Softball Splits Double-Header with C-USA Foe Southern Miss

April 25, 2009

HATTIESBURG, Miss. - The University of Houston softball team split Saturday's double-header against Southern Miss, dropping game one, 4-3, before rolling to a 7-2 victory in the back half of the twin bill at Conference USA-rival Southern Miss in Hattiesburg, Miss.

Houston improved to 22-21 overall and 9-9 in C-USA action.

Freshman first baseman Melissa Gregson powered the Cougars' offensive attack, going 4-for-6 with three extra-base hits, four runs scored and five RBI. Gregson blasted her seventh and eighth home runs of the season, moving into a tie for the team lead with senior Laurie Wagner.

Sophomore Baillie Lott tossed all 14 innings, allowing only five earned runs off 12 hits during the double-header. She improved her record to 13-9 on the season, lowering her ERA to 2.84 after tossing her 17th complete game.

Sophomore Katy Beth Sherman finished 4-of-6, scoring a pair of runs for the Cougars, while senior Jessica Valis finished 3-for-6 from the plate with a pair of sacrifices on the day.

Senior Katie Bush extended her current hitting streak to six games after rapping out a hit in each game.

Game Two: Houston 7, Southern Miss 2

The Cougars staked starter Lott to a 4-0 lead in the top half of the first inning, scoring all four runs with two outs. Jessica Valis smacked a leadoff double, scoring on Wagner's RBI-single to left field.

After Raley reached base on an error, Gregson smacked her second home run of the afternoon down the left field line just inside the foul pole.

That would be all the scoring the Cougars would need as Lott stymied the Golden Eagles, facing only five hitters over the minimum.

UH would add a run apiece in each the second and third innings to extend its lead to 6-0. Sherman led off the second with her fourth hit of the day and would come around to score on Bush's double to left.

The Cougars would take advantage of a couple Golden Eagle miscues in the third, as Gregson crossed the plate with the sixth run on a pair of errors following senior Haley Valis' sac fly.

Gregson smacked a double to left-centerfield to lead off the sixth inning, advancing to third on Haley Valis' sac bunt. Sophomore Casey Willow followed with an RBI-single to plate the Cougars' seventh run of the game, pushing the lead to 7-1.

Game One: Southern Miss 4, Houston 3

Trailing by one run in the top of the seventh, the Cougars mounted a rally as Sherman led off the frame with a single up the middle. Following Jessica Valis' sac bunt, Bush laced a single to left field. Sherman rounded third as the tying run but was tagged out at the plate off the relay.

With two outs in the frame, the Cougars still had the tying run in scoring position at second base. Senior catcher Elaina Nordstrom drove a hard line drive to left field but could only watch as it was gloved by Brandi Alonzo to end the game.

Southern Miss jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the bottom half of the first inning as Logan James delivered the game's first run on an RBI groundout to shortstop.

Gregson handed the Cougars a 2-1 advantage in the top of the second, blasting her seventh home run of the season over the right-centerfield fence to score senior Christa Raley.

UH extended its lead to 3-1 in the top of the third. With the bases loaded, two outs and facing a full count, Raley drew a walk to score Sherman and plate her 24th RBI of the year.

Southern Miss put up three runs in the bottom half of the third to take the deciding 4-3 lead.

Up Next

The Cougars and Golden Eagles will square off in the series finale at the Southern Miss Softball Complex at noon (CDT), Sunday.

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