March 21 Softball Notebook

Angel Shamblin

Houston and Southern Miss each recorded C-USA series sweeps over the weekend to claim the top two spots in the league standings. Freshman Angel Shamblin highlighted the week in the circle for the Cougars throwing the program's first-ever perfect game in a victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff, then opening conference play with a complete-game victory over Charlotte. For Southern Miss, the Golden Eagles rode the bat of first baseman Ashley Davis who belted three home runs in their series sweep of Saint Louis. Only DePaul has yet to play a conference game, but that will change this week as the Blue Demons hit the road for a pair of three-game series at Houston and UAB.

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Hitter of the Week
Ashley Davis, USM
Jr, 1B, Chesapeake City, Md.
Davis led the Golden Eagles to a C-USA series sweep of Saint Louis with a 6-for-10 effort at the plate, which include a trio of home runs. The junior finished the week with a .467 average and six RBI. She tied a school record with two home runs in game two of the Saint Louis series. Davis leads USM with six home runs this season.

Pitcher of the Week
Angel Shamblin, Houston
Fr., RHP, Davie, Fla.
Shamblin earns her second Pitcher of the Week honor after firing the first perfect game in UH history. The freshman fanned 10 Arkansas-Pine Bluff batters in the 8-0 five-inning victory. In the Cougars? C-USA series sweep of Charlotte, Shamblin allowed just two hits and one unearned run in picking up the victory in an 11-1 decision over the 49ers. For the week, Shamblin went 2-0, struck out 14 and walked just one batter.

AROUND THE HORN

CHARLOTTE (10-18-1, 1-5 C-USA): The 49ers were swept by Houston in their first C-USA home series of the season. 1B KRISTI KILLOUGH went 2-for-5 with two doubles and an RBI in Saturday?s doubleheader. DP EMILY FORBES plated the only two runs in Sunday?s 9-2 loss with a fifth-inning double. The 49ers are currently 2-6 during their 15-game homestand. Charlotte will look to snap a four-game losing streak on Tuesday when the 49ers play host to Illinois-Chicago. The doubleheader with the Flames is set to begin at 2:30 p.m. EST.

DE PAUL (8-10, 0-0 C-USA): The Blue Demons returned to action for the first time in nearly three weeks by splitting their four games in the KIA Klassic in Fullerton, Calif. DePaul opened play on Thursday with a 4-1 victory against Penn State. The Blue Demons then squared off with three ranked opponents picking up their lone win with a 2-0 victory against No. 17 Nebraska. Outfielder LINDA SECKA provided the offensive spark in the win over Nebraska as she drove in both runs with a first-inning sacrifice fly and a solo home run in the seventh. C-USA teams have dealt the Cornhuskers three losses this season. No. 4 Michigan dealt the Blue Demons a 1-0 loss on Saturday. DePaul opens its C-USA season in a mid-week series at Houston starting Tuesday, then travels to Birmingham this weekend to face UAB on Friday and Saturday. DePaul is the only league school that has yet to play a conference game this season.

EAST CAROLINA (34-8, 4-2 C-USA): The Pirates captured their third tournament title of the season with a 10-5 victory over Toledo in the championship game of the Hoo?s Who Tournament hosted by the University of Virginia. East Carolina saw its 11-game winning streak at neutral sites come to an end in Charlottesville with a 2-1 loss to Bowling Green on Saturday. The Pirates are now 14-1 on neutral turf and 8-2 in road games. P KELI HARRELL went 3-2 with a pair of saves on the week. Harrell tossed a complete-game shutout in the semifinals of the tournament and recorded the save in the championship game. The sophomore struck out eight in a complete-game victory over UAB and picked up a save in the series clinching win over the Blazers. East Carolina hosts UNC-Wilmington in a non-conference doubleheader on Wednesday before returning to league play by hosting Houston in a weekend series.

HOUSTON (18-12, 3-0 C-USA): The Cougars carry the only unblemished C-USA record into the week after sweeping Charlotte in a road series this past weekend. Centerfielder KIM NESLONEY went 4-for-9 at the plate with a pair of home runs and five RBI to lead a Cougar offensive attack that scored 28 runs in the three contests. Freshman ANGEL SHAMBLIN followed up her perfect game earlier in the week against Arkansas-Pine Bluff, with a six-inning complete game effort in game one vs. the 49ers. Shamblin did not yield an earned run in 11 innings of work in her two appearances and fanned 14, while walking just one. Shamblin also went 3-for-8 at the plate in the Charlotte series including smacking a two-run homer in her complete game effort. RF BRANDI CLARK went 5-for-12 in the series with five runs scored and three RBI. UH has a full week of conference action as the Cougars host DePaul in a mid-week series before traveling to East Carolina for a weekend series with the Pirates.

