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Houston Snaps Herd's Eight-Game Win Streak, Sweeps Softball Saturday
May 5, 2007
HOUSTON - With Marshall in control of its postseason destiny, the Thundering Herd was unable to suppress the Conference USA Regular Season champions, as the Houston Cougars quieted the visitors in a doubleheader sweep Saturday. Marshall (30-24, 10-13 C-USA) snapped an eight-game winning streak, suffering its second consecutive twin bill sweep by the Houston Cougars (39-15, 20-3 C-USA). The Herd entered the weekend needing only one win to clinch a spot in the Conference USA Championship Presented by Coca-Cola. However, with its two losses, Marshall has fallen into sixth place and is just percentage points ahead of Memphis which swept at UCF Saturday. UAB (10-13) jumped ahead of Marshall in the standings for now, as the Blazers own the series tiebreaker with the Herd. Now, Marshall must win the series finale (or Memphis loses series finale to UCF) Sunday in order to earn a spot in the Conference USA Championship Presented by Coca-Cola next weekend. Five different Marshall players recorded a hit during the twin bill. Junior Rachel Folden (Baldwin Park, Calif./Diamond Bar) became the first player in school history to register 100 career walks. Her 49 walks this season is the second-most single-season total in Conference USA history. Game 1 (Houston 3, Marshall 0) Houston scored its first run on a Folden throwing error and it was all the Cougars would need for a 3-0 win in game one. Angel Shamblin (26-6) shut down Marshall's offense, scattering two hits during the complete-game victory. Abigail Harter (Monmouth, Ore./Santiam Christian) was dealt the loss, allowing three runs on seven hits in six innings. Harter (13-14) struck out a game-high four batters, while walking one. Folden went 1-for-2, while Gina Guzzo (Virginia Beach, Va./Kempsville) went 1-for-3. Houston didn't have much offensive production, but did manage to produce to push across three runs. Amanda Grote went 3-for-3, while Shamblin and Haley Valis each had an RBI for the Cougars. Houston cracked the scoreboard first in the opening inning. After Christa Raley singled to left field to begin the inning, Katie Bush moved her over to second on a sacrifice bunt. Raley later scored on a Folden throwing error, giving the Cougars a 1-0 lead. Shamblin helped her own cause in the second inning with a solo home run to left field, extending the Cougars' lead to 2-0. The Cougars added an insurance run in the fifth inning on Valis' RBI sacrifice fly.
Houston 3, Marshall 0 (05/05/07 at Houston, Texas) (Game 1) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Marshall............ 000 000 0 - 0 2 3 (30-23, 10-12 C-USA) Houston............. 110 010 X - 3 7 0 (38-15, 19-3 C-USA) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Pitchers: Marshall - Harter, Abigail. Houston - Shamblin. Win-Shamblin(26-6) Loss-HARTER, Abigail(13-14) T-1:41 A-294 HR HOU - Shamblin (5). Game 2 (Houston 7, Marshall 1)
Marshall took an early 1-0 lead, but the Cougars scored seven unanswered runs as Houston wrapped up the twin bill sweep with a 7-1 win in game two. Freshman Caitlyn Jackson (Ontario, Calif./Pomona Catholic) suffered the loss (4-4), allowing six runs on eight hits in five innings. Fellow freshman Erin DeStefano (Wildwood, Mo./Lafayette) was touched for one run on one hit in an inning of relief. Houston's Carla Kennimer (5-0) remained perfect on the season, scattering three hits for the complete-game victory. Kennimer gave up a run, while striking out two Herd batters. Valis went 2-for-3 with two RBI, while Grote and Laurie Wagner each went 2-for-2. Wagner drove in four of the Cougars' seven runs in the second game. The Herd benefited from a Grote throwing error in the second inning, taking a 1-0 lead in the process. Deanna Tourville (Rescue, Calif./Ponderosa) delivered a one-out single down the right field line before moving to third on a Rachael Sofie (Everett, Wash./Cascade) infield single. Tourville would eventually score on Grote' miscue for Marshall's first run of the day. However, Tourville's run would be the only Marshall run of the day. Houston gained its first and only lead of game two with a two-run second inning. Laura Durham led off with a solo home to left field, knotting the game at one run apiece. Four batters later, Wagner plated Shamblin with a bases-loaded RBI sacrifice fly for a 2-1 lead. The Cougars added two runs in both the third and fourth innings to take a commanding 6-1 lead. UH pushed across an insurance run in the sixth inning to clinch the eventual 7-1 victory. Marshall enters the series finale with its postseason hopes in jeopardy. The Thundering Herd will face the top-seeded Houston Cougars Sunday at 1 p.m. (EST) at the Cougar Softball Stadium.
Houston 7, Marshall 1 (05/05/07 at Houston, Texas) (Game 2) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Marshall............ 010 000 0 - 1 3 2 (30-24, 10-13 C-USA) Houston............. 022 201 X - 7 9 1 (39-15, 20-3 C-USA) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Pitchers: Marshall - Jackson, Caitlyn; DESTEFANO, Erin(6). Houston - Kennimer. Win-Kennimer(5-0) Loss-JACKSON, Caitlyn(4-4) T-1:27 A-294 HR HOU - H. Valis (9); Durham La. (8); Wagner (5). |
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