The Cougar Softball Stadium was the site of four UH softball victories this weekend as the Cougars won doubleheaders against Nicholls State on Friday and McNeese State on Saturday to give UH a 4-0 start on the season.
Against the McNeese State Cowgirls Houston came out 9-1 in Game 1 and 8-0 in Game 2.
Senior pitcher Angel Shamblin increased her season record when pitching to 2-0 in Game 1 against McNeese State, where she had nine strikeouts and gave up only four hits.
In the first game against the Cowgirls, junior catcher Elaina Nordstrom hit her first home run of the season to lead the offense.
Junior shortshop Jessica Valis added a score in the first inning and had an RBI in the fifth, hitting a single to bring in junior infielder Christa Raley.
Junior second baseman Haley Valis had the only Cougar triple of the game and brought in junior infielder Laurie Wagner to score and help the Cougars defeat the Cowgirls 9-1 in five innings.
In the first inning of Game 2, Nordstrom hit an RBI triple to bring in Jessica Valis. Freshman infielder Jennifer Klinkert was behind her with her first home run as a Cougar to bring the score to 3-0 in the first inning.
Haley Valis, Raley and senior outfielder Courtney Spittler would score in the fourth. In the sixth, senior infielder Amanda Grote scored on an RBI double from junior centerfielder Katie Bush. Klinkert brought Bush in with a single for the final run of the game.
Senior Barbie Love pitched nine strikeouts and allowed no runs or errors as UH overpowered the Cowgirls 8-0 in six innings and swept the series against McNeese State.
On Friday, Shamblin pitched Game 1 as the Cougars beat the Colonels 2-1, and freshman Baillie Lott got the 4-3 win for the Cougars in Game 2 with her pitching debut at Cougar Softball Stadium.
Scoring for the Cougars in Game 1 were Jessica Valis, who was brought in by Klinkert, and Bush, who scored on a wild pitch.
Giving up four hits and no earned runs, Shamblin ended the night with 12 strikeouts.
Jessica Valis scored twice in Game 2 against the Colonels, once in the first inning and again in the fifth with the final run for the Cougars. Haley Valis and Nordstrom also scored in the game to give UH the win with a score of 4-3.
The Cougars will host the Crowne Plaza Classic from Friday to Sunday at the Cougar Softball Stadium.