LOUISVILLE (14-10, 2-1 C-USA): The Cardinals opened C-USA play by taking two of three on the road at USF. U of L needed late-inning dramatics to clinch the series with a 1-0 victory in game three as C LACY WOOD drove in the game-winning run with a RBI single in the eighth inning. Australian CATHERINE BISHOP factored in all three decisions on the weekend posting a 2-1 record with a 0.70 ERA. Bishop fanned 12 batters in 10 innings of work, while senior AJA SHERMAN struck out 15 batters in 11 innings of work. Wood finished the series with a 4-for-10 effort and drove in two runs. SS COURTNEY MOORE, one of the leagues? top hitters, was held to just one hit in the series, but that was a two-run homer in game two.

SAINT LOUIS (8-12, 1-5 C-USA): The Billikens? pitching staff had a scoreless streak of 25 1/3 innings snapped in the team?s series with Southern Miss. SLU strung together a trio of shutouts for just the second time in school history. Senior 1B ADRIENNE MAY stretched her hitting streak to 12 games before an 0-for-3 outing in the final Southern Miss tilt ended her run. Freshman KARA SELL has doubled in each of her last four games.

SOUTHERN MISS (17-15, 5-1 C-USA): The Golden Eagles dropped a doubleheader with Ole Miss, but rebounded nicely by picking up a C-USA series sweep on the road at Saint Louis. Following a rough outing against the Rebels, P DANIELLE WYMER bounced back with a near flawless effort against the Billikens. The junior recorded a pair of shutouts in games one and three and sandwiched in her first career save in game two. For the series, Wymer posted a 0.93 ERA, struck out 13 Billikens and allowed just 12 hits in 15 innings of work. 1B ASHLEY DAVIS fueled the USM offense that scored 22 runs in the series. Davis tied a school record with two home runs in a 5-0 game two victory and finished the series with three round trippers and six RBI to go with a .600 batting average. The Golden Eagles will entertain USF for a weekend series in Hattiesburg with Friday?s doubleheader set to begin at 1 p.m. CT.

UAB (14-19, 1-2 C-USA): The Blazers dropped two of three games to East Carolina to open conference play and then swept Georgia State in a non-conference doubleheader last Friday in Atlanta, Ga. UAB collected 25 hits in the two games against the Panthers to win by scores of 7-4 in nine innings and 5-2. The Blazers are now 3-3 in extra-inning affairs this season. Freshman JENNIFER NELSON improved to 5-4 with a complete-game victory over GSU in game two, as she allowed two runs, one earned, and five hits in seven innings, while walking only two and striking out eight. Fellow freshman LEIGH WALKER hit her first-career home run in the 7-4 win and CHELSEA MCCALL and LINDSAY STANLEY, the Blazers' 1-2 hitters in the lineup, combined for 10 hits and four runs scored in the two games. Senior right-hander ERICA MASCARENAS received a no-decision in game one after pitching 6 1/3 innings and allowing two runs and five hits, while striking out seven and walking none. She is 4-1 this season with a team-best 1.56 ERA. UAB will face Mississippi State on Tuesday in Starkville, Miss. at 6 p.m. and then play host to DePaul March 25-26 at George Ward Park to resume conference play.

USF (22-15, 1-2 C-USA): The Bulls dropped two of three in their C-USA series opener with Louisville in Tampa. USF pulled out a 6-2 victory in game one as 1B CARMELA LIWAG and RF TIFFANY STEWARD each had a pair of RBI in the victory. P BREE SPENCE was the hard-luck loser in game three as the Bulls fell 1-0 to the Cards. Spence logged 15 innings in the series, including a complete-game victory in game one. The freshman allowed just one earned run in her two complete-game outings and did not walk a batter. Opposing teams are hitting just .196 against her and she leads the Bulls? staff in ERA, innings pitched, strikeouts and walks allowed. CF SAMANTHA RAY hit .375 in the series (3-for-8). The Bulls travel to Hattiesburg for a weekend C-USA series against Southern Miss.

DIAMOND STARS (Mar. 14-20)

EAST CAROLINA: Senior MANDI NICHOLS batted .400 for the week with two home runs and six RBI. Nichols hit the Pirates? first grand slam of the year in a win over Toledo as ECU went on to win the Hoo?s Who Tournament in Charlottesville.

