Huskers Complete Sweep of 11th-ranked Texas

Lincoln - Sophomore Molly Hill and senior Ashley DeBuhr combined on a five-hit shutout as the Nebraska softball team capped a two-game sweep of 11th-ranked Texas with a 2-0 victory on Sunday in front of a season-high 712 fans at Bowlin Stadium.

Hill, who entered Sunday's contest ranked second in the Big 12 Conference in ERA was matched up with Texas freshman Erin Tresselt in a battle of the league's top two ERA leaders. Hill outdueled Tresselt, allowing just four hits and striking out five in five innings of work. After surrendering three hits in the first, Hill (14-7) allowed just one baserunner over her final four innings.

With the win, Nebraska picked up its fifth straight victory - and 12th in its last 14 contests - to improve to 32-13 overall and 5-4 in the Big 12 Conference. The Huskers have now won 10 straight at Bowlin Stadium against Big 12 opponents and 35 of their last 38 home games overall, including a 15-2 mark this season.

Tresselt (8-2) was tagged for a pair of earned runs on six hits in 4.1 innings for the Longhorns (28-13, 3-7).

Texas threatened in the top of the first but Hill was able to work around three singles to escape the inning without any damage. That missed opportunity proved costly as the Longhorns would have only two more baserunners the rest of the game.

In the top of the fourth, Tallie Thrasher appeared to draw a four-pitch leadoff walk for the Longhorns, but she was ruled out after Texas failed to officially re-enter her into the game. Megan Willis followed with a single before Hill retired the next two batters.

Nebraska broke the scoreless tie by scoring its only two runs of the game in the bottom of the fifth. Sophomores Brittany Pascale and Darcy Rutherford, along with senior Carmen Kier reached on consecutive one-out singles to load the bases and mark the end of the day for Tresselt.

UT ace Meagan Denny entered the game and promptly walked freshman Whitney Barrett to force in the first run. Sophomore Meghan Mullin then capped her second straight multi-hit game when she lined the first pitch into left field for an RBI single that brought Rutherford home.

Texas made things interesting in the top of the seventh when Willis led off with a double, before a line out and a game-ending double play wrapped up the victory.

Mullin paced the Huskers' seven-hit attack with a 2-for-3 day, while Hill took over the league ERA lead, lowering her ERA to 0.99.

Nebraska looks to continue its recent surge this week with a pair of games against Iowa State. The Huskers will host the Cyclones on Tuesday at 5 p.m. before facing ISU in Ames on Thursday at 3:30 p.m.

Box Score Nebraska Softball Texas at Nebraska Apr 15, 2007 at Lincoln, Neb. (Bowlin Stadium)

Texas 0 (28-13,3-7 Big 12)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Thomas, Shannon 2b....... 3 0 1 0 0 0 3 3 0 Padilla, MicKayla cf..... 3 0 1 0 0 2 1 0 0 Thrasher, Tallie dp...... 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 Reliford, Brittany pr... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Willis, Megan c.......... 3 0 3 0 0 0 4 0 0 Chalk, Brittany pr...... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Johnson, Loryn ss........ 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 2 Gaskin, Kacie rf......... 3 0 0 0 0 2 3 0 1 Williams, Jacqueline 1b.. 2 0 0 0 0 0 7 2 0 Saenz, Crystal 3b........ 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 Cook, Kori lf............ 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 Tresselt, Erin p......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Denny, Meagan p......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals................... 23 0 5 0 0 7 18 10 3

Nebraska 2 (32-13,5-4 Big 12)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Barrett, Whitney 2b...... 2 0 0 1 1 0 2 0 0 Mullin, Meghan cf........ 3 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 Carwile, Crystal 1b...... 3 0 0 0 0 0 5 1 0 Porter, Devin ss......... 3 0 1 0 0 1 3 1 4 Waldecker, Jamie c....... 3 0 1 0 0 1 8 1 0 Long, Haley rf........... 3 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 Pascale, Brittany dp..... 2 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 Borg, Jaime pr.......... 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Hupp, Alex pr........... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Rutherford, Darcy lf..... 2 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 Kier, Carmen 3b.......... 3 0 1 0 0 0 1 3 2 Hill, Molly p............ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 DeBuhr, Ashley p........ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals................... 24 2 7 2 3 3 21 8 7

Score by Innings R H E ----------------------------------------- Texas............... 000 000 0 - 0 5 1 Nebraska............ 000 020 X - 2 7 0 -----------------------------------------

E - Thomas, S.(3). DP - Longhorns 2; Cornhuskers 1. LOB - Longhorns 3; Cornhuskers 7. 2B - Willis, M.(9). SH - Johnson(3). CS - Thomas, S.(7).

Texas IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Tresselt, Erin...... 4.1 6 2 2 0 1 18 18 61 Denny, Meagan....... 1.2 1 0 0 3 2 6 9 36

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Hill, Molly......... 5.0 4 0 0 0 5 17 18 58 DeBuhr, Ashley...... 2.0 1 0 0 0 2 6 6 19

Win - Hill (14-7). Loss - Tresselt (8-2). Save - DeBuhr (2). Pitches/strikes: Tresselt 61/38; Denny 36/21; Hill 58/37; DeBuhr 19/14. Umpires - HP: Steve McCown 1B: Andy Hahn 3B: Mike D'Ercole Start: 12:05 pm Time: 1:45 Attendance: 712 Game: NU45