The Cougars’ 18th shut out of the season earned the team its fourth Conference USA weekend series sweep as Houston beat East Carolina 7-0 Sunday at Cougar Softball Stadium.
The Cougars got on the board in the second inning when junior right fielder Laurie Wagner homered to left field with freshman first baseman Jennifer Klinkert aboard, giving Houston a 2-0 lead.
UH played small ball for the remainder of the game, spraying singles throughout the outfield and capitalizing on six walks to score five more runs. Six Cougars finished the game with multiple hits, led by Klinkert who finished 2-for-2 with two RBIs, a run and two walks.
Senior pitcher Angel Shamblin improved to 22-2 on the season after throwing six innings and giving up just one hit while striking out four.
Heavy hitting proved to be invaluable in Game 2 of Houston’s Saturday doubleheader as the Cougars defeated the Pirates, 6-2, chalking up another victory at Cougar Softball Stadium.
ECU grabbed an early lead in the top of the first, putting up two runs. Houston answered in the bottom of the inning, sparked by a leadoff single from junior infielder Jessica Valis.
"(Seeing the ball) was very clear today," Valis said. "I was just sitting back and waiting on my pitch and not being too aggressive, but when I found my pitch, (I) just let it rip."
Cougar bats struck again in the third and fifth innings with a pair of home runs from freshman infielder Jennifer Klinkert, who hit a two-run shot over the double fence in left-centerfield and junior catcher Elaina Nordstrom with a solo blast over the centerfield wall. The Cougars coasted to a 6-2 victory.
"This was their goal from day one," head coach Kyla Holas said. "I think if we can build off that and keep doing that then we got a chance to make a good run through in the end."
In Game 1 the Cougars enjoyed the upside of a 16-0 rout, taking their first game against ECU. It was all Houston from start to finish when strong pitching got the support from a powered offense that put up 16 runs in three innings.
The big inning came in the bottom of the third when the Cougars sent 13 hitters to the plate, producing 10 runs with five hits and forcing four walks.
The inning was capped off when senior left fielder Amanda Grote drove a 2-2 pitch over the centerfield wall with bases loaded, securing the Cougars’ lead and eventual victory.
"I was just looking for a nice pitch to go with," Grote said. "Just something to drive, something to put in the outfield and get some runners home, and I think I did it."
Shamblin recorded the win, improving to 21-2. The Cougars will try extending their home win streak Wednesday when they take on Baylor in a two-game series at Cougar Softball Stadium.
