Huskers Lose Heartbreaker at No. 4 Texas A&M

College Station, Texas - Sophomore right-hander Molly Hill wanted only one present for her 20th birthday on Friday - a run. Unfortunately for Hill and the Huskers that run never came as Hill was on the losing end of a 1-0 eight-inning decision to fourth-ranked Texas A&M, despite taking a no-hitter into the eighth and final frame.

Hill (12-7) allowed only one hit, but that hit was the difference as Macie Morrow hit the first pitch she saw up the middle for the Aggies' lone hit with one out in the bottom of the eighth to score Bailey Schroeder, who reached base on a leadoff walk. The walk was Hill's eighth of the game and proved to be the one that finally came back to haunt her.

The run snapped the Huskers' scoreless innings streak at an even 30.0 innings, as Texas A&M became the first team in four games to score a run against the Nebraska pitching staff. For Hill, the run snapped a personal career-high 26.2 inning scoreless streak, while her 7.1 innings were a career-high.

The loss also snapped Nebraska's seven-game win streak and dropped the Huskers to 27-12 overall and 3-3 in the Big 12 Conference. Texas A&M improved to 30-6 and 4-3 behind a strong outing from Megan Gibson, who tossed a five-hit shutout.

After facing the minimum through three, a pair of walks put Hill in trouble in the bottom of the fourth. With runners at first and second and only one out, All-American Amanda Scarborough fell behind in the count, 1-2, before fouling off nine pitches. On the 15th pitch of the at bat, Scarborough lined out to NU senior third baseman Carmen Kier. Kier then threw to second to try and cap an inning-ending double play, but her throw was high leading to the Huskers' first error in 100 chances.

The error would not matter, however, as Jamie Hinshaw grounded out on the next pitch to end the inning.

A&M would not seriously threaten again until leadoff walks in the seventh and eight innings. In the eighth, Schroeder - the Aggies' No. 9 hitter - walked and moved to second on a sacrifice from Sharonda McDonald, who saw her career-high 21-game hit streak snapped. Morrow then hit a slow grounder up the middle on the very next pitch that lifted Texas A&M to its 30th victory of the season.

The Huskers had their best scoring chance in the top of the fifth. Sophomore Haley Long doubled with one out and freshman Alex Hupp coaxed a two-out walk before a strikeout ended the threat.

Long went 2-for-3 with the double to lead the Huskers' five-hit attack.

Nebraska will look to salvage a split in game two of Friday night's doubleheader.

Box Score Nebraska Softball Nebraska at #4 Texas A&M (Game 1) Apr 06, 2007 at College Station, Tex (Aggie Softball Cmplx)

Nebraska 0 (27-12,3-3 Big 12)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Barrett, Whitney 2b...... 4 0 1 0 0 2 3 4 2 Mullin, Meghan cf........ 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Carwile, Crystal 1b...... 3 0 1 0 0 0 9 0 0 Waldecker, Jamie c....... 3 0 0 0 0 1 5 1 1 Pascale, Brittany dp..... 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Porter, Devin ss......... 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 5 0 Long, Haley rf........... 3 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 Kier, Carmen 3b.......... 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 4 1 Hupp, Alex lf............ 2 0 1 0 1 0 2 0 0 Hill, Molly p............ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Totals................... 28 0 5 0 1 5 22 15 5

Texas A&M 1 (27-9,4-3 Big 12)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ McDonald, Sharonda cf.... 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 Morrow, Macie ss......... 4 0 1 1 0 0 3 3 0 Gibson, Megan p.......... 1 0 0 0 2 1 0 4 0 Scarborough, Amanda 1b... 2 0 0 0 1 0 9 0 0 Hinshaw, Jamie 3b........ 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 4 Davis, Joy 2b............ 2 0 0 0 1 0 3 3 0 Gegen, Mandy lf.......... 3 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 Reynolds, Alex dp........ 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 Schroeder, Bailey rf..... 2 1 0 0 1 1 2 0 1 Rowan, Beverly c......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 1 0 Totals................... 20 1 1 1 8 4 24 13 6

Score by Innings R H E ------------------------------------------ Nebraska............ 000 000 00 - 0 5 1 Texas A&M........... 000 000 01 - 1 1 0 ------------------------------------------

Note: 1 out, 1 runner LOB when the game ended.

E - Kier(10). DP - Cornhuskers 1. LOB - Cornhuskers 5; Aggies 6. 2B - Long(5). SH - McDonald(2). SB - Mullin(11); Davis(14). CS - Carwile(2); Davis(4).

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Hill, Molly......... 7.1 1 1 1 8 4 20 29 121

Texas A&M IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Gibson, Megan....... 8.0 5 0 0 1 5 28 29 106

Win - Gibson (13-2). Loss - Hill (12-7). Save - None. Pitches/strikes: Hill 121/66; Gibson 106/80. Umpires - HP: Mike Hall 1B: Loui Alvarez 3B: Walter Hill Start: 6:00 pm Time: 2:08 Attendance: Game: NU39