University of Houston
22-12, 3-3
UCF
24-13, 5-1
Houston Shuts Out UCF in Series Finale
3/31/2018 12:00:00 AM | Softball
HOUSTON -- The University of Houston Softball team shutout UCF, 4-0, in its American Athletic Conference series finale on Saturday afternoon at Cougar Softball Stadium.
With the win, the Cougars improve to 22-12 overall and 3-3 in The American, while the Knights fall to 24-13 and 5-1.
In the circle, junior Savannah Heebner improved to 14-4. Heebner scattered seven hits with no walks and five strikeouts to record her seventh shutout of the season and 16th overall of her career. The native of Sedalia, Colo., also finished 2-for-3 at the plate.
Heebner was one three Cougars to turn in a multi-hit effort, as sophomores Lindsey Stewart and Arielle James each finished with two hits, respectively. Stewart finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored, while James also recorded a pair of runs scored in a 2-for-4 showing.
Sophomore third baseman Sarah Queen finished 1-for-2 with two RBI, as she and senior left fielder Kaylin Crumpton both recorded sacrifice flies.
Defensively, Queen, James and sophomore first baseman Kelli Montgomery combined for three 5-4-3 double plays. The three double plays turned ties the program record for the most in a single game, a mark previously achieved three times and last against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Feb. 20, 2015, at Cougar Softball Stadium.
KEY INNINGS
1st | James and Stewart each singled to open the bottom of the first, and an error on the play of Stewart's batted ball allowed the pair to move into scoring position. With runners on second and third, Crumpton and Queen recorded back-to-back sacrifice flies to take a 2-0 lead.
5th | In the fifth, James and Stewart again recorded consecutive singles to lead off the frame. After Crumpton advanced the two with a sacrifice bunt, Queen plated James with a single up the middle. Stewart followed two batters later by scoring on a wild pitch for the 4-0 final.
HOUSTON NOTES
Top Offensive Players:
Lindsey Stewart | 2-3, 2 R
Savannah Heebner | 2-3
Arielle James | 2-4, 2 R
Sarah Queen | 1-2, SF, 2 RBI
Kaylin Crumpton | 0-1, SAC, SF, RBI
Pitching Breakdown:
Savannah Heebner (W, 14-4) | 7.0 IP, CG, SHO, 7 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 K
ON DECK
The Cougars will host Texas in the program's 12th Annual Striking Out Breast Cancer Game on Tuesday. First pitch is slated for 6:30 p.m. at Cougar Softball Stadium.
COUGAR SOFTBALL STADIUM UPGRADES
Thanks to a record year for the Diamond Club, Houston Softball announced the addition of an LED, Daktronics video board (completed) and indoor practice facility as major upgrades to Cougar Softball Stadium.
According to Daktronics, the new outfield video board will be the fifth largest at an on-campus softball stadium in the country and the largest in the state of Texas. The board, which will sit just beyond the left-field wall, will stand 29-feet-3.1-inches tall and measure 24-feet-4.0-inches wide with 576 square feet of space (24-feet by 24-feet) for live video, instant replays, statistics and scoring information, graphics and animations, and sponsor messages. The display features a 13HD pixel layout for crisp, clear imagery for a great view from every seat at the stadium.
The indoor facility, which will replace the current batting cage down the right-field line, will measure 70-feet by 80-feet. The 5,600-square-foot space will feature five batting cages, measuring 60-feet long by 15-feet wide each, with retractable nets for the space to be used in a variety of ways. The facility will have a synthetic turf floor and will be temperature controlled.
In total, the two capital projects represent $1.2 million in upgrades.
SHASTA PASS
The Houston Athletics Ticket Office is once again proud to offer the Shasta Pass for the 2017-18 season. For just $80, Cougar fans can purchase one Shasta Pass, which allows season-long general admission entrance to all Houston Volleyball, Soccer, Women's Basketball and Softball home games.
The Shasta Pass offers Houston fans a substantial saving as single-game tickets start at $5 for all four sports. To purchase a Shasta Pass, call 713-GO-COOGS or CLICK HERE.
STAY CONNECTED
Follow Houston Softball on Twitter and Instagram at UHCougarSB, and "Like" UHCougarSB on Facebook.
JOIN DIAMOND CLUB
Fans can help support the Houston Softball program by joining the Diamond Club. To find out more information about the Diamond Club, visit UHCougars.com or call Cougar Pride at (713) 743-GoUH. For more information, CLICK HERE.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Heebner, Savannah (14-4)
L: WHITE, Alea (18-8)
Batting:
RBI: Crumpton, Kaylin 1 ; Queen, Sarah 2
SH: Crumpton, Kaylin 1 ; Garcia, Mariah 1
SF: Crumpton, Kaylin 1 ; Queen, Sarah 1
Base Running:
RUNS: James, Arielle 2 ; Stewart-Vaughn, Lindsey 2
