The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Houston
Four Run Innings Give Cougars Series Sweep With Blazers
4/27/2008 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 27, 2008
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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. --- The UAB softball team fell to No. 9 Houston, 8-0 in five innings, in its final home game of the season Sunday at George Ward Park.
The Blazers fall to 23-32 overall and 8-13 in league play, while the Cougars advance to records of 44-7 overall and 18-2 in Conference USA. Houston completed the series sweep after two victories on Saturday.
Seniors Mary Kendall Butler, Holly Krzan, Leigh Walker and Jennifer Nelson were all honored before the game for their time spent at UAB.
The Blazers stayed in the contest for the first few innings, before the Cougars scored four runs in the fourth and fifth innings, forcing the eight-run five-inning run rule.
Two errors by Kayla Harris on the same played helped the Cougars in their first four-run inning. Two runs score on the errors and Haley Valis capped off the mistake with a two-run homer to left field.
Home runs in the fourth by Christa Raley and Jennifer Klinkert added four more runs for the Cougars, who clinched the regular season conference title with the victory.
The starting pitching matchup between Houston's Angel Shamblin and Jennifer Nelson was strong for the first three innings. The two combined to strikeout eight and give up just two hits before Houston scored their runs in the fourth
It was the largest strikeout total between two starting pitchers facing each other in C-USA history. Shamblin finished the game with 800 strikeouts in her career, while Nelson has 792.
Shamblin (26-2) finished the game with 10 strikeouts, while giving up just one hit. Nelson (13-21) lasted 4 1-3 innings surrendering four earned runs, six hits and striking out five.
Harris recorded the only hit of the game for UAB, who travels to Greenville, N.C. next weekend to face East Carolina in its final regular season games.
The Blazers and Pirates will play a doubleheader beginning at 12 p.m. CST Saturday, and will play close the season with a single game scheduled for 12 p.m. CST start time Sunday.
