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University of Houston
15-12, 3-3
UCF
17-11, 4-1
Softball Falls to UCF in Dramatic Series Finale
3/21/2010 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 21, 2010
ORLANDO, Fla. - The University of Houston softball team held UCF to a 0-0 stalemate for eight complete innings but fell in the ninth to a walk-off home run on a rainy Sunday at the UCF Softball Complex. Houston drops to a 15-12 (3-3 Conference USA) record as UCF improves to 17-11 (4-1 C-USA) on the season.
After the game remained scoreless through four and a half innings, UCF threatened in the fifth when Marissa Menendez reached on a fielding error by Jennifer Klinkert and advanced to second. Menendez got in scoring position when she stole third. However, Crabtree pulled through with another strikeout which sent Morgan Bullard to the dugout swinging.
The first time Houston came close to scoring was in the sixth frame when Dobson and Ashleigh Jones hit back-to-back singles. On the next at bat, Reina Gaber stepped up to the plate with two outs. Unfortunately for the Cougars, she hit the ball to first baseman Arielle Palafox who tagged her out to end the inning.
In the seventh frame, Crabtree retired the side to send the game in extra innings.
Katy Beth Sherman reached on a throwing error by shortstop Lane and advanced to second in the eighth inning. Kristin Lusby grounded out to second base, advancing Sherman to third. Jones reached on a fielder's choice as the Knights tried to throw Sherman out in a run down. The junior's swiftness put her safely on third, giving Jones enough time to advance to second. Dobson reached on a fielder's choice as Lane threw Sherman out at home. Melissa Gregson grounded out to second base for the third out.
In the bottom of the frame, Ashleigh Cole singled to the shortstop and advanced to second on a fielding error by Brooke Lathan as Bullard reached first on a fielder's choice. After Abby McClain flied out to left field, Crabtree pulled through with another saving strikeout.
Gaber began the ninth inning with a single to second base and advanced to second when Baillie Lott reached first on an error by Palaox. Lott was thrown out at second on Lathan's fielder's choice as Angela Spittler, who pinch ran for Gaber, advanced to third. The Cougars' run ended as Klinkert popped up to the shortstop, and Sherman grounded out to first base.
All the hard work and intensity abruptly ended when Hillary Barrow hit a walk-off home run to left field.
Crabtree (5-6) receives the loss despite recording only one walk and striking out 12 batters in eight innings of work.
UP NEXT
The Cougars return home for a doubleheader against Georgia Tech beginning at 5 p.m. on March 23. Houston then hosts a conference series against UTEP on March 27-28. The first pitch is scheduled for 1 and 3 p.m. on Saturday and noon on Sunday.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: COLE, A. (11-6)
L: Crabtree, Amanda (5-6)
Batting:
HR: BARROW, H. 1
RBI: BARROW, H. 1
Base Running:
RUNS: BARROW, H. 1
SB: LAND, N. 1 ; LANE, T. 1 ; MENENDEZ, M. 1
CS: LANE, T. 2
