Husker Bats Lead NU to 8-3 Win

Lincoln ? Freshman Crystal Carwile snagged her 11th home run and fellow freshman Molly Hill picked up her 14th victory of the season to lead the Huskers to an 8-3 win over South DakotaState Tuesday night in a a six-inning game shortened due to inclement weather.

 

The win was Nebraska's eighth straight and improved its overall record to 28-6. The victory also put NU's home record at a perfect 10-0 this season. South Dakota State fell to 14-19 overall with the loss.

 

Hill allowed three runs on seven hits in a complete-game effort and struck out seven while walking none. Kim Westendorf (8-12) took the loss for SDSU, allowing five runs (four earned) on seven hits in three innings of work.

 

The Huskers came out swinging in the bottom of the first inning as junior Jamie Waldecker singled up the middle before Carwile brought her home with her third home run in her last four at bats. Carwile’s blast bounced off the second fence that encircles Bowlin Stadium in right field and put her just two homers shy of the Nebraska freshman record for home runs in a season.

 

Junior Carmen Kier scored Nebraska’s third run in the bottom of the second. Kier drew a two-out walk and advanced to third when senior Lizzy Aumua struck out, but reached first safely on a passed ball. Kier then scored when senior Jessica Yoachim recorded an RBI single that put the Huskers up 3-0.

 

Carwile was active at the plate again in the third inning with a double to center field. Carwile appeared to have the distance for her second homer of the night, but a stiff breeze kept the ball in the park. Junior Devin Porter then emerged for the Huskers with a triple down the right field line, bringing in Porter. She then scored when freshman Brittany Pascale lined a single into left field to put NU up 5-0.

 

Nebraska continued to roll in the fifth inning as it tallied two more runs. Senior Trisha Tannahill snagged a leadoff walk and advanced to third a single by freshman pinch-hitter Kimberly Fuller. Freshman Meghan Mullin entered the lineup to pinch-hit for senior Koko Tacha, and promptly reached on an infield single. Pascale then tallied her second RBI of the night on a sacrifice fly to right field, bringing in Tannahill and advancing Fuller to third. Kier wrapped up the scoring by bringing Fuller in on another sacrifice fly to center field.

 

Trailing 7-0, the Jackrabbits saw their first offensive action of the night in the top of the sixth. South Dakota State pounded out three runs on five hits in the inning. Tessie Winterton, Chris Pesqueira and Steph Kuhl each recorded an RBI in the three-run inning that cut the Huskers lead to 7-3.

 

Nebraska added another run in the bottom of the inning when Waldecker doubled to right field to score Yoachim, who had reached on a leadoff single.

 

Carwile finished 2-for-4 with a pair of extra base hits and two RBIs. Pascale, another freshman, finished 1-for-2 with a career-high two RBIs, while Yoachim (3-for-4) and Waldecker (2-for-4) also finished with multi-hit games.

 

The Huskers pounded out 12 hits in the win, marking their third straight game with 10 or more hits. Freshman led the way as the four freshman who had an at bat went a combined 5-for-9 with four RBIs and three runs scored.

 

The Huskers’ win is the first of six games for the week that will resume with tomorrow’s doubleheader against South DakotaState at 2 and 4 p.m.