 decision Saturday afternoon in game one of a Conference USA doubleheader at the UM Softball Complex.

Shamblin surrendered one run on two hits and improved to 15-5 on the season. The junior right-hander set the tone early and carried a perfect game into the fifth inning, striking out 10 of the first 14 batters she faced. She also passed Jamie Falco (2001-04) for the No. 2 spot in program history for career strikeouts.

Kimmi Hayden's bunt single in the fifth inning broke up Shamblin's bid at perfection. A Hayden solo home run in the seventh inning was Shamblin's lone blemish on the afternoon.

"I worked hard all week in practice having pitches that break instead of trying to hit a specific location," Shamblin said. "Elaina (Nordstrom) and (assistant coach) Beth (McClendon) called a great game. I still need to keep the same intensity through all seven innings and do a better job of closing games out."

Houston (24-10, 7-0 C-USA) also has won 23 consecutive games against current unranked opponents and has compiled its best conference start in program history.

Memphis' (17-10, 1-3 C-USA) Jenna Kubesch fell to 11-5 and was touched up for five runs on eight hits.

Jessica Valis fueled the offense with a 2-for-3 performance with two runs scored. The Shiner native moved passed Leslie Seay (2001-02) and has 114 career hits in sole possession of 7th place on the career hits list. Haley Valis also tallied a career best three hits and scored a run.

The Cougars hopped out to a 1-0 advantage in the first inning. Jessica Valis reached on an infield single and used alert baserunning to move to third base on a Katie Bush sacrifice bunt. Elaina Nordstrom platted Valis on a ground ball.

Houston pushed across three insurance runs in the sixth inning as Elaina Nordstrom opened the frame with a single. A Laura Durham sacrifice bunt moved pinch runner Courtney Spittler to second base. Haley Valis added a single to put runners on the corners and one out.

After Valis stole second base, Christa Raley ripped a two-run double down the left field line on the 14th pitch of the at-bat to give Houston a 3-0 lead. Raley scored to make it 4-0 on an error by Memphis third baseman Bridgette McNulty.

"We spent a lot of time this week at practice on offense and it paid off," head coach Kyla Holas said. "I was pleased with our approach at the plate. We also did an excellent job of getting timely hits and finishing runners."

Katie Bush tacked on a RBI-single for a 5-0 lead in the seventh inning to score Jessica Valis, who reached on her team-best sixth triple of the season.

Cougar Notes
Game one of this afternoon's doubleheader is the fourth meeting between Houston and Memphis on the softball diamond ... Houston has won three of the four meetings ... It also was the first meeting of the series in Memphis as the Tigers opened the UM Softball Complex this afternoon ... Houston moves to 18-5 in days games and are 10-2 when wearing blue jerseys and blue pants this season ... The Cougars have won 17 of its last 21 games, including its last 23 decisions against current non-ranked opponents ... The program also compiled its best start in conference play at 7-0 ... Houston is 18-6 this season and 102-29 since the start of the 2004 season when scoring first ... The Cougars also are 92-4 when carrying a lead into the seventh inning since the start of the 2004 season ... Houston is 13-0 when scoring at least four runs this season ... The Cougars have won 29 of 40 games over the last two seasons when Jessica and Haley Valis are in the starting infield ... Jessica Valis and Elaina Nordstrom have started in all 96 games of their careers ... Laura Durham also has played in all 96 games of her Houston career since transferring from Texas A&M ... Katie Bush has made 93 consecutive starts in centerfield ... With her infield single in the first inning, Jessica Valis passed Leslie Seay (2001-02) and now has 114 career hits ... The Shiner native is in sole position of 7th place in program history ... She is five hits away from Michelle Keith (2002-05) for the No. 6 spot ... Valis has hit safely in 26 of 33 games this season, including her last four outings ... Houston improves to 41-11 over the last two seasons when Jessica Valis scores a run ... The Cougars also are 25-10 when Valis notches a multi-hit effort in her career ... Katie Bush has tallied a hit in 15 of her last 22 games ... The Brenham native also tallied her team-leading 10th sacrifice hit in the first inning and stole her eighth base in the seventh inning ... Elaina Nordstrom has hit safely in seven of her last 10 outings ... The California native moves to 11 hits away from reaching the 100-mark for her career ... Nordstrom also has produced a RBI in six of her last nine games ... Laura Durham laid down her ninth sacrifice hit of the season in the sixth inning ... Haley Valis has notched a hit in eight of her last nine games ... The three hits are a career best for Valis and her fourth multi-hit game of the season ... The Shiner native also tallied her first stolen base of the season in the sixth inning ... Christa Raley has knocked a hit in seven of her last nine games and has reached base in 20 of her last 22 outings ... The LaPorte native totaled her second consecutive multi-RBI outing ... Laurie Wagner has reached base in her last three games ... Angel Shamblin racked up a career-best and program single game record 16 Ks and passed Jamie Falco (2001-04) for the No. 2 spot in program history ... Shamblin's previous career-high was 15 Ks against McNeese State (Feb. 15, 2006) ... Her seven inning record was 14 Ks against Iowa State (Feb. 25) earlier this season ... Shamblin now has 440 career strikeouts and is 111 away from matching Jenny Johnson for the top spot ... The Florida native also is seven Ks away from equaling her own single season program mark set last season ... Shamblin has allowed two or less earned runs in 20 of her last 23 starts dating back to last season ... The 15 wins recorded by Shamblin this season move her to second place tie with Jenny Johnson (2002) and Jamie Falco (2002) for wins over a single season ... She is one win away from matching her own single season record from last season.

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