|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Houston Scores Early, Holds on to Eliminate Herd 4-2
May 11, 2007
ORLANDO, Fla. - Marshall was able to avoid elimination once Friday, but it couldn't turn the trick a second time. The top-seeded Houston Cougars jumped out to an early 1-0 lead and added three insurance runs, eliminating the Thundering Herd 4-2 in the nightcap at the Conference USA Championship Presented by Coca-Cola. Marshall (32-26) became the third team to be eliminated at the 2007 Conference USA Championship Presented by Coca-Cola. Earlier in the day, the Tulsa Golden Hurricane, Marshall's opponent in the 2006 C-USA Championship game, was ousted by the host UCF Knights 1-0. Marshall later eliminated the sixth-seeded Memphis Tigers before falling to the Cougars. With the win, Houston (41-16) advanced to the Conference USA Championship game where it will face the winner of East Carolina-UCF Saturday at 3:30 p.m. (ET). The championship contest will be televised live on CSTV. Senior hurler Amanda Luers (Dover, Ohio) struggled in the circle, allowing three runs on five hits with four strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings. Luers (12-6) was eventually lifted in favor of fellow senior Abigail Harter (Monmouth, Ore./Santiam Christian), Marshall's victorious pitcher from earlier in the day. Harter allowed one run on four hits in 2 2/3 innings of relief, fanning four batters. Houston's Angel Shamblin (28-7) earned the complete-game victory, allowing two runs on six hits, while striking out six batters. Elaina Nordstrom, Laurie Wagner and Courtney Spittler each went 2-for-4, while Laura Durham went 2-for-3 with an RBI. Junior Rachel Folden (Baldwin Park, Calif./Diamond Bar) finished the regular season with a .408 batting average after going 1-for-3 with her 51st walk of the season. Samantha Rodriguez (Oakley, Calif./Freedom) went 2-for-3 with an RBI, while Rachael Sofie (Everett, Wash./Cascade) went 2-for-4 with an RBI. The top-seeded Houston Cougars had a prime opportunity to strike early, jumping out to a 1-0 first-inning lead. However, Marshall limited Houston to just one run as the Cougars ended the inning with the bases loaded. Luers was faced with somewhat of an inauspicious start in the opening inning of the Herd's second elimination game Friday. Katie Bush reached on a Deanna Tourville (Rescue, Calif./Ponderosa) throwing error to begin the contest and later advanced to second on an Amanda Grote fielder's choice sacrifice bunt. After Nordstrom loaded the bases with an infield single, Christa Raley plated Bush with an RBI sacrifice fly, giving the top-seeded Cougars a 1-0 lead. Two batters later, Luers loaded the bases again - this time, intentionally walking Durham. Marshall then dodged a major bullet, forcing Wagner to pop up to end the inning and avoiding additional damage by the Houston offense. Despite recording two hits in the home half of the first inning, Marshall was unable to push across any runs as Houston still held a 1-0 lead. With one out, Rodriguez and Sofie reached safely with a double and a single, respectively. However, Shamblin retired the next two batters, ending the Marshall threat. Three innings later, Houston doubled its score, 2-0, in the fourth inning. Spittler launched a one-out solo home run to deep centerfield to give the top-seeded Cougars a two-run cushion. The Cougars added an insurance run to increase their lead to 3-0 in the fifth inning. Marshall would finally break its scoreless slide as the Herd scored in the fifth inning, cutting Houston's lead to 3-1. Folden's two-out walk began the Herd's late-inning rally. After a Rodriguez single to left field, Folden scored on Sofie's RBI single to right field. Gina Guzzo (Virginia Beach, Va./Kempsville) then drew a two-out walk to load the bases. However, Rachel Schmidt (Alliance, Ohio/Marlington) was not able to relive her pinch hit home run magic, popping up to end the inning. Marshall's frustration finally boiled over when head coach Shonda Stanton was ejected in the top of the sixth inning after questioning a call by the home plate umpire. Houston extended its lead to 4-1 in the top of the seventh. In the home half of the seventh frame, the Herd mounted a rally, cutting the Houston lead to 4-2. But, it wasn't enough as Shamblin turned back the Herd, retiring the game's final two batters. Houston 4, Marshall 2 (05/11/07 at Orlando, Fla.) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Houston............. 100 110 1 - 4 11 1 (41-16) Marshall............ 000 010 1 - 2 6 3 (32-26) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Pitchers: Houston - SHAMBLIN, A.. Marshall - Luers, Amanda; HARTER, Abigail(5). Win-SHAMBLIN, A.(28-7) Loss-LUERS, Amanda(12-6) T-2:08 A-458 HR HOU - SPITTLER, Courtney (1).
|
|
