Huskers Rally Before Falling to Houston in Eight Innings

<?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Houston, Texas ? The 17th-ranked Nebraska softball team fought back from a late two-run deficit to force extra innings, but an RBI single by Houston’s Angel Shamblin propelled the Cougars to a 4-3 win at the Hyatt Regency Classic in Houston, Texas. The loss was Nebraska’s (12-4) first of the Classic and snapped NU’s five-game win streak.<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>

 

In the eighth inning, a runner was placed on second in accordance with the international tie breaker rule. NU junior Jessica Yoachim was placed on second and fellow junior Elizabeth Rock advanced her to third with a sacrifice bunt. With Yoachim on third and one out, senior Sheena Lawrick popped up to third and junior Trisha Tannahill grounded out to second to end the inning.

 

Houston’s Jaci Gonzalez was placed on second in the bottom of the eighth inning. Kim Nesloney popped a bunt up to Lawrick at first to start the inning, keeping Gonzalez at second base. Pinch hitter Jenille Skender then struck out before Shamblin lined a ball to the wall in left-center field to score Gonzalez with the game-winning run.

 

Sophomore right-hander Ashley DeBuhr (5-3) took the loss in relief of freshman starter Jordan Keen. DeBuhr pitched 1.2 innings and surrendered only the single to Shamblin. Her run was unearned. Keen threw six innings, allowing three runs on seven hits. Carla Kennimer (3-2) earned the win for Houston (10-10), tossing a complete-game four-hitter. Kennimer, who had thrown no-hitters in her previous two starts, took a no-hitter into the sixth inning before Nebraska mounted a two-out rally.

 

After 19.1 innings of hitless ball from Kennimer, senior Anne Steffan reached on an infield single with one out in the sixth. Yoachim was then hit by the next pitch and Lawrick followed with a single through the left side to put the Huskers on the board.

 

Tannahill was then hit by another pitch to load the bases for junior Katie Linke, who was filling in for sophomore catcher Jamie Waldecker, who missed the game after being hit by a pitch in Nebraska’s previous game. Linke fell behind in the count 0-2 before lining an opposite-field single to right field to score Yoachim with the tying run and Lawrick with the go-ahead run.

 

The Cougars’ Michelle Keith promptly tied the game in the bottom of the inning with a two-out solo home run to right-center field on a 2-1 pitch from Keen.

 

In the top of the seventh, NU threatened to take the lead again. The first two hitters were retired before Steffan reached on an infield single and stole second and third. Yoachim then stuck out to end the threat.

 

Steffan finished the game 2-for-4 and was the only Husker to record more than hit. Her sixth-inning single extended her career high hitting streak to 13, just six shy of the school record.

 

Houston manufactured a run in the bottom of the first to take an early 1-0 lead. Nesloney led off with a double down the left field line and was sacrificed to third, where Shamblin brought her home with a sacrifice fly to center field.

 

In the second, the Cougars added another run. Brandi Clark led off with a single and scored on a one-out double by Jamie Adams.

 

Nebraska wraps up play at the Hyatt Regency Classic tomorrow with a rematch against Houston. First pitch is scheduled for Noon and live stats are available by clicking on the “Live Stats” link on the left menu bar on Huskers.com.