The U.H. Softball team suffered a tough loss this past weekend ...in the championship game of the Conference USA Tournament ....but unknown to the casual observer ...is the fact that the Cougars top hitter .... Jessica Valis ....hitting at a .446 clilp .... was out with a hamstring injury. They hope to get her back this weekend for the Regional that will be hosted by the Cougars. If Valis can't go ....someone else will have to pick up the slack. In the Conference USA title game .....once Central Florida hit a pair of homeruns ....to take a 4-2 lead ...... the Cougars just couldn't get their offense re-started. Look for former Stratford H.S. star, Laurie Wagner, to help out in that department. Wagner .... like so many of the Cougars is fighting off the injury bug ...or at least she's trying to. Laurie practiced with a walking boot on her fight foot Monday ....as she battles a painful case of plantar faciatis. I hope I spelled that right .....I know this from personal experience ....it's very painful. Anyway Wagner it also hitting north of .400 and she also has hit a school record 19 homers this season. The Cougars need her to come up big this weekend.

Friday night the Cougars will open NCAA Regional play by playing Deleware State. The startig pitcher will be Angel Shamblin. Shamblini is a standout athlete. She hits for a .300+ average ...and she wins almost everytime she takes to the pitching rubber. Shamblin is an eye-popping 32 & 3 on the year in 34 starts. Overall she's made 40 appearances ...and she has 3 saves also. Her 32 wins is a school record.

The secret to this team's success ...according to Holas,"We have the right people ...on the right team .... at the right time. We play great together." I guess so ....50 wins says a lot ....but if the 9th rated Cougars could advance into the Super-Regional ...they would again host that part of the tournament .....and they would move in closer towards their ultimate goal this season of winning the national title. Not bad for a program that was just started 8 years ago under the talented Holas. Congratulations Cougars!!