The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Softball Heads to Houston To Face Cougars
4/3/2009 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 3, 2009
Gametracker - Game 1 | Gametracker - Game 2 | Gametracker - Game 3
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The UAB softball team (11-20, 4-8 C-USA) will head to Houston, Texas this weekend for a three-game Conference USA series against the Houston Cougars (15-16, 4-4 C-USA) at Cougar Softball Stadium. Saturday's doubleheader is scheduled to start at 1 p.m. CT.
The Blazers are 6-18 all-time against Houston. The Cougars have won the last seven meetings between the two teams, including five shutouts. Last season, Houston was able to sweep the series with UAB in Birmingham, Ala. The Cougars won the finale, 8-0, in five innings, holding the Blazers to just one hit.
The Blazers enter the contest after dropping two games against UTEP in a three-game series with the Miners last weekend. UAB's sole win was a 9-4 victory over the Miners in the nightcap of last Saturday's doubleheader. Caley Walden, Amanda Allen and Kayla Harris each had two RBI, while Martina Landrum, Catherine Douglass and Cameron Skates scored two runs apiece in the win.
Houston heads into the weekend after sweeping a Wednesday doubleheader against Sam Houston State. The Cougars squeaked by the Bearkats, 3-2, in the first game and won the second, 3-1.
The Cougars return three players who were selected to the 2008 All-Conference USA First Team. Jessica Valis, Jennifer Klinkert and Laurie Wagner received the award after helping Houston capture the C-USA Regular Season Champion title with a record 21-2 in league play and a 54-11 overall record.
As a team, Houston is batting .275 and is led by Elaina Nordstrom. Nordstrom is currently batting .357 and is second on the team with 23 RBI. Wagner is second on the team batting .326 and has a team-high 25 RBI.
The Cougars' team ERA is 3.64. Ballie Lott is 7-6 on the year with a 2.93 ERA. Amanda Crabtree has seen the most action for Houston, posting a 7-9 record with a 4.17 ERA and 106 strikeouts.
Houston is coached by Kyla Holas. In her ninth season with the Cougars, Holas is 315-203, including seven consecutive winning seasons, three NCAA Regional appearances in 2004, 2007 and 2008 and one NCAA Super Regional appearance in 2008. She also appeared in back-to-back Conference USA championship games in 2007 and 2008.
