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No. 14 Softball Falls to No. 2 Texas A&M
Three Home Runs Highlight Game Two

	Junior Haley Valis hit one of three Cougar home runs in a 8-7 loss at Texas A&M.

Feb. 27, 2008

Stats

Complete Game One Box Score in PDF Format

Game Two Box Score in PDF Format

College Station, Texas -- Three Houston softball players hit home runs in the second game of a double-header against Texas A&M but it wouldn't be enough as the Aggies earned two wins over the Cougars in College Station, Texas on Wednesday. The Aggies won the two games with scores of 2-0 and 8-7.

Houston is now 14-2 on the season and 2-2 against ranked opponents in 2008.

Houston opened up game two scoring two runs in the first inning. With Nordstrom sitting on first base, Klinkert sent her sixth home run this season over the left field fence for a two run homer. The Cougars followed that up with two hits by Wagner and senior Amanda Grote but they would be stranded on base when junior Haley Valis flied out to right field for the third out.

UH would hold A&M scoreless to lead 2-0 after one inning.

The Cougar's second at bat was short lived as A&M pitcher Rhiannon Kliesing put three pitches into play for three quick outs.

In the bottom of the third inning, Texas A&M would regain the lead behind a two run home run by Megan Gibson. Kelsey Spittler would also score for the Aggies to take the 3-2 lead.

The Cougars put two runners on base in the fourth and junior Christa Raley scored Wagner on an RBI single to tie the game. Senior Angel Shamblin was called upon as a pinch hitter with Grote and Raley on third and first, respectively. With the count full, Shamblin hit a single to right field to score Grote but Raley and Shamblin would both be tagged out on a double play to end the inning. A&M responded loading the bases in the bottom of the inning with no outs. They would go on to score two runs to regain the lead behind three hits and two walks.

But the back and forth trend of the game carried into the top of the fifth inning when Nordstrom hit her sixth home run of the season, scoring junior Katie Bush in the process to regain the lead, 6-5. Haley Valis added another home run in the top of the sixth to extend their lead, 7-5. The Aggies responded, however, scoring two runs in the bottom of the inning to tie the game, 7-7.

In their final at bat of the night, Nordstrom reached base on a grounder to center field. She reached scoring position on third behind a Wagner single but would be stranded on base after Grote was thrown out at first. The Aggies looked to end the game with out needing extra innings and would do so when with the bases loaded, pitcher Barbie Love walked Alex Reynolds scoring the runner on third

The ten hits allowed by the Cougars in the game are an opponent season high.

Game One- Texas A&M, 2 Houston, 0
In game one, Texas A&M earned the 2-0 win against the Cougars. The Aggie win snapped a 14-game win streak to start the 2008 season for Houston.

In the bottom of the second inning, Jamie Hinshaw of Texas A&M reached base after Raley overthrew first base. She would advance to second on an A&M sacrifice fly and would eventually score on a single by Rhiannon Kliesing for the first run of the game.

Nordstrom reached base on a walk in the top of the sixth inning for the Cougars. With only two chances left to score in the contest freshman Katy Beth Sherman was brought in to pinch run for the catcher. With two outs on the board, junior Laurie Wagner hit the ball right over the right fielders head and head coach Kyla Holas sent Sherman home but she was tagged out to end the inning.

Hinshaw would get the chance to score the second run for the Aggies in the bottom of the sixth inning behind a double by Erin Glasco.

The Cougars had one final chance to tie the game in the seventh inning but Texas A&M pitcher Megan Gibson retired three of the four final batters of the game to seal the win.

Senior Angel Shamblin pitched six innings, allowing four hits, one earned run and striking out three. Her three strikeouts in the game are a game low this season for the Davie, Fla. native.

The Cougars will have the weekend off before the Second Annual Breast Cancer Awareness Game on March 5. Houston will play Texas in a double-header slated to begin at 5pm at Cougar Softball Stadium.