Late Runs Lift Baylor Past Nebraska

Waco, Texas ? After being stymied through the first five innings, 17th-ranked Baylor used four hits, a walk and a pair of sacrifice flies to score three runs in the decisive sixth inning en route to posting a 3-0 victory over the Nebraska softball team on Sunday.

 

The Lady Bears (30-9, 2-0 Big 12) managed just two hits until the sixth, when they recorded three consecutive singles to open the frame. The explosion handed sophomore right-hander Molly Hill her second straight defeat.

 

Hill (9-6) pitched well, allowing just three runs on six hits in a complete-game effort. Hill stretched her scoreless inning streak to 10.1 innings before Baylor’s sixth-inning outburst.

 

With the loss, Nebraska (20-11, 0-2 Big 12) has now lost four consecutive games, tying the longest losing streak since the 1996 squad lost five in a row. The Huskers were also swept in their Big 12 Conference-opening series for the third straight season.

 

NU, which had been shut out only twice in 29 games entering the weekend, was shutout in consecutive games for the first time since 1999.

 

After having only one baserunner through the first six innings of Saturday’s loss, the Huskers put two on base with only one out in the second but were unable to plate a run.

 

NU again had runners at first and second with only one out in the fourth before Baylor brought in ace Lisa Ferguson to relieve starter Kirsten Shortridge. Ferguson quickly retired the next two hitters to end the inning.

 

In what may have been the key moment of the game, the Huskers let a golden opportunity slip away in the top of the sixth. Sophomore Crystal Carwile led off with a double and advanced to third on a passed ball. With no outs, a pair of ground outs left her at third before senior Jaime Borg reached base for the third in the game.

 

Borg stole second to put runners at second and third before senior Jamie Waldecker came in to pinch hit and popped out to end the threat.

 

Keeping the game scoreless switched the momentum to the Lady Bears, and they capitalized in the bottom of the frame to score their three runs. Tiffany Wesley scored the first run, coming home on a single, while Brette Reagan and Courtney Oberg added sacrifice flies later in the fame.

 

Wesley’s run marked the first run that Hill had surrendered to ranked team in 13-plus innings this season.

 

Ferguson then retired Nebraska in order in the seventh to wrap up the victory. Ferguson (14-4) picked up her second straight win over the Huskers, combining with Shortridge for the shutout. In 3.2 innings, Ferguson allowed just one hit and struck out three, while Shortridge allowed only two hits in 3.1 innings in her Big 12 debut.

 

Offensively for Nebraska, Borg was the highlight of a frustrating day. A native of Lincoln, Borg entered the game with only one career hit, but she singled in her first at bat and added a pair of hit-by-pitches to reach base safely in each of her three plate appearances. She was left on base three times as Nebraska stranded seven on the day.

 

The Huskers return home for a busy stretch of six games in six days this week. NU hosts Drake and ColoradoState in doubleheaders on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively, before welcoming Texas Tech to Bowlin Stadium on Saturday and Sunday for a two-game conference series.

Box Score The Automated ScoreBook Nebraska at #17 Baylor Mar 25, 2007 at Waco, Texas (Getterman Stadium)

Nebraska 0 (20-11,0-2 Big 12)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Mullin, Meghan rf........ 4 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Long, Haley lf........... 3 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 Carwile, Crystal 1b...... 3 0 1 0 0 1 11 0 1 Pascale, Brittany c...... 2 0 0 0 1 1 3 0 0 Porter, Devin ss......... 2 0 0 0 1 0 1 2 0 Borg, Jaime dp........... 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Fuller, Kimberly 2b...... 2 0 0 0 0 2 1 1 0 Waldecker, Jamie ph..... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 Gonzalez, Crystal cf..... 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 Hupp, Alex ph........... 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 Kier, Carmen 3b.......... 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 0 Hill, Molly p............ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals................... 24 0 3 0 2 6 18 10 7

Baylor 3 (30-9,2-0 Big 12)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Wesley, Tiffany lf....... 3 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 Wesley, Nicole rf/cf..... 3 1 1 0 0 1 2 0 0 Monceaux, Ashley 1b...... 3 1 2 1 0 0 6 1 0 Lake, Chelsi dp.......... 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 Daniels, Jordan pr...... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Reagan, Brette 3b........ 2 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 Shortridge, Kirsten p/rf. 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 2 Oberg, Courtney c........ 2 0 0 1 0 1 8 0 0 Sage, Kelsey ss.......... 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 2 Colyer, Alex 2b.......... 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 Romero, Miriam cf........ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Ferguson, Lisa p........ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Totals................... 23 3 6 3 1 3 21 7 5

Score by Innings R H E ----------------------------------------- Nebraska............ 000 000 0 - 0 3 1 Baylor.............. 000 003 X - 3 6 0 -----------------------------------------

E - Kier(9). LOB - Cornhuskers 7; Lady Bears 5. 2B - Carwile(7). HBP - Borg 2. SF - Reagan; Oberg. SB - Porter(4); Borg(3); Wesley, T.; Wesley, N.; Monceaux.

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Hill, Molly......... 6.0 6 3 3 1 3 23 26 85

Baylor IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Shortridge, Kirsten. 3.1 2 0 0 2 3 12 15 64 Ferguson, Lisa...... 3.2 1 0 0 0 3 12 13 52

Win - Ferguson (14-4). Loss - Hill (9-6). Save - None. HBP - by Shortridge (Borg); by Ferguson (Borg). PB - Oberg. Pitches/strikes: Hill 85/53; Shortridge 64/40; Ferguson 52/36. Umpires - HP: Bart Hadley 1B: Patrick Lyon 3B: Kevin Davis Start: 1:01 pm Time: 1:53 Attendance: 653 Game: NU31