Houston Powers Past Marshall to Earn Series Sweep

April 3, 2011

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	F	H	E
MARSHALL	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	1
HOUSTON	2	0	0	2	2	0	X	4	6	0

Pitching	IP	ER	K/BB	H
Amanda Crabtree (W, 13-6)	7.0	1	12/1	1

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Batting	H	AB	R	RBI	BB
Melissa Gregson	2	3	2	2	0
Holly Anderson	1	4	1	1	0
Brooke Lathan	1	2	0	0	1

HOUSTON - The University of Houston softball team completed its second-straight Conference USA series sweep against Marshall at Cougar Softball Stadium in the series finale Sunday afternoon, 4-1.

The Cougars (24-12, 8-4) earned the sweep for the second time in as many weeks to stay hot in conference play. Houston has won eight of its last nine, including the Cougars' current six-game win streak.

"I was glad with the focus they had and with the adjustments they made at the plate after yesterday," head coach Kyla Holas said. "Who you saw on day one is who you're going to see on day two, so learning to make those adjustments is important, although I would like to see us not rely on the long ball so much."

Junior left fielder Melissa Gregson powered the offense, slugging her career-best ninth and 10th homeruns of the year. Sophomore third baseman Holly Anderson kicked off the long ball trend when she connected on her fourth homer of the season just two batters into the game.

Senior right-hander Amanda Crabtree (13-6) returned to the circle on Sunday to throw a complete game one-hitter, a solo homerun to catcher Rebecca Gamby. The senior struck out 12 and walked just one to earn her 13th win on the year.

"That was big getting her back out there," Holas said. "She's been so steady for us this year. When we're riding two of them, we can't afford to have either second guessing themselves."

After Crabtree worked through a 1-2-3 first, the Houston lineup went right to work with the run support. Just the second Cougar to come to the plate on Sunday, Anderson's solo shot cleared not just one, but both centerfield fences.

Gregson followed the solo act with one of her own, as her ninth homer of the season made for back-to-back bombs to give Houston the 2-0 lead and chase Marshall starter Natalee Pulver from the game.

Marshall took one back in the following at bat using Gamby's solo homerun to right center, cutting the Cougar lead in half, 2-1. Crabtree quickly recovered, sitting the next three members of the Herd down on strikes to end the inning.

For the second time in as many weeks, Gregson posted a multi-homerun performance. Showing no favoritism toward either pitcher, Gregson's second bomb of the game came off of Herd reliever Andi Williamson, clearing both outfield walls to lead off the bottom of the fourth. The junior left fielder's first homerun of the game broke her personal season best while her second set a new one, her 10th of the year.

"When you're in a good spot, you want to capitalize on it and roll with it," Holas said. "I think she's being smart. When people are looking at your numbers like that, you have to make good pitch selections every time."

The Cougars loaded the bases following Gregson's homer using sophomore designated hitter Reina Gaber's single to left, a hit batter and a fielder's choice. Senior Baillie Lott drew a pinch-hit walk to account for the only run of the game for either team that scored without a homerun.

Armed with the 4-1 lead, Crabtree worked quickly through the fifth and sixth using a pair of three-up, three-down efforts. In the Herd's final at bat, Crabtree negated a hit batter with back-to-back strikeouts to seal the victory.

UP NEXT
The Cougars are in action again when they play host to HBU Tuesday, April 5. The single game is set to start at 4 p.m.

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Melissa Gregson

Holly Anderson

Brooke Lathan

Reina Gaber

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