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Sports

UH upsets top-ranked Michigan

by LEE CLARK
The Daily Cougar

The UH softball team won three out of five games during the Wilson/DeMarini Invitational over the weekend.

The Cougars concluded the tournament Sunday with a 2-1 victory over No. 11 Michigan. 

UH defeated Michigan with solid pitching by senior Candi Kloecker and junior Angel Shamblin. In the top of the seventh inning and with runners in scoring position, Shamblin struck out Michigan's No. 4 hitter Stephanie Findlay to seal the victory.

Shamblin felt the pressure in the final moments but remained poised enough to notch her third win in the tournament.

"There was some emotions going through me (at the end), but I was just trying to keep them under control and take things one pitch at a time and not make any mistakes," Shamblin said.

On offense, sophomore right fielder Laurie Wagner drove in UH's only runs in the game with a two-RBI double in the first inning against the Wolverine's ace pitcher Lorilyn Wilson. 

The Cougars lost the Friday opener to University of Texas-Arlington 4-2 but defeated Ole Miss later that night 4-2. UH also split their two games Saturday: a 2-1 loss to Michigan followed by a 2-1 win over Ole Miss. 

The Cougars came from behind to beat Ole Miss Saturday night. Shamblin, pitching in relief, effectively shut down the Rebel's offense to notch her second win of the season.

Houston, however, lost a close game in extra innings to Michigan earlier in the day, due in large part to a dominant pitching effort by Michigan's Wilson. The Wolverine pitcher struck out 13 Cougars over eight innings.

UH won Friday's late game against Ole Miss on first baseman Christa Raley's walk-off three-run home run. Shamblin struck out 14 Rebels to set a UH record for most strikeouts in a seven-inning game. 

The Cougars lost to Texas-Arlington earlier in the day in similar fashion: UTA's Brittany Washington crushed a three-run home run in the bottom of the seventh inning to hand the Cougars their first defeat of the season.

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