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Sports

UH welcomes some stiff competition

by Lee Clark
The Daily Cougar

The Cougars will begin the 2007 season by hosting the Wilson/DeMarini Invitational Friday. The tournament brings with perennial powerhouse Michigan, Ole Miss and Texas-Arlington. 

Coach Kyla Holas will use the game with No. 11 Michigan to measure her team' s toughness coming out of the blocks.

"I think it' s going to be a really good gauge for us coming out with Michigan being No. 11," Holas said. "We' re going to have a really tough game there."

Holas knows the Cougars' success hinges on the play of the pitching staff, led by the C-USA 2007 Preseason Pitcher of the Year Angel Shamblin. Seniors Candi Kloecker and Carla Kennimer round out the rest of the impressive rotation. 

"Our pitching is our strong point," Holas said. "We' ve got to be strong on the mound. We' ve got to make sure we' re keeping runs down, and we' re keeping opponents off the bases."

On offense, Holas will look to her two infield sophomores to drive in runs. Leadoff hitter Jessica Valis (.348 BA, 25 stolen bases in 2006) and catcher Elaina Nordstrom (.361 BA, 54 RBI) were both named to the C-USA 2007 Preseason All-Conference Team. 

"Offensively, (Valis) is by far our spark plug," Holas said. "If she can get on base enough times, and (Nordstrom) can do her job in the 3-hole, then we' re going to be really strong out there." 

The Cougars face a challenge in all three games this weekend. Arlington fields a strong team that is picked to finish third in the Southland Conference. Ole Miss has a strong pitching staff anchored by senior southpaw Mary Jane Callahan, and Michigan -- national champions in 2005 -- is led by pitching ace Lorilyn Wilson. 

UH is set to play five games this weekend, beginning with a double header: Texas-Arlington at 4 p.m. on Friday, followed by Ole Miss at 6:30 p.m. 

On Saturday, UH faces off against Michigan at 4 p.m., followed by Ole Miss at 6:30 p.m. The Cougars are slated to play their second game with Michigan at noon on Sunday.

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