March 23, 2007

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For Immediate Release
Brandon Kolditz
wkolditz@memphis.edu, (901) 871-5475

MEMPHIS - The University of Memphis softball team will open its Conference USA home schedule with a three-game series against Houston beginning Saturday. Memphis (17-9, 1-2 C-USA) will play its home stand with Houston (23-10, 6-0) at the Lady Tigers Softball Stadium on the school's Park Avenue Campus.

Memphis will officially open its new stadium on Friday, April 6 when the team hosts a three-game series with Tulsa. Pre-game festivities are scheduled for the event.

The Lady Tigers return home after opening its conference schedule at UTEP where the team went 1-2. Memphis finished 3-2 on the week and had a program best six-game win streak come to an end against the Miners.

Junior catcher Lindsay Kelso leads Memphis in hitting with a .348 batting average and 17 runs scored. The Phoenix, Ariz., native has hit safely in a team record 14-straight games. Senior first baseman Kara Ross has also shown a hot bat, collecting multi-hit games in all three contests with UTEP. The Jacksonville, Fla, native leads the team with seven multi-hit games and with 17 RBI, and she is second on the team with a .343 average. As a team, Memphis is hitting .314 in conference play.

The Lady Tigers have a 3.68 team ERA in league games and are led by senior Jenna Kubesch. The Weimar, Texas native is 1-1 in conference play and 11-4 overall. She has a 2.00 ERA and 89 strikeouts.

Memphis is 1-2 all-time against Houston after closing the 2006 season on the road against the Cougars. The Lady Tigers won the first game of the series before closing the season with two losses.

Houston was picked to finish first in the C-USA Preseason Coaches poll. The Cougars lead the league with a 6-0 record. After recording sweeps against Southern Miss and Tulsa, the conference record matches the team's best start.

Sophomore shortstop Jessica Vallis leads the Cougars with a .357 batting average and 19 runs scored. Houston is hitting .248 as a team. Sophomore catcher Elaina Nordstrom leads the team with 19 RBI and five home runs.

Houston pitching is led by junior Angel Shamblin who has 14 wins and a 1.03 ERA. Shamblin leads the league in wins and in strikeouts with 159. The Cougars have a 1.19 team ERA and are allowing opponents to hit .191.