Huskers Rout 15th-Ranked Beavers

Tempe, Ariz. ? Freshman right-hander Molly Hill picked up her first career victory in her first career start and junior infielder Devin Porter hit her second career home run and drove in a career-high five runs to lead an offensive explosion in the No. 21 Nebraska softball team’s 8-2 win over 15th-ranked Oregon State in the Huskers’ second game on Friday at the Kajikawa Classic in Tempe, Ariz.

 

Hill (1-0) was solid in holding a potent Beaver offense to just two runs on seven hits. In a complete-game effort, Hill struck out seven, while walking just two.

 

While Hill was in control in the circle, the Husker offense used a well-rounded attack to produce the eight runs on 14 hits. Five Huskers recorded multi-hit games, including seniors Jessica Yoachim and Lizzy Aumua who each went 3-for-5 while hitting 1-2 in the NU order. Porter finished 2-for-4 with five RBIs, while senior KoKo Tacha and junior Jamie Waldecker also went 2-for-4.

 

Just as they did in the first game, the Huskers jumped out to a quick lead, plating two runs in the top of the first inning. Aumua led off the game with a single and quickly stole second base. Yoachim followed with another single to put runners at the corners. Senior Trisha Tannahill then reached on an infield single that scored Aumua. Freshman Crystal Carwile then grounded out to second, picking up an RBI when Yoachim crossed the plate to give the Huskers a 2-0 lead.

 

Oregon State closed the gap to 2-1 on a solo home run from Adrienne Alo with one out in the bottom of the second.

 

In the top of the third, the Huskers loaded the bases with no outs. Yoachim and Waldecker singled on back-to-back pitches, before Tannahill lofted a fly ball to left field that popped out of Maggie DeWall's glove. After Carwile was ruled out on the infield fly rule, junior Devin Porter singled through the right side to score Yoachim and freshman pinch runner Darcy Rutherford. On the play, Porter wound up at second base when the ball got away from OSU right fielder Ingrid Lochelt. Leading 4-1, freshman Brittany Pascale won a hard-fought at bat to draw a walk and load the bases again for junior Carmen Kier.

 

Kier struck out swinging for the second out before Tacha singled off the pitcher’s leg to score Tannahill and give Nebraska a 5-1 lead.

 

Oregon State responded in the bottom of the frame when Mia Longfellow came home on a double from Lisa Allen that cut the Huskers’ lead to 5-2.

 

NU kept the offensive pressure on, plating three more runs in the top of the fourth inning, capped by a three-run home run by Porter. Yoachim led off the inning with a single and Carwile joined her on the base paths with a two-out walk before Porter’s blast deep over the wall in left put NU up 8-2 over the 15th-ranked Beavers.

 

After scoring a run in the previous two innings, OregonState was retired in order in the bottom of the fourth. Highlighting the inning was a diving catch in foul territory by Tacha that retired Alo for the second out.

 

Nebraska improved to 1-1 on the season with the win after falling to No. 7 Stanford, 7-3, earlier Friday. On the day, the Nebraska offense produced 24 hits and boasted a .375 team average. The Huskers also hit two home runs on the day while averaging more than five runs in the two contests.

 

Nebraska returns to action on Saturday for day two of Kajikawa Classic. The Huskers will face Cal State Northridge in the first game before taking on UtahState in game two.