Huskers Drop Decision to Georgia

Lincoln --- Nebraska built an early lead but was unable to hold on during a 3-2 loss to Georgia in game two of Friday's NCAA softball regional at Bowlin Stadium. The Huskers dropped into the loser's bracket with the defeat and will play Creighton Saturday at 4 p.m. for the right to stay in the tournament, while <?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Georgia will face Washington Saturday at 1 p.m. in the winner’s bracket.<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>

NU sent seven batters to the plate in the first inning to build an early 2-0 lead off Bulldog pitcher Kati Carroll, but Georgia came back to plate single runs in the third, fourth and sixth innings to walk away with the win. Husker pitcher Ashley DeBuhr, who notched seven strikouts, suffered the loss after yeilding seven hits, one walk and a pair of key wild pitches. Carroll, who also allowed seven hits, claimed the win after collecting six strikeouts.

Megan Mullin and Jamie Waldecker fueled Nebraska's offensive efforts with a pair of hits each. Waldecker and Crystal Carwille drove in the only Husker runs in the first inning.

Nebraska put the pressure on Georgia early by plating two-first inning runs. The sequence featured Huskers stringing together four consecutive singles following Whitney Barrett's groundout to lead off the game. Mullin and Devin Porter started the surge before Carwile's single down the right-field line drove in NU's first run. Waldecker then layed down a perfect bunt with runners on second and third to score Porter and push the score to 2-0. Carroll then retired the next two Huskers to limit the early damage.

DeBuhr squashed an Georgia rally earlier in the first after the Bulldogs loaded the bases on three consecutive two-out singles by Hamilton, Greer and Schnake.

The Bulldogs cut the deficit in half with a run in the top of the third inning, but DeBuhr kept the damage to a minimum after the first two UGA batters each reached base safetly with singles. The Huskers were able to catch Middleton stealing for the first out, but Moody eventually scored on a wild pitch with two outs in the inning.

Georgia used a crucial Husker miscue to tie the game in the fourth with a two-out rally capped by a Kristin Schnake single that plated Charvi Greer. Greer reached on a Husker three-base throwing error to set up the tying run before Schnake's game-knotting hit.

McAllister put the Bulldogs on top in the sixth with the help of another Husker miscue after reaching with a one-out double to right center. The following batter, Chelsea Cantillo, struck out swinging but was able to reach base on DeBuhr's second wild pitch that also advanced McAllister to third. Hamilton then hit a soft grounder that forced Husker shortstop Devin Porter to come home with the throw, but McAllister knocked the ball away from catcher Waldecker to score the go-ahead run. DeBuhr was able to strike out each of the next two Bulldogs to retire the side.