Huskers Drop Pair To Top-10 Teams

Phoenix, Ariz. -- The No. 13 Nebraska softball team gave up too many runs too early and was never able to come back in a pair of losses to top-10 teams at the Fiesta Bowl Tournament on Saturday. Nebraska fell 5-3 to No. 3 Fresno State in the morning contest at the Rose Mofford Sports Complex. The Huskers then dropped a 7-1 contest to No. 9 Arizona State at Farrington Stadium in the afternoon. The two losses moved Nebraska to 1-3 on the year.

"We're just not giving ourselves a chance in these games," Head Coach Rhonda Revelle said. "We were the home team in both games and we gave up runs on errors before we could even come to bat. It's like we're playing behind the eight ball. It comes down to not establishing our pitching and defense. They need to carry you this time of year. The offense will come."

In the morning contest Fresno State wasted little time in putting runs on the board. After a Leigh Suhr error, a sacrifice and two walks, Bulldog pitcher Kristen Hunter singled to left center to score Becky Witt from third. The Huskers went down 1-2-3 in the first but started off the second with a solo homer by Jamie Fuente, her first hit of the season. The Bulldogs answered back with four consecutive singles to start off the top of the third. Nebraska escaped the inning by allowing only one Fresno State run as Husker starter Jenny Voss got the final FSU pitchers to fly out. In the bottom half of the third, NU sophomore Jill Baker singled to reach base. All-American Jennifer Lizama came up and with one swing of the bat, put the Huskers on top, 3-2. The homer continued a three game streak in which she has hit at least one homer. She now has 37 for her career. The Bulldogs continued the scoring barrage in the fourth inning with a three-run homer by All-American Angela Cervantez. The two-out shot was the final blow for the Huskers who weren't able to bring in another run during the final four innings. All-American Jenny Voss surrendered nine hits and five walks while striking out one for her second loss of the season. All-Americans Kristen Hunter and Amanda Scott held the Huskers to just four hits, while striking out six.

In the afternoon matchup, Nebraska again fell behind early. Arizona State scored two runs in each of the first three innings thanks to six hits and two Husker errors. Freshman Sara Kahler delivered the knockout punch with her two-run homer in the third. Meanwhile, Nebraska could get little offense going. The Huskers didn't manage a hit until the bottom of the third and didn't advance a runner to third until the fifth inning. In the fifth, a Lizama single advanced Heather Martin to third. But Leigh Suhr grounded out to the pitcher to end the Husker rally. Arizona State added a final run in the sixth when Jamie Hlebechuk scored on a passed ball. Nebraska diverted the shuout, however, with a single run in the seventh. Martin reached on a walk and a Lizama single advanced Martin to third. Lizama then attempted a stolen base and an errant throw by the ASU catcher allowed Martin to score from third. Junior transfer Penny Cope picked up the loss for Nebraska after giving up six runs, four earned, and six hits in three innings. Junior pitcher Lori Tschannen, who relieved Cope, was the lone NU bright spot, holding ASU to no earned runs and just four hits in the final four innings.

The 13th-ranked Huskers will close out the Fiesta Bowl Tournament against Cal State Fullerton and No. 21 Stanford on Sunday.