Tennessee Tech Tops Huskers

<?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Columbus, Ga. ? It was a frustrating day offensively for the 21st-ranked Nebraska softball team as the Huskers left 11 runners on base while falling 4-1 to Tennessee Tech in the opening game of the NFCA Leadoff Classic.

 

Nebraska was able to score only once despite having a total of 13 baserunners. The Huskers had at least one runner in every inning and had the leadoff batter aboard five times in seven innings. NU has now stranded 22 runners over its last two games, both losses.

 

Tennessee Tech, meanwhile, had a total of only four hits and nine baserunners but produced four runs.

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Sophomore right-hander Molly Hill (0-3) took the loss for Nebraska (4-4). Hill pitched well but was hurt by the long ball. She tossed a complete-game four-hitter, but two of those hits cleared the fence. Hill only allowed a baserunner in two innings while striking out a season-high 14. The defense didn't help Hill out as the Huskers committed a season-high three errors leading to three unearned runs.

 

Bonnie Bynum (4-2) picked up the win for Tennessee Tech, which evened its record at 5-5 on the season.

 

After Hill struck out two in the top of the first inning, sophomore Darcy Rutherford got the offense started with a leadoff double as she slapped a ball down the left field line. Fellow sophomore Meghan Mullin followed with a bunt single to put runners at the corners with no outs but the Huskers were unable to plate a run.

 

Nebraska again had a pair of runners on with only one out in the second inning but once again the Huskers came up empty.

 

While Nebraska threatened but was unable to score, Tennessee Tech converted its first baserunners of the game to take a 3-0 lead in the top of the third inning. After an error allowed the leadoff runner to reach, the next two hitters struck out before a walk put runners at first and second with two outs. Amanda Glover then recorded the Golden Eagles’ first hit, launching a three-run home run to put TTU ahead 3-0.

 

NU got a leadoff single in the bottom of the inning from Mullin, but she was left stranded on third.

 

In the fourth, a leadoff double, a hit batter and a walk loaded the bases with no outs before three consecutive strikeouts left three more runners stranded on the basepaths.

 

In the top of the fifth, Tennessee Tech recorded its second hit of the game, a solo homer off the bat off Beth Boden that gave Tech a 4-0 lead. Prior to surrendering the home run, Hill had retired six straight hitters, all by strikeout.

 

Nebraska got its leadoff runner aboard in both the fifth and sixth innings and had runners on first and second with one out in the sixth but could not push a run across.

 

Senior Jamie Waldecker produced the lone offensive highlight when she hammered a 2-2 pitch over the wall in left center with two outs in the bottom of the seventh. Her home run was the first of the season for the Huskers and avoided Nebraska's second shutout of the year.

 

NU

 wraps up action on day one of the Leadoff Classic with a game with 20th-ranked FloridaState, scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m. (Central).

Box Score The Automated ScoreBook Tennessee Tech vs #21 Nebraska Feb 23, 2007 at Columbus, Ga. (South Commons)

Tennessee Tech 4 (5-5)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ BODEN, Beth ss........... 3 2 1 1 1 2 2 1 0 GLOVER, Amanda 3b........ 4 1 2 3 0 1 0 1 0 DOBBS, Krystina 2b....... 4 0 1 0 0 1 3 2 1 POTTS, Ashley lf......... 3 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 3 FISCHER, Stephanie 1b.... 3 0 0 0 0 2 8 0 0 BYNUM, Bonnie dp/p....... 2 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 KENDRICK, Heather pr.... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 CASTONZO, Kristyn c...... 3 1 0 0 0 1 7 0 0 SUTHERLAND, Katie rf..... 3 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 1 HORTERT, Kristina cf..... 3 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 STREET, Sarah p/dp....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 Totals................... 28 4 4 4 2 14 21 7 5

Nebraska 1 (4-4)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Rutherford, Darcy lf..... 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 DeBuhr, Ashley ph....... 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 Mullin, Meghan rf........ 3 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 Hupp, Alex ph........... 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 3 Porter, Devin ss......... 3 0 1 0 0 1 0 2 0 Carwile, Crystal 1b...... 3 0 0 0 1 1 5 0 0 Waldecker, Jamie c....... 4 1 1 1 0 1 13 1 3 Long, Haley cf........... 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 Pascale, Brittany dp..... 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 Borg, Jaime pr.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Gonzalez, Crystal pr.... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Kier, Carmen 3b.......... 1 0 0 0 2 1 1 1 0 Barrett, Whitney 2b...... 2 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 Hill, Molly p............ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Totals................... 25 1 6 1 4 7 21 5 11

Score by Innings R H E ----------------------------------------- Tennessee Tech...... 003 010 0 - 4 4 0 Nebraska............ 000 000 1 - 1 6 3 -----------------------------------------

E - Porter(1); Carwile(1); Kier(3). LOB - Eagles 5; Cornhuskers 11. 2B - Rutherford(1); Long(2). HR - BODEN; GLOVER, A; Waldecker(1). HBP - Pascale 2; Barrett. SH - Porter(2). SB - HORTERT; Carwile(1).

Tennessee Tech IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- STREET, Sarah....... 3.0 4 0 0 3 1 11 15 61 BYNUM, Bonnie....... 4.0 2 1 1 1 6 14 18 78

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Hill, Molly......... 7.0 4 4 1 2 14 28 30 127

Win - BYNUM (4-2). Loss - Hill (0-3). Save - None. HBP - by BYNUM (Pascale); by BYNUM (Pascale); by BYNUM (Barrett). Pitches/strikes: STREET 61/35; BYNUM 78/50; Hill 127/82. Umpires - HP: Sally Walker 1B: Laura Nesteriak 3B: Terri Rosenwald Start: 11:50 pm Time: 2:18 Attendance: 80 STREET faced 1 batter in the 4th. Game: NU8