The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Houston
No. 3 Softball falls to Houston, 1-0 at the NCAA Austin Regional
05.21.2011 | Softball
May 21, 2011
AUSTIN, Texas - The third-seeded Texas Softball team dropped its second game of the NCAA Austin Regional, Saturday afternoon, falling to Houston 1-0. With Saturday's win, Houston (42-16) advanced to Sunday's regional championship game at 1 p.m. Central. Texas (46-9) will play in an elimination game later tonight at 6 p.m. Central against the winner of this afternoon's Louisiana-Lafayette vs. Texas State contest. Houston will have two opportunities on Sunday to secure the NCAA Austin Regional title.
Sophomore All-America pitcher Blaire Luna (28-7) was stellar against the Cougars, surrendering just one run, scattering six hits, walking one and fanning six in 6.0 innings of work. Houston starter Donna Bourgeosis tossed 3.1 innings of three-hit scoreless softball before giving way to Amanda Crabtree (20-8) who tossed the final 3.2 innings and struck out seven to earn the victory.
Houston, playing as the home team, plated the only run of the game in the bottom of the first. Rightfielder Katy Beth Sherman led off the frame with a bunt single and advanced to third on a Reina Garber double. Melissa Gregson then hit a slow roller to junior third baseman Nadia Taylor, and Sherman was able to beat Taylor's throw home to score the first run. Luna avoided further trouble by inducing a pop-out and a groundout to end the inning.
Texas mounted a threat in the top of the fourth, but could not push any runs across. With one out, junior designated player Courtney Craig singled to left center and advanced to third on a Taylor double to right center. Crabtree then replaced Bourgeois in the circle and walked sophomore leftfielder Torie Schmidt to load the bases. But Crabtree recovered to record consecutive strikeouts of junior first baseman Lexy Bennett and senior pinch-hitter Shelby Savony to retire the side.
Crabtree closed out the game by retiring the final eight Texas batters she faced to secure the victory.
UT freshman Brejae Washington set the school single-season record for most stolen bases with her steal of second in the first inning. It marked her 36th stolen base of the year, topping the previous mark of 35 set by Shannon Thomas in 2007. Washington later added her 37th steal of the season in the fifth.
