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University of Houston
18-17, 5-5
UAB
18-9, 4-3
Softball Drops Both Games in UAB Doubleheader
4/2/2010 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 2, 2010
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The University of Houston softball team dropped both games in a doubleheader Friday night at the UAB Softball Field. The Cougars fall to 18-18 (5-6 Conference USA) on the season as the Blazers improve to a 19-9 (5-3 C-USA) record.
GAME ONE
UAB 3, Houston 2
The Blazers began the series with a win, breaking a 10-game losing streak against the Cougars. They threatened to get on the board in the first inning after Martina Landrum walked and made it to second on Caley Walden's ground out to third base. The senior outfielder advanced to third on a wild pitch but Amanda Crabtree pulled through with back-to-back strikeouts to end the scoring threat.
Reina Gaber began the second frame with a base hit and shifted to second courtesy of Brooke Lathan's sacrifice bunt. Angela Spittler followed with a double to centerfield, putting Gaber in scoring position on third. Unfortunately for the Cougars, the freshman designated player was thrown out at home on Jennifer Klinkert's fielder's choice.
The Blazers put up a run in the bottom of the inning when Kayla Orr singled to right field, stole second and scored on Erica Sisson's double.
Gaber recorded the Cougars' third hit in the fourth frame with single to right field. She then advanced to second on Spittler's walk. With two runners on base, Klinkert struck out swinging to retire the inning.
UAB scored two more runs in the bottom of the inning. The first came when Kate Armstrong hit a ball that barely made it out of the park as it bounced off the left field fence for a home run. Then Natalie Mitchell singled to left field, advanced to third on Sisson's double and crossed home plate on Landrum's sacrifice fly.
Mary Tyler Dobson and Melissa Gregson reached on back-to-back hits. They shifted to third and second when Gaber grounded out to the shortstop. Lathan batted Dobson in with a single to right field, giving the Cougars their first run of the game. After a pitching change, Spittler followed with a hit down the right side to send Gregson home. The Blazers stopped the bleeding as Klinkert lined out to right field and threw Lathan out at second base on the double play.
Houston came dangerously close to tying the game in the seventh inning when Baillie Lott, who came in to pinch hit for Ashleigh Jones, singled to right field and advanced to third on a fielding error by Sallie Van Kirk. Dobson entered the batter's box with two outs on the board but struck out, ending the Cougars' chance to salvage the game.
Spittler led the team, batting a perfect 2-for-2 with an RBI. Crabtree (6-8) received loss after allowing three runs off six hits, walking two batters and fanning three.
GAME TWO
UAB 8, Houston 2
Katy Beth Sherman began the game with a single. She advanced to second on Mary Tyler Dobson's fielder's choice. After Reina Gaber singled to third base, the Cougars had the bases loaded. Brooke Lathan blasted a two-run single down the left line, sending Sherman and Dobson home to put Houston up 2-0.
The Blazers answered back in the bottom of the frame with two runs. Martina Landrum walked and proceeded to steal second. She shifted to third when Caley Walden grounded out to the pitcher. On the following at bat, Cameron Skates singled to the pitcher and advanced to second on the throw as Landrum was thrown out in a run down by Melissa Gregson, Holly Anderson and Lathan. Although Landrum's scoring threat ended, Mandy Lowman followed with a two-run homer to left-center field, knotting the game 2-2.
In the third inning, Walden hit a triple down the right line and scored on Skates' single to third. Baillie Lott, who came in to pitch for Bailey Watts, walked the next batter. After Kayla Orr hit a bunt single, the Blazers occupied all three bases. Kate Armstrong reached on a fielder's choice as Skates was thrown out at home. Lauren Webster also reached on a fielder's choice, sending Lowman home. With bases still loaded, Lott pulled through with a strikeout to end the scoring threat.
Webster hit a shot to centerfield to reach second. Catherine Douglass bunted the runner over to third before Landrum's single up the middle plated a run. After Walden walked, UAB had the bases loaded. Amanda Crabtree came in to relieve Lott after she walked in a run. On the next at bat, Lowman belted a singled to right field, batting Landrum and Walden home. The Cougars pulled it together as they retired the next three batters, striking out the final player.
Jennifer Klinkert singled down the middle to begin the seventh inning. After Ashleigh Jones struck out swinging, Crabtree came in for her first career at bat. The junior pitcher flied out after blasting a hit to right field to end the game.
Lathan went 1-for-3 with two RBI to lead Houston. Watts (9-7) received the loss after giving up the first four runs and allowing six hits.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: SMITH, A. (6-5)
L: Crabtree, Amanda (6-8)
S: WEBSTER (3)
Batting:
2B: Spittler, Angela 1
RBI: Lathan, Brooke 1 ; Spittler, Angela 1
SH: Lathan, Brooke 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Dobson, Mary Tyler 1 ; Gregson, Melissa 1
Batting:
2B: SISSON 2
HR: ARMSTRONG 1
RBI: LANDRUM 1 ; ARMSTRONG 1 ; SISSON 1
SH: WALDEN 1
SF: LANDRUM 1
Base Running:
RUNS: ORR 1 ; ARMSTRONG 1 ; MITCHELL 1
SB: ORR 1
