Pirate Softball Splits With Houston
April 18, 2003 | Softball
GREENVILLE, N.C. - The East Carolina University softball team ended a 10-game losing streak this afternoon when it defeated the University of Houston by a score of 8-1 in game one of a doubleheader. The Pirates dropped game two, 3-2.
Houston put its first score on the board in the first inning of game one when Arelis Ferreris singled to center field driving in the Cougar runner on third. It would be the only run the Cougars would score in the opening game.
East Carolina waited until the third inning to put a mark on the board. Lacassa Hill reached first base on a dropped fly ball by the Houston third baseman and then advanced to second on an overthrow. Hill soon found herself at third and was sent home on a sacrifice fly by Christine Sheridan.
In the fifth inning, the Pirates put three runs on the board. With two outs and a runner on second, Sheridan was able to reach on an error by the Houston second baseman and the runner at second advanced home. With Sheridan on base, Kate Manuse stepped up to the plate and hit a home run to deep left center, bringing in two more scores.
Up four to one in the sixth, ECU added another four runs. The first run when Lara Brickhouse hit a double down the left field line to send in Brandi Benedict. Brickhouse eventually scored on a bad throw by the UH catcher. Soon after Kristin Johnson doubled to right center and sent in Hill, who had been at second. Johnson would go on to score when Sheridan reached first on an error by the pitcher.
East Carolina went away with the 8-1 victory, the first Pirate win in 10 games. Brently Bridgeforth earned the win for ECU, her eighth of the season. Jamie Falco was credited with the loss for Houston. She dropped to 11-8 on the year. Houston ended the game with six hits and five errors, while East Carolina had seven hits and two errors.
In game two, Houston was again the first team to score first, putting two runs on the board in the second inning. The first came on a single by Brooke Johnson to left field and the second run came on an East Carolina error.
The Pirates came within one run in the fourth inning when Manuse sent Sheridan home on a double to right center. With two outs and runners in scoring position, Manuse would go on to be picked off in the inning for the third Pirate out, allowing Houston to maintain its 2-1 lead.
In the sixth inning, ECU tied things up when Lacassa Hill hit a solo shot over the center field wall for her second home run of the season. ECU would not be able to score again in the inning and would have to wait until the bottom of the seventh to earn another run.
Houston's game-winning run came in the top of the seventh when Kristen Glowacz hit her 12th home run of the season to give the Cougars the 3-2 advantage. East Carolina would not be able to recover, and would fall to Houston 3-2.
The Cougars had 11 runs and one error in the outing, while East Carolina had five hits and two errors. Jenny Johnson earned the win, improving to 10-6, and Maggie Lingo was credited with the loss, dropping to 4-11 on the season.
East Carolina and Houston will meet tomorrow afternoon for the third and final game of this Conference USA series. Please note that tomorrow's game will begin at noon, not 1 p.m. as was originally scheduled.