HOUSTON: Freshman ANGEL SHAMBLIN tossed the first perfect game in UH history as the Cougars blanked Arkansas-Pine Bluff, 8-0 in five innings. It was the Cougars? third no-hitter of the season.

LOUISVILLE: C LACEY WOOD batted .400 in the Cardinals? C-USA opening series with USF. Wood delivered the game-winning hit in the eighth inning of game three with the Bulls that clinched the series for U of L.

SOUTHERN MISS: DANIELLE WYMER picked up two wins and a save in the Golden Eagles? series sweep of Saint Louis. Wymer logged 15 innings in the series allowing two runs on 12 hits, while striking out 13.

USF: P BREE SPENCE posted a 1-1 record with a 0.47 ERA in the Bulls? C-USA opening series with Louisville. Spence allowed just one earned run on 11 hits, while striking out six in her two appearances.

NATIONAL POLLS

ESPN.com/USA Softball Poll (Week 7 ? Mar. 7-13)
1. Arizona (20)
2. California
3. Stanford
4. Michigan
5. Texas
6. Tennessee
7. UCLA
8. Louisiana-Lafayette
9. Baylor
10 Texas A&M
11 Oklahoma
12. Alabama
13. Georgia
14. Washington
15. LSU
16. Florida
17. Oregon State
18. Missouri
19. Nebraska
20. Georgia Tech
21. Fresno State
22. Arizona State
23. Iowa
24. Florida State
25. Northwestern
Parenthesis Denotes first place votes.

USA TODAY/NFCA Poll (Week 5, Mar.16)
1. Arizona (25)
2. California (1)
3. Stanford
4. UCLA
5. Michigan
6. Tennessee
7. Louisiana-Lafayette
8. Oklahoma
9. Alabama
10. Baylor
11. Texas
12. Texas A&M
13. Georgia
14. Washington
15. LSU
16. Florida
17. Oregon State
18. Nebraska
19. Missouri
20. Georgia Tech
21. Arizona State
22. Florida State
23. Northwestern
24. Fresno State
25. Auburn
Parenthesis Denotes first place votes.

COACHES PICK LOUISVILLE TO WIN C-USA TITLE
Following a record-breaking 2004 season in which the team made its first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance, the Louisville Cardinals have been selected by the Conference USA softball coaches to win the 2005 league title. The Cards broke school records for overall (41) and league (19) wins a season ago to finish just a half-game behind Southern Miss in the final C-USA regular season standings.

Preseason Pitcher of the Year Aja Sherman headlines a group of four Cardinals who landed spots on the preseason all-league team. Sherman finished her junior campaign with a 16-7 record and a 1.40 ERA, while holding opponents to a league-low .160 batting average. Joining Sherman on the preseason team from Louisville are catcher Lacy Wood (.353, 8 HR 38 RBI), infielder Audrey Rendon (.401, 18 steals) and outfielder Sara Bausher (.287, 8 HR, 37 RBI). All three players were all-league selections last season and Rendon was named the league?s Freshman of the Year.

DePaul infielder Saskia Roberson, who is a two-time All-American and All-C-USA performer, was chosen as the league?s preseason Most Valuable Player. The senior is the league?s top returning home run (13) and RBI (55) threat from a year ago and brings a lofty .340 career-average into her final campaign.

2005 CONFERENCE USA SOFTBALL PRESEASON POLL
(2004 Overall, Conference Records)
1. Louisville (41-19, 19-5)
2. Houston (39-25, 12-11)
3. USF (60-14, 18-5)
4. DePaul (30-31, 13-9)
5. Southern Miss (33-26, 19-4)
6. East Carolina (47-24-1, 10-14)
7. UAB (20-36, 7-17)
8. Charlotte (23-29, 6-17)
9. Saint Louis (16-45, 1-23)

2005 CONFERENCE USA SOFTBALL PRESEASON ALL-LEAGUE TEAM
C: Lacy Wood, Louisville
IF: Ashley Davis, Southern Miss
IF: Kristen Glowacz, Houston
IF: Carmela Liwag, USF
IF: Audrey Rendon, Louisville
IF: Saskia Roberson, DePau
OF: Sara Bausher, Louisville
OF: Holly Krzan, UAB
OF: Samantha Ray, USF
OF: Linda Secka, DePaul
P: Aja Sherman, Louisville
P: Crystal Briscoe, Houston
UT: Kimberly Riker, USF
DP: Jenilee Skender, Houston

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER:
Saskia Roberson, DePaul (Senior)

PITCHER OF THE YEAR:
Aja Sherman, Louisville (Senior)

GLOWACZ GRABS NATIONAL HONORS
USA Softball recognized Houston 3B KRISTEN GLOWACZ as its Co-National Collegiate Player of the Week on March 8 after the senior batted .667 with five home runs and 11 RBI for the week (Feb. 28-March 6). Glowacz hit back-to-back-to-back homers in the Cougars? second victory of the weekend over No. 16 Nebraska. She shared the honor with UCLA freshman Anjelica Selden, who tossed a pair of no-hitters against St. John?s and No. 18 Fresno State.

