NU Loses Heartbreaker to No. 20 Florida State

Columbus, Ga. ? After stranding 17 runners through a scoreless first eight innings, the 21st-ranked Nebraska softball team finally converted a run in the top of the ninth, only to see No. 20 Florida State rally with back-to-back home runs in the bottom of the inning to claim a 2-1 victory.

 

On the game, Nebraska stranded a season-high 18 runners, while the Seminoles left just three on base. NU left the bases loaded four times and stranded two runners in two other innings. The Huskers pounded out 11 hits to just four from FloridaState, but in the end it was FSU’s two final hits that made the difference.

 

Despite squandering numerous scoring opportunities, Nebraska was able to get to extra frames thanks to the work of senior right-hander Ashley DeBuhr in the circle. DeBuhr took a two-hit shutout into the ninth inning before surrendering the two home runs.

 

DeBuhr also had a hand in the Husker offense, as her two-out RBI single in the top of the ninth scored fellow senior Jamie Waldecker with the first run of the game. It then looked like Nebraska would escape with a victory after FloridaState’s Whitney Buckmon ? who started the ninth on second base in accordance with the international tie breaker ? was picked off.

 

After erasing the tying run from the basepaths, Michelle Snyder launched a 1-2 pitch over the wall in left center to tie the game. Two-time All-American Veronica Wootson then fell behind 0-2 before launching the walk-off home run to nearly the same spot.

 

The loss marked the third time this season Nebraska (4-5) has lost a lead after the fourth inning. DeBuhr (3-2) was tagged with the loss, allowing just the two runs on four hits in 8.1 innings. The Husker pitching staff surrendered just eight hits in two games Saturday, but four of the hits were home runs.

 

The two earned runs were the first DeBuhr has allowed against a ranked team this season. Previously, DeBuhr fired a pair of two-hit shutouts against No. 24 Auburn and she was only two outs from adding her third two-hit shutout against a top-25 opponent ? and second in extra innings. DeBuhr has also added the lone RBI in two of the Huskers' three games against ranked teams.

 

Tiffany McDonald (3-1) had to earn the win for FloridaState (9-1), as she worked around 11 hits, two walks and two hit batters to allow just a single unearned run and strike out nine in a complete-game effort.

 

After stranding a total of 22 runners in their last two games, the Huskers continued to leave runners on early and often against the Seminoles.

 

In the top of the second, back-to-back doubles and a walk loaded the bases with only one out before a pair of strikeouts ended the inning.

 

The Huskers loaded the bases with one out again in the top of the third with three singles, but a pop out and a ground out kept the Big Red off the scoreboard.

 

DeBuhr then recorded her first hit of the season and freshman Crystal Gonzalez followed with the Huskers’ seventh hit in a two-plus inning span to put runners at first and second with no outs in the fourth. Following a strikeout, sophomore Darcy Rutherford beat out an infield single, but the home plate umpire ruled she had touched the ball out of the box so she was called out.

 

Sophomore Meghan Mullin then hit a ball to the catcher, who threw wildly to first base. Senior pinch runner Jaime Borg tried to score from second on the play, but was thrown out to keep the game scoreless. The Huskers would have two more runners thrown out at the plate in extra innings.

 

After retiring nine Seminoles in a row, DeBuhr surrendered a walk and back-to-back singles to load the bases with only one out in the bottom of the fourth. She recovered by snaring a line drive off the bat of Carly Wynn and throwing to first for the double play.

 

For the third time in the game and the fifth time on the day, the Huskers failed to score after loading the bases again in the top of the fifth. After leaving the bases loaded, NU’s left-on-base total reached 11 for the third consecutive game.

 

A hit batter, an error and a sacrifice put Huskers at second and third with only one out in the sixth for the middle of the order before a pop out and strikeout ended the threat.

 

In the top of the eighth, Gonzalez was placed on second and sophomore Kimberly Fuller lined a single into left field to put runners at the corners. Rutherford followed with an infield single to load the bases before Gonzalez was forced out at home on a ground ball off the bat of Mullin.

 

With the bases loaded and now one out, the Seminoles recorded another force out at home and a strike out to keep the game scoreless.

 

In the bottom of the eighth, DeBuhr coaxed a double play and the Huskers caught Wynn on a delayed steal of home to send the game into the fateful ninth inning.

 

DeBuhr led the NU offense with a 2-for-3 day that included a walk and the Huskers’ lone RBI. Rutherford (2-for-4) and sophomore Crystal Carwile (2-for-5) also added multi-hit games for Nebraska.

 

NU opens action on day two of the Leadoff Classic at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday against Seton Hall. The Huskers then close pool play against MississippiState at 5 p.m. before brackets will be drawn on Saturday night and bracket play is held on Sunday.

Box Score The Automated ScoreBook #21 Nebraska vs #20 Florida State Feb 23, 2007 at Columbus, Ga. (South Complex)

Nebraska 1 (4-5)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Rutherford, Darcy lf..... 4 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 Mullin, Meghan rf........ 4 0 1 0 0 0 3 0 2 Long, Haley dp........... 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Waldecker, Jamie c....... 4 1 1 0 1 2 3 1 5 Barrett, Whitney pr..... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Porter, Devin ss......... 5 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 Carwile, Crystal 1b...... 5 0 2 0 0 2 9 0 3 DeBuhr, Ashley p......... 3 0 2 1 1 1 2 4 0 Borg, Jaime pr.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Gonzalez, Crystal cf..... 4 0 1 0 0 2 2 0 2 Pascale, Brittany ph.... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 Fuller, Kimberly 2b...... 3 0 1 0 0 2 2 2 3 Hupp, Alex ph........... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Kier, Carmen 3b.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 2 0 Totals................... 38 1 11 1 2 9 25 11 18

Florida State 2 (9-1)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Veronica Wootson 2b...... 4 1 1 1 0 0 1 3 0 LaShaun Davis rf......... 2 0 0 0 1 0 2 1 0 Robin Ahrberg c.......... 2 0 0 0 1 0 13 0 0 Courtney Rosen pr....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Brittany Krbec dp........ 3 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 Yuruby Alicart ss........ 3 0 1 0 0 1 4 0 0 Carly Wynn cf............ 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 Brittany Osmon 1b........ 2 0 0 0 0 0 6 0 0 Monica Montez ph........ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Whitney Buckmon lf....... 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Michelle Snyder 3b....... 3 1 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 Tiffany McDonald p....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 4 0 Totals................... 25 2 4 2 2 2 27 10 3

Score by Innings R H E ------------------------------------------- Nebraska............ 000 000 001 - 1 11 0 Florida State....... 000 000 002 - 2 4 3 -------------------------------------------

Note: 1 out, 0 runners LOB when the game ended.

E - Ahrberg; Snyder; McDonald. DP - Cornhuskers 2. LOB - Cornhuskers 18; Seminoles 3. 2B - Porter(2); Carwile(3). HR - Wootson; Snyder. HBP - DeBuhr; Hupp. SH - Rutherford(2); Mullin(1); Montez. SB - Porter(1). CS - Wynn.

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- DeBuhr, Ashley...... 8.1 4 2 2 2 2 25 28 99

Florida State IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Tiffany McDonald.... 9.0 11 1 0 2 9 38 44 154

Win - McDonald (3-1). Loss - DeBuhr (3-2). Save - None. HBP - by McDonald (DeBuhr); by McDonald (Hupp). Pitches/strikes: DeBuhr 99/67; McDonald 154/103. Umpires - HP: Otis Walker 1B: Steve McCrillis 3B: Sally Walker Start: 2:37 pm Time: 2:34 Attendance: Game: NU9