The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Houston
Softball drops doubleheader to No. 14 Houston
03.05.2008 | Softball
HOUSTON -- The University of Texas Softball team dropped both games of its non-conference doubleheader with No. 14 Houston, Wednesday night, falling 6-0 in the first game and losing 5-1 in its nine-inning nightcap.
The loss moved the Longhorns to 11-8-1 on the year, while Houston improved to 16-2 on the year.
In game one, Houston defeated Texas for first time in school history, breaking a 12-game UT winning streak. Cougars' hurler Angel Shamblin (8-1) earned the victory for UH, tossing a complete game shutout, scattering five hits and fanning 15 Longhorns. Texas starter Meagan Denny (9-3) was saddled with the loss after lasting just one inning and allowing five runs on four hits. The shutout marked the first time that the Longhorns have been shut out this season.
Texas freshman righthander Brittany Barnhill (2-4) suffered the loss for the Horns in game two, throwing an 8.0-inning complete game, scattering nine hits, allowing five runs and fanning eight. Shamblin earned her second win of the day in game two, throwing 4.0 innings of scoreless relief, allowing just two hits, while striking out two.
Junior catcher Kacie Gaskin paced the Texas offense in its game one loss, recording a team-best two hits. Texas managed just three hits in the nightcap with Gaskin, junior shortstop Desiree Williams and junior second baseman Crystal Saenz each recording one hit.
Texas returns to action Wednesday, March 12 when it takes on North Carolina at 6 p.m. (Central) at the Spring Fling Tournament in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Game 1: Texas 0, Houston 6
The Cougars jumped out to an early lead in the first, using a pair of hits and one Longhorns error to plate two runs. Shortstop Jessica Valis led off the frame with a double and after stealing a base she scored on a UT throwing error. Rightfielder Laurie Wagner brought home UH's second run with an RBI single down the leftfield line that scored Katie Bush to give the Cougars a 2-0 edge.
Houston tacked on two more runs in the second, taking advantage of a walk and back-to-back doubles to start the inning. Third baseman Christa Raley drove in a pair of runs with her RBI double and UH added a third tally on Eliana Nordstrom's RBI single.
The Cougars added a final run in the sixth, using a hit by pitch, sacrifice bunt, passed ball and an eventual sacrifice fly by Shamblin to claim a 6-0 lead.
Game 2: Texas 1, Houston 5
Despite two errors in the third and another miscue in the fourth the Longhorns staved off two Cougars' rallies to hold UH scoreless through five frames. Texas was held hitless through the first five frames, but claimed a 1-0 edge in the sixth courtesy of two UH errors and a single by Williams. Senior centerfielder MicKayla Padilla led off the sixth and reached on an error by the Houston first baseman. The Cougars error moved Padilla to second and Williams' single moved her to third where she scored on a throwing error that followed the single.
Houston answered in the sixth with a run of its own, using a fielder's choice and back-to-back singles to even the tally at one. Shamblin's RBI single to centerfield scored Amanda Grote who had reached on a fielder's choice.
The Cougars took the lead in the bottom of the ninth, starting their rally with a leadoff walk by Raley. Shortstop Jessica Valis followed with a single to leftfield and a bunt single by Bush loaded the bases for Nordstrom. The catcher hammered a walk-off grand slam to straightaway centerfield to push the final tally to 5-1.
TEXAS POSTGAME QUOTES
HEAD COACH Connie Clark
On the games: In game one I did not think we came out mentally ready to play. We let a couple of innings get away from us before we started playing. However, you do have to credit Houston's effort in both games. They are a very well balanced ball club and I thought they did a great job. I thought we got a good outing from Erin Tresselt in relief in game one and an exceptional outing from Brittany Barnhill in game two.
On Brittany Barnhill's performance: I think if she can keep doing the little things that we are working on in practice that she will do some really good things for us down the stretch. As a team we need to stay focused on this first third of the season and continue to get better on the little things, like getting bunts down and taking care of the ball on defense. Our pitchers are working on some specific things and Barnhill worked on some of those things tonight by keeping her rise ball in the strike zone and mixing speeds effectively. She absolutely gave us a chance to win tonight.