GLOWACZ GOES BACK-TO-BACK-TO-BACK
Houston 3B KRISTEN GLOWACZ had a Sunday to remember in a pair of Cougar wins over No. 16 Nebraska and Texas Southern on March 6. The senior hit back-to-back-to-back home runs in a 6-2 win over the Cornhuskers, then added a long ball in a 15-1 win over the Bobcats. For the day, Glowacz went 6-for-6 at the plate with four home runs, six RBI and six runs scored. In the process, she set or tied five school records. Glowacz now ranks first on the UH charts in runs scored, home runs in a game and is tied a top the list for career homers and RBI.

FRESHMEN PERFECTION
A pair of C-USA rookie hurlers have recorded both of the leagues? perfect games this season. UAB freshman JENNIFER NELSON recorded the first in an 8-0 five-inning victory over Alabama A&M on Feb. 15, while Houston freshman ANGEL SHAMBLIN notched the second in a similar contest as the Cougars defeated Arkansas Pine-Bluff 8-0 also in five innings on Mar. 14.

OUT OF OUR LEAGUE
For the fifth season in a row, Conference USA teams posted a winning record in non-conference action during the 2004 campaign. League teams won nearly 60 percent of their non-league games. Here?s a look at how the league has fared in non-conference action in the six years the league has sponsored softball:

2005: 134-104-1 (.563)
2004: 192-134-2 (.588)
2003: 156-92-1 (.628)
2002: 180-125-1 (.589)
2001: 94-81-1 (.537)
2000: 78-71(.523)


McNUTT NETS 300th WIN
Southern Miss head coach GAY McNUTT recorded the 300th victory of her coaching career on Feb. 13 at the Rebel/Easton Tournament in Oxford. USM rallied for the historic victory defeating Ball State 5-4 to improve to a 4-2 on the young season.

BACK-TO-BACK NO-NO?s
Houston sophomore CARLA KENNIMER became the first Cougar pitcher to throw back-to-back no-hitters as she blanked both Northern Illinois and Buffalo in consecutive starts at the Houston Marriott/Hobby Invite on Feb. 27-28. The no-hitters were the fourth and fifth in the history of Houston softball as the Porter, Texas native fanned 10 and retired the side in order during 11 of 14 innings she pitched.

WIN STREAKS
USF posted the longest winning streak of the season at 17, a mark tied for the fourth longest in conference history in 2004. With six wins to open its season, East Carolina remained the only undefeated team in league play after posting a 4-0 record and winning the team title at the Georgia State Fast Pitch Classic this past weekend. Here?s a look at the league?s longest winning streaks:

25 Southern Miss (April 8-May 19, 2000)
21 DePaul (March 26-April 24, 2003)
19 DePaul (March 24-April 14, 2001)
17 USF (Feb. 9-Mar. 7, 2003)
17 USF (March 14 ? April 9, 2004)
17 Southern Miss (Feb. 29-March 18, 2000)
14 East Carolina (March 14-27, 2004)
13 Louisville (March 27, 2004 ? April 21)
12 DePaul (April 9-May 2, 2002 )
11 Houston (Feb. 1-Feb. 16, 2002)
11 USF (Mar. 9- 23, 2002)
10 DePaul (April 29-May 16, 2003)
10 USF (April 4-25, 2003)
10 USF (March 4-12, 2004)
10 Southern Miss (Feb. 13-Feb. 27, 2000)
10 UAB (Mar. 8-Mar. 26, 2002)

C-USA ON THE WEB
For all of the latest information on Conference USA baseball and the league?s other 18 sports, please visit www.ConferenceUSA.com.

2005 C-USA TOURNAMENT
The 2005 Conference USA Softball Tournament will be held May 12-14 in Tampa, Fla. The University of South Florida will serve as the host for the event, which will be played at The USF Softball Complex. This will be the second time the Bulls have hosted the tournament. DePaul won its first of three-straight conference tournaments at the USF Softball Complex in 2002.