Softball Drops Both Ends Of Doubleheader To Houston

Saturday, March 24

Greenville, N.C.

Noon

East Carolina University

15-17, 0

Houston

20-10, 0

Houston

ECU

March 24, 2018 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Box Score 1 (PDF)Box Score 2 (PDF)

GREENVILLE, N.C. – Houston defeated ECU 10-7 and 11-0 Saturday to sweep an American Athletic Conference doubleheader at the ECU Softball Stadium. The Cougars won the opening league series for both teams two games to one.

Team Records
ECU: 15-18, 1-2 AAC
Houston: 21-10, 2-1 AAC

How it Happened (Game One): A RBI single by Sarah Queen put Houston ahead 1-0 after the first inning before the Cougars plated five in the top of the second to push in front 6-0. Houston then added two unearned runs in the top of the third to go ahead 8-0. Senior Meredith Burroughs hit a home run to dead center to lead off the bottom of the third and cut the Cougar lead to 8-1, but Houston responded with a two-out run to re-establish an eight-run advantage in the top of the fourth.

ECU began to rally in the bottom of the fifth when redshirt sophomore Tate McClellan hit a two-run home run to pull the Pirates within six at 9-3. Burroughs made it a game in the bottom of the sixth, hitting her second grand slam of the season to slice the Cougar lead to 9-7. Houston scored one in the top of the seventh to establish a 10-7 cushion and held off ECU in the bottom of the inning, using a double play with the bases loaded and one out to hold on for the win.

Pitchers of Record
WP – Trystan Melancon
LP – Whitney Sanford

ECU Top Performers
Meredith Burroughs: 2-for-4, 2 Runs, 5 RBI, 2 HR
Tate McClellan: 2-for-4, Run, 2 RBI, HR
Ashleigh Inae: 1-for-3, 2 Runs

Houston Top Performers
Sarah Queen: 3-for-3, 3 RBI
Mariah Garcia: 1-for-3, 2 RBI
Lindsey Stewart: 2-for-5, 2 Runs

How it Happened (Game Two): As in the first game of the day, Houston struck for offense in the top of the first inning scoring two runs on three hits. The Cougars did not budge, keeping ECU off of the scoreboard the entirety of the contest. Houston scored nine runs in the final three innings to claim the run-rule victory.

Pitchers of Record
WP – Savannah Heebner (13-3)
LP – Erin Poepping (8-7)

ECU Top Performers
Karlie Smith: 1-for-2
Olivia Narron: 1-for-2

Houston Top Performers
Sarah Queen: 2-for-3, 3 Runs, 3 RBI, 2 Walks, HR
Arielle James: 2-for-4, 2 Runs, RBI
Aspen Howie: 2-for-4, 2 Runs, 2 RBI, HR
Savannah Heebner: 6.0 IP, 0 Runs, 2 Hits, 2 Walks, 3 Strikeouts

Things to Note

ECU fell to 18-36 all-time against Houston and has lost five of the last six meetings.
The Pirates dropped to 7-8 at home while the Cougars improved to 6-2 on the road.
ECU upped its season home run total to 27 and has hit 91 homers since the start of the 2017 campaign.
Burroughs now has three grand slams in a Pirate uniform of which two she has hit against Houston.

Up Next: ECU continues league play next week with a three-game series at Tulsa scheduled for March 29-31.