Softball Takes Doubleheader From Sam Houston

Wednesday, April 1

Huntsville, Texas

6:00 PM

University of Houston

15-16

Sam Houston State

14-17

Houston

Sam Houston State

4/1/2009 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score

April 1, 2009

Box Score

Game One Box Score in PDF Format

Game Two Box Score in PDF Format

HUNTSVILLE, Texas--The University of Houston softball team won both games in the doubleheader against Sam Houston at Bearkat Softball Complex Wednesday to move to 15-16 overall this season. Houston won game one, 3-2 and game two, 3-1.

Houston 3 , Sam Houston 1
Houston took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning when senior Laurie Wagner doubled to right center to score senior Christa Raley, who stuck out, but reached first on a wild pitch that got past the catcher. The double was Wagner's seventh this season.

Wagner hit another RBI-double in the top of the third inning to tie senior Haley Valis at eight for the most doubles hit this season. She knocked in Raley, who reached base on a walk. The Cougars ended the inning with a 2-0 advantage over the Bearkats.

Sam Houston cut the Cougars lead in half with an RBI single by Hailey Wiginton to score Kendra Spivey, who reached base on a single, advanced to second on an error and then reached third on a pass ball by senior Elaina Nordstrom. Sophomore Baillie Lott, who was brought in for junior Lindsey Olson, retired the final two batters of the inning with a fly out to centerfield and a ground out to third base.

Nordstrom began the top of the sixth inning with a double, which was her fifth this season, and Wagner would walk. On two outs, Lott hit a single to drive Jenny Krause in, who pinch ran for Nordstrom, for a 3-1 lead and eventually the win when neither the Cougars, nor the Bearkats recorded any runs in the seventh inning.

Olson is 1-1 after striking out one and allowed one run on three hits. Lott recorded her first save allowing no runs and three hits. Wagner went 2-for-2 with two doubles, a walk and two RBI.

Houston 3, Sam Houston 2
Sam Houston loaded the bases in the bottom of the first inning, but sophomore Baillie Lott was able to get out of the jam, striking out two, with the final batter grounding out to shortstop.

The Bearkats recorded the first run of the game off a solo home run hit by Morgan Mikulin in the bottom of the third inning.

After five scoreless innings, the Cougars tied the score at one with a single by freshman Melissa Gregson to drive senior Katie Bush in, who reached base on an infield single. The run would be unearned because Bush reached second base on a throwing error by the third baseman.

Outfielders Katy Beth Sherman and Bush single-handedly retired three batters in the bottom of the seventh inning on diving catches to force the game in extra innings.

In the top of the eighth inning, Bush and senior Elaina Nordstrom hit back-to-back singles, and the Bearkats brought Mikulin in to relieve Brandi Crnkovic. Bush would be out at third on a fielder's choice by Wagner, but with a double by senior Haley Valis, both sophomore Jenny Krause, who pinch ran for Nordstrom, and Wagner scored to take a 3-1 lead in the top of the eighth inning. Houston was not able to add anymore runs when Gregson hit into a double play.

Sophomore Amanda Crabtree started the eighth inning, but after walking the first two batters, Lott returned to the circle. On two outs, the Bearkats would cut the deficit to one with a single by Casey Everitt. The game would end on a fly out by Mandy Gegen, and the Cougars would walk away with a 3-2 win.

Lott walked two, struck out five and allowed one run on six hits. Crabtree walked two batters and allowed one run. Bush went 2-for-4, while Gregson went 2-for-3 in the first game.

The Cougars will play UAB in a three-game Conference USA series at Cougar Softball Stadium beginning with a doubleheader on Saturday, which is slated to begin at 1 p.m. The series will conclude on Sunday with a singel game played at 1 p.m.