HOUSTON -- In a game of missed opportunities, BYU lost to Houston, 4-0, at the Crowne Plaza Tournament.

BYU (8-3) stranded six runners on base while Houston (11-3) took care of business when it had runners in scoring postion. The game marked the first time BYU has been shut out this season.

"We weren't prepared to play," BYU head coach Gordon Eakin said. "We just didn't compete tonight. I was very disappointed."

Pitching dominated the early innings of the game with Daniella Urincho matching Houston ace Candi Kloecker out for out. Both teams had early opportunities to score but were unable to capitalize.

BYU got two runners on base in the first inning on back-to-back singles by Krystle Chamberlain and Ianeta Le`i with one out in the inning. Both runners were stranded on base as Kloecker pitched out of the jam.

Houston came back with a breakout inning in the bottom of the third, coming up with four runs on four hits. Houston's big blow was a two-out double down the left field line that scored two and gave UH a 4-0 lead.

In the fifth, BYU again threatened when it got two runners aboard. Andrea Ramirez led off the inning with a walk and Jennifer Whiteley singled. But once again the two runners were stranded as BYU wasn't able to score.

The sixth inning saw another dwindled opportunity as BYU got the first two runners aboard. After a pair of outs on fielder's choice plays, Ramirez flew out to center to end the scoring threat for BYU.

BYU continues at the Crowne Plaza Classic when it takes on Wichita State and Iowa State Friday. Game times are 10 a.m. and noon (MST), respectively.

#25 BYU at Houston
Feb 23, 2006 at Houston, Texas (Cougar Softball Stad)
BYU 0 (8-3)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
GONZALES, Monica lf......  4  0  0  0   0  1  0  0   3
CHAMBERLAIN, Krystle dp..  3  0  1  0   0  0  0  0   0
LE`I, Ianeta 1b..........  3  0  1  0   0  0  6  0   0
 PLATT, Stephanie pr.....  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
RUSSELL, Ashlyn 3b.......  3  0  0  0   0  0  2  0   0
 KENNEDY, Lindi pr.......  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
PARAMORE, Paige rf.......  3  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   2
RAMIREZ, Andrea ss.......  2  0  0  0   1  1  1  3   2
HOCH, Tracee 2b..........  3  0  0  0   0  1  0  0   0
SNOW, Emi c..............  3  0  0  0   0  0  9  0   0
WHITELEY, Jennifer cf....  2  0  1  0   1  1  0  0   0
URINCHO, Daniella p......  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  1   0
 BOYCE-HUMBER, Brooke p..  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  1   0
Totals................... 26  0  3  0   2  4 18  5   7
Houston 4 (11-3)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
Jessica Valis ss.........  3  1  1  0   1  0  2  5   1
Katie Bush cf............  3  0  0  0   0  2  1  0   0
Elaina Nordstrom c.......  1  0  0  0   2  1  4  0   0
Christa Raley 3b.........  1  1  1  0   1  0  1  2   0
Angel Shamblin 1b........  3  1  0  1   0  2  8  0   2
Brandi Clark rf..........  3  1  1  1   0  1  0  0   1
Laurie Wagner dp.........  3  0  2  2   0  0  0  0   0
Candi Kloecker p.........  2  0  0  0   0  1  0  3   1
 Laura Durham ph.........  1  0  0  0   0  1  0  0   0
Jaci Gonzalez 2b.........  3  0  1  0   0  0  4  2   1
Brooke Johnson lf........  0  0  0  0   0  0  1  0   0
Totals................... 23  4  6  4   4  8 21 12   6
Score by Innings                  R  H  E
-----------------------------------------
BYU................. 000 000 0 -  0  3  0
Houston............. 004 000 X -  4  6  2
-----------------------------------------
E - J. Valis 2(7). LOB - BYU 7; Houston 6. 2B - Wagner(3). SH - Raley(3). SB
- J. Valis 2(7); Gonzalez(1).
BYU                    IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF  NP
--------------------------------------------------
URINCHO, Daniella...  4.0  5  4  4  3  6 17 20  78
BOYCE-HUMBER, Brooke  2.0  1  0  0  1  2  6  8  34
Houston                IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF  NP
--------------------------------------------------
Candi Kloecker......  7.0  3  0  0  2  4 26 28 103
Win - Kloecker (5-1).  Loss - URINCHO (3-2).  Save - None.
WP - BOYCE-HUMBER; Kloecker(6). Inherited runners/scored: None. Pitches/strikes:
URINCHO 78/43; BOYCE-HUMBER 34/17; Kloecker 103/62.
Umpires - HP: Rodney Roth  1B: Amy Wade  3B: Rodney Smith
Start: 6:01pm   Time: 1:50   Attendance: 197

PROVO -- After winning four of five games in each of its first two tournaments, No. 25 BYU Softball heads to Houston to play in the Crowne Plaza Classic.

The Cougars (8-2) will be tested right away when they take on host-school Houston (10-1) on Thursday evening before playing four games in two days. BYU head coach Gordon Eakin anticipates continual improvement in his team.

"We look forward to the competition we'll have this weekend," Eakin said. "We'll be playing a hot Houston squad right out of the shoot."

In addition to Houston, the Cougars will get another shot at one of the two teams that beat them when they take on Texas State (8-4) Saturday at 10 a.m. (MST)

BYU will also have games against Wichita State (4-4) and Iowa State (1-3), Friday and Rhode Island (0-0) on Saturday.

Live stats for all of the tournament games will be available. Links are provided on the schedule page at www.byucougars.com/softball.