Houston opened the UNLV classic with victories over Eastern Kentucky and UC Santa Barbara to improve to 11-12 on the season.
 
Julana Shrum contributed to the Cougars’ first win of the day both from the circle and at the plate.  The southpaw surrendered a pair of runs in 6.0 innings while belting a solo homerun in the third inning during Houston’s 7-2 win over Eastern Kentucky.
 
Shrum’s fourth homer of the week came in the seven-run third inning and was followed by two singles and a sacrifice bunt to put two runners in scoring position.  Back-to-back walks scored a run and left the bases loaded with one out.  Tiffani McKnight then sacrificed to center, driving in one run, and Kris Davila added two more RBIs with a double.  Davila crossed the plate on an RBI single by Klinger, who advanced to second on the throw home.  Klinger then advanced to third on a wild pitch and eventually scored on a second wild pitch EKU’s Tory Stewart.
 
With the win, Houston carried a three game winning streak into the second game of the UNLV Classic in Las Vegas.
 
In the nightcap, the Cougars plated 12 runs on 12 hits to defeat UC Santa Barbara in an offensive showdown.  Scoring in six of seven innings, Houston posted three doubles and a homerun around eight singles and five walks in the 12-10 victory.
 
Houston got on the board first, when an RBI single by Selena Hernandez scored Katie St. Pierre in the opening frame.
 
UCSB came right back in the bottom of the first to take the lead, scoring a pair of runs off two errors, a single and a homerun.
 
Houston regained the lead in the top of the second with a two out rally that netted them six runs.  With the bases loaded, Selena Hernandez laced a two out single up the middle to drive in a pair of runs.  Shelby Miller drove in another pair of runs with a double, and Tiffani Miller drove both players home with a homerun to right field.
 
The Gauchos chipped away at the five-run deficit through the next three innings, but never regained the lead as the Cougars added a pair of runs in both the fourth and fifth innings.
 
Houston sent three players to the circle, as starter Shelby Miller (4.0 IP, 6H, 4ER, 3BB) combined with Julana Shrum and Summer Groholski for the win.
 
The remaining games for the Cougars at the UNLV Classic are: a twilight double header on Saturday, versus UNLV at 5:45 p.m. CT, and Iowa State at 8:00 p.m. CT, and then a game against No. 14/16 California at 1:15 p.m. CT Sunday.