Softball Prepares to Host NCAA Super Regional
5/22/2008 12:00:00 AM | Softball
May 22, 2008
• Quotes
• NCAA Houston Super Regional Central
HOUSTON - The University of Houston softball team will play host to the program's first ever NCAA Super Regional, Friday and Saturday, at Cougar Softball Stadium. The best of three series against Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns will begin Friday at 7 p.m. and will conclude Saturday at noon with a 3 p.m. game scheduled if necessary.
The Cougars (53-9) split a double-header with Louisiana-Lafayette on April 30 in Houston. UH came away with a 2-0 win and 4-0 loss against the Ragin' Cajuns, moving the Cougars to 2-7 all time against Louisiana-Lafayette.
Junior Elaina Nordstrom hit a home run and freshman Baillie Lott scored after reaching base on a walk in the Cougars game one win.
The Cougars enter Friday's game after winning their first ever NCAA Regional, led by senior Angel Shamblin, whom pitched a perfect game against Delaware State in a 9-0 victory. Over the weekend, she allowed just three hits and one run.
Senior Amanda Grote hit her second grand slam of the season to help the Cougars advance past Delaware State in the opening game of the Regional.
The second win came from a 2-1 defeat over Washington. Junior Haley Valis hit her tenth home run of the season in the fifth inning. Junior Katie Bush scored the second run after bases were loaded and junior Laurie Wagner reached base on a walk.
Shamblin leads the team with a 0.66 ERA and a 35-record. The 35 wins are a school single season record. She has notched 290 strikeouts in 255.2 innings of work.
At the plate, Houston is led by junior Jessica Valis. She holds a .431 batting average and team-high five triples, including 19 stolen bases. The Cougars have a program-best 72 home runs, including four players with double-digit home runs this season.
Louisiana-Lafayette enters the Super Regional with a 49-12 record. They advanced to the Houston Super Regional after defeating LSU, 6-2 in the Baton Rouge Regional Final.
They are led by pitcher Donna Bourgeois' 0.97 ERA and 16-4 record. Holly Tankersley leads the Ragin' Cajuns at the plate with a .451 batting average and 68 RBI.
All-session passes can be purchased in advance for $25. If they are still available, single-game tickets can be purchased for $15 and $10 at the gate. Only cash will be accepted at the stadium ticket window. A limited number of student tickets will be available for $5 with a valid Houston or Louisiana-Lafayette school ID.
Live stats will be available for all games on GameTracker and live video will also be available at www.UHCougars.com.
The winner of the best of three series will advance to the Women's College World Series in Okalahoma City May 29-June 4.
