Huskers Post First Run-Rule Victory

Lincoln - The Nebraska softball team saved its best for last as the Huskers exploded for seven runs in the sixth inning to post their first run-rule victory of the season with a 9-1 win over the Oklahoma State Cowgirls Sunday in front of a season-high 1,060 at Bowlin Stadium.

Improving to 18-3 at home on Senior Day, Nebraska pounded out a season-high 13 hits, including eight in the final inning, as the Huskers batted around to post seven runs -- a single-inning high this season -- in the frame.

With the victory, Nebraska improved to 36-16 on the season and 9-7 in league play while OSU dropped to 25-30 overall and 3-13 in the Big 12. NU is guaranteed to finish no worse than .500 in Big 12 action, the only team in the league to finish at least .500 in every season since the Big 12 Conference was formed in 1996. The win also unofficially guarantees NU a top-five seed at the Big 12 Championship.

Sophomore Megan Mullin got the Huskers started in the sixth as she singled and advanced when senior Devin Porter was hit by a pitch, Porter's NU career record 21sthit by pitch. Both scored when sophomore Crystal Carwile, the Huskers' home run leader as a freshman last season, blasted her team-high tying third round tripper down the right field line on an 0-2 pitch, placing it just inside the foul pole to turn a one-run game into a four-run cushion for the Huskers.

Carwile chased OSU starting pitcher Anna Whiddon (10-10), who took the loss after allowing five runs on seven hits in 5.0 innings. Chelsey Barclay entered the game but only managed to record one out before the Huskers put an early end to the contest.

Senior Jamie Waldecker greeted Barclay with a single before senior Jaime Borg drilled a pinch-hit double to right center field to put runners at second and third. After a groundout, freshman Alex Hupp singled to drive in sophomore pinch-runner Darcy Rutherford and advanced to third on an error that allowed Borg to score from second. Senior Carmen Kier smashed another double to right center before sophomores Haley Long and Kimberly Fuller added singles to push across the final runs of the game.

Senior Ashley DeBuhr was again dominant in the circle as she tossed 6.0 innings of one-hit ball to improve to 18-8 on the year. DeBuhr allowed only a first-inning single to OSU's Katelyn Bright and struck out seven. DeBuhr retired 18 of the final 20 hitters she faced.

Oklahoma State's luck seemed to be running in high gear early in the game as a four-pitch leadoff walk cost Nebraska in the top of the first inning. Center fielder Shanel Scott earned the free pass and promptly stole her Big 12-record 49th base of the season and then advanced to third on a single before scoring on a sacrifice bunt from Krystle Sanchez.

The early one-run deficit did not deter the Huskers as they responded with two runs in the bottom of the second to take a lead they would not relinquish. Back-to-back singles from Carwile and Waldecker followed by a groundout put runners at second and third with only one out. Freshman Whitney Barrett then pushed an RBI bunt single to a vacated hole at second to score Carwile. Hupp then delivered a sacrifice fly that brought Waldecker home and put NU on top for good at 2-1.

Even with seniors contributing five hits, the underclassmen stole the show. Carwile finished 2-for-3 with three RBIs as the sophomore class added four RBIs. The freshmen were just as good, finishing 3-for-4 with three RBIs.

The Huskers hit the road for a two-game series at Missouri on May 5-6 to end the regular season.

Box Score Nebraska Softball Oklahoma State at Nebraska Apr 29, 2007 at Lincoln, Neb. (Bowlin Stadium)

Oklahoma State 1 (25-30,3-13 Big 12)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Scott, Shanel cf......... 2 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 Bright, Katelyn lf....... 2 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 Totte, Courtney c........ 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 1 Sanchez, Krystle ss...... 2 0 0 1 0 0 1 2 0 Kaye, Kim 1b............. 2 0 0 0 0 2 8 1 1 Cruce, Shianne 3b........ 2 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 Blackburn, Emily dp...... 2 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 Castle, Megan pr........ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Harmison, Jenna rf....... 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Krywicki, Sadie 2b....... 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 5 0 Heinlein, Samantha ph... 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 Whiddon, Anna p.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 Barclay, Chelsey p...... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals................... 19 1 1 1 2 7 16 10 3

Nebraska 9 (36-16,9-7 Big 12)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Long, Haley rf........... 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 Mullin, Meghan cf........ 3 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 Fuller, Kimberly ph..... 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 Porter, Devin ss......... 2 1 0 0 0 1 3 0 0 Carwile, Crystal 1b...... 3 2 2 3 0 0 5 0 0 Waldecker, Jamie c....... 3 1 2 0 0 0 5 1 0 Rutherford, Darcy pr.... 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Pascale, Brittany dp..... 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Borg, Jaime ph.......... 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Barrett, Whitney 2b...... 3 0 2 1 0 0 3 0 0 Hupp, Alex lf............ 2 1 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 Kier, Carmen 3b.......... 3 1 2 1 0 0 1 3 1 DeBuhr, Ashley p......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals................... 27 9 13 8 0 1 18 4 4

Score by Innings R H E --------------------------------------- Oklahoma State...... 100 000 - 1 1 1 Nebraska............ 020 007 - 9 13 1 ---------------------------------------

Note: 1 out, 2 runners LOB when the game ended.

E - Kaye(9); Waldecker(2). DP - Cowgirls 1. LOB - Cowgirls 3; Cornhuskers 4. 2B - Borg(1); Kier(5). HR - Carwile(3). HBP - Porter. SH - Sanchez(6). SF - Hupp(2). SB - Scott(49); Barrett(3).

Oklahoma State IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Whiddon, Anna....... 5.0 7 5 5 0 1 20 22 78 Barclay, Chelsey.... 0.1 6 4 4 0 0 7 7 22

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- DeBuhr, Ashley...... 6.0 1 1 1 2 7 19 22 84

Win - DeBuhr (18-8). Loss - Whiddon (10-10). Save - None. WP - Whiddon(4). HBP - by Whiddon (Porter). Pitches/strikes: Whiddon 78/57; Barclay 22/13; DeBuhr 84/54. Umpires - HP: Keith Kearney 1B: Jeff Sloan 3B: Jerry Bark Start: 1:02 pm Time: 1:36 Attendance: 1060 Whiddon faced 3 batters in the 6th. Game: NU52