May 13, 2005

Box Score

TAMPA, Fla. - Junior Brandi Clark drilled a solo-shot home run over the right field fence in the first inning for a 1-0 lead and the Houston softball team never looked back as the Cougars went on to win 3-1 against Southern Miss in Conference USA Tournament play.

The win preserved the Cougars' season who improved to 29-27 on the season and will next face the winner of USF/ECU at 6:30 p.m. (EDT) today.

Sophomore Carla Kennimer picked up her team-high 11th win of the season, throwing 5.1 innings, scattering four hits, striking out three and allowing just one run. Junior Crystal Briscoe picked up her second save of the year as she came in and closed out the game in 1.2 innings with two punchouts and one hit.

Hitting second in the lineup, Clark put the Cougars on the board in the first inning with a solo shot over the right-field fence on a 2-2 pitch that gave Houston a 1-0 lead. The home run was Clark's fifth bomb of the season.

Houston used a trio of lefty batters to add to its lead in the top of the second as freshman Dru Daniels and juniors Brooke Johnson and Jaci Gonzalez made their way onto the bases with a base hit, a fielder's choice and an error.

Daniels placed a ball over the Golden Eagles' shortstop for a base hit, Johnson followed up with a sacrifice bunt that safely placed both runners on first and second. The final hitter in the Cougars' lineup, Gonzalez, also reached base safely with a bunt that was miss played by the Southern Miss third baseman and allowed Daniels and Johnson to score for a 3-0 lead.

Southern Miss responded with its only run of the game in the bottom of the second, but the Cougars' defense prevented the Golden Eagles from scoring any further runs.