Hoosiers Rally for Upset of Huskers

Tallahassee, Fla. - After being held without a hit through the first six innings, the 15th-ranked Nebraska softball team took a 1-0 lead on two hits in the top of the seventh inning, only to see Indiana rally for a 2-1 victory Saturday night in the first round of Gold Bracket play at the Florida State Invitational.

Freshman Crystal Carwile hammered the first pitch of the top of the seventh to the wall in left center for the Huskers' first hit and she came home on an RBI single from junior Devin Porter.

Riding the momentum of its first two hits, NU appeared to have the game in control when freshman right-hander Molly Hill retired the first two batters in the bottom of the seventh. Julia Hamilton then put down a bunt and was safe at first when the ball got past NU third baseman Carmen Kier. Hill was then lifted in favor of junior right-hander Ashley DeBuhr.

In an attempt to get the tying runner in scoring position, Hamilton took off for second and was ruled safe on a bang-bang play. DeBuhr quickly worked ahead of the first hitter she faced before Mariangee Bogado laced a triple to center field to score Hamilton with the tying run.

Jennilee Huddleston then fell behind in the count 1-2 before ripping the game-winning hit to the wall in right center. DeBuhr (6-3) took the loss, allowing the one unearned run on two hits. Hill did not factor into the decision, but tossed a strong 6.2 innings, allowing just one unearned run on five hits while striking out eight.

Bogado (4-3) earned the win for Indiana, allowing one run on two hits in seven innings. She also led the Hoosiers offensively, finishing 2-for-4 with a triple, a run scored and an RBI. Bogado provided the game-tying RBI and the game-winning run.

Nebraska fell to 14-4 overall with the loss, while Indiana improvevd to 9-8-1 with the win.

Pitchers dominated the game, especially in the early going. Neither team got its first base runner until the third inning. Porter became the Huskers' first base runner when she hit by a pitch to lead off the third. She advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from senior KoKo Tacha and Kier then drew a walk to put runners on first and second with only one out, but the Huskers were unable to push a run across.

Indiana mounted its first scoring threat in the bottom of the fourth. Bogado led off with a single and Lauren Hines reached on a one-out single. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch to give the Hoosiers runners at second and third with just one out. Heather Hohs fell behind in the count 0-2 but fought off three pitches and eventually drew a walk to load the bases. Rachel Terry then fell behind in the count 0-2 and worked it full before Hill got her swinging for the second out. Hill then coaxed a ground out to end the threat.

The Hoosiers put runners on first and second with only one out again in the bottom of the sixth, but Hill recorded a strikeout and a ground out to retire the side.

Nebraska resumes play tomorrow against Bradley at 9:30 a.m. (central) in the consolation bracket.