Waldecker Slams Door on Cowgirls

Lincoln - Senior Jamie Waldecker launched a grand slam home run that erased a 2-0 deficit and powered the Nebraska softball team to a 5-2 win over Oklahoma State on Saturday in front of a season-high 971 fans at Bowlin Stadium.

Waldecker's fourth-inning blast came after a pair of singles and a hit batter loaded the bases with only one out. Trailing 2-0, Waldecker hit a towering shot just over the left-field fence to give NU its first grand slam since March 5 of last season.

Waldecker's homer made sophomore right-hander Molly Hill a winner in her 23rd start of the season. Hill (16-8) allowed only one earned run for the 19th time in her last 21 starts. In 5.1 innings she surrendered two total runs on just four hits. Senior right-hander Ashley DeBuhr allowed just one hit over the final 1.2 innings to earn her fourth save of the season.

DeBuhr came into the game in a tough situation, as the Cowgirls had two on and only one out in the sixth before DeBuhr retired two of the final three hitters. In Nebraska's last four victories, DeBuhr has registered one win and three saves.

Oklahoma State (25-29, 3-12 Big 12) jumped out to an early lead when Kim Kaye put the Cowgirls ahead 1-0 with a leadoff home run in the top of the second.

Oklahoma State added to its lead in the top of the third when Shanel Scott drew a leadoff walk, stole second, advanced to third on an error and scored on a ground out.

Waldecker's blast pulled NU in front for good in the fourth before the Huskers added an insurance run in the fifth when sophomore Brittany Pascale drew a bases-loaded walk to score freshman Whitney Barrett.

Pascale drew two walks on the day to give her 29 this season, which is good for ninth place on the single-season school chart. Sophomore Haley Long was the only player to record a multi-hit game, as she finished 2-for-3.

Nebraska (35-16, 8-7 Big 12) will look for a series sweep at 1 p.m. on Sunday. With a win, the Huskers would also guarantee themselves of at least a .500 league record, keeping their streak alive of being the only team in the conference to never have a losing season since the Big 12 was formed in 1996.

Box Score Nebraska Softball Oklahoma State at Nebraska Apr 28, 2007 at Lincoln, Neb. (Bowlin Stadium)

Oklahoma State 2 (25-29,3-12 Big 12)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Scott, Shanel cf......... 3 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 Bright, Katelyn lf....... 4 0 0 0 0 1 3 0 0 Totte, Courtney c........ 3 0 1 0 1 0 2 0 1 Sanchez, Krystle ss...... 3 0 1 1 0 0 0 4 1 Castle, Megan pr........ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Kaye, Kim 1b............. 3 1 1 1 0 0 9 0 1 Cruce, Shianne 3b........ 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 Blackburn, Emily dp...... 2 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 Harmison, Jenna rf....... 2 0 0 0 1 2 2 0 3 Krywicki, Sadie 2b....... 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 Heinlein, Samantha ph... 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Hoppock, Jessica p....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Barclay, Chelsey p...... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Totals................... 26 2 5 2 4 6 18 7 7

Nebraska 5 (35-16,8-7 Big 12)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Barrett, Whitney 2b...... 4 1 1 0 0 1 2 2 1 Mullin, Meghan cf........ 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 Porter, Devin ss......... 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 3 0 Carwile, Crystal 1b...... 3 1 1 0 0 0 10 0 0 Waldecker, Jamie c....... 3 1 1 4 0 0 7 0 0 Rutherford, Darcy pr.... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Pascale, Brittany dp..... 1 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 Borg, Jaime pr.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Hupp, Alex lf............ 3 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 3 Long, Haley rf........... 3 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 Kier, Carmen 3b.......... 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 1 Hill, Molly p............ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 DeBuhr, Ashley p........ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals................... 24 5 6 5 3 2 21 8 6

Score by Innings R H E ----------------------------------------- Oklahoma State...... 011 000 0 - 2 5 2 Nebraska............ 000 410 X - 5 6 1 -----------------------------------------

E - Sanchez(12); Hoppock(4); Barrett(5). LOB - Cowgirls 7; Cornhuskers 6. HR - Kaye(4); Waldecker(3). HBP - Porter. SH - Mullin(17). SB - Scott 2(48); Long(4).

Oklahoma State IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Hoppock, Jessica.... 3.0 4 4 4 1 1 13 15 64 Barclay, Chelsey.... 3.0 2 1 0 2 1 11 14 45

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Hill, Molly......... 5.1 4 2 1 3 5 20 23 90 DeBuhr, Ashley...... 1.2 1 0 0 1 1 6 7 32

Win - Hill (16-8). Loss - Hoppock (13-16). Save - DeBuhr (4). WP - Hill(8); DeBuhr(7). HBP - by Hoppock (Porter). Pitches/strikes: Hoppock 64/41; Barclay 45/25; Hill 90/51; DeBuhr 32/21. Umpires - HP: Jerry Bark 1B: Keith Kearney 3B: Jeff Sloan Start: 2:01 pm Time: 1:56 Attendance: 971 Hoppock faced 5 batters in the 4th. Game: NU51