Hupp Leads Huskers Past Cougars

Las Vegas ? Sophomore right-hander Alex Hupp won her fifth straight game and tossed her third consecutive shutout to lead the Nebraska softball team to a 2-0 victory over BYU Friday night in Las Vegas.

 

Hupp (5-3) tossed a four-hit shutout, extending her streak to 20.1 scoreless innings, while pushing Nebraska's overall scoreless streak to 31.1 innings. Hupp added six strikeouts while allowing only one runner to reach third base on the night. Hupp's work in the circle pushed the Huskers above the .500 mark on the season, as NU is now 9-8 after winning eight of its last 10 games.

 

With Hupp in control in the circle, junior Amanda Duran provided the only offense of the game with a two-run single in the top of the fifth.

 

Christie Zinanti (3-6) took the loss, allowing two runs on seven hits in a complete-game effort. BYU fell to 12-11 on the season with the loss.

 

Nebraska struggled to score early, stranding two runners in the top of the first before leaving the bases loaded and having a runner thrown out at home in the second.

 

The Huskers finally broke through with two runs in the top of the fifth. Junior Meghan Mullin reached on a one-out infield single before freshman Ashley Guile was hit by a pitch. After the runners moved up a base on a passed ball, Duran quickly fell behind in the count 0-2 before working it full and lacing a two-run single to right field.

 

NU had a chance for more as the next three batters all reached safely, but a caught stealing on a bang-bang play at second prevented any further runs from crossing the plate.

 

The Huskers left two more runners in scoring position in the top of the sixth, when they stranded runners at second and third with only one out.

 

In the bottom of the seventh, Daniela Snow led off with a double to become just the second Cougar to advance past first base on the night. Fighting against a suddenly-shrinking strike zone, Hupp walked a pair to load the bases with only one out. Hupp then recorded a strikeout and a ground out to seal the victory.

 

Nebraska faces BYU again on Saturday at 1 p.m before facing UtahValleyState at approximately 3 p.m. Both contests can be heard live on Huskers.com.

Nebraska Softball Nebraska vs BYU Mar 14, 2008 at Las Vegas, Nevada (Eller Media Stadium)

Nebraska 2 (9-8)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Rutherford, Darcy lf..... 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 Mullin, Meghan cf........ 4 1 2 0 0 0 3 0 3 Guile, Ashley dp......... 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 Pascale, Brittany ph.... 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 Duran, Amanda c.......... 4 0 1 2 0 0 5 2 2 Hughes, Abby pr......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Carwile, Crystal 1b...... 4 0 1 0 0 0 4 0 2 Brechtel, Julie 2b....... 3 0 1 0 0 1 2 0 0 Long, Haley rf........... 2 0 1 0 1 0 2 0 0 Hupp, Alex p............. 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 4 Foland, Heidi 3b......... 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 Barrett, Whitney ss/pr... 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 0 Totals................... 27 2 7 2 2 3 21 5 12

BYU 0 (12-11)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ QUIOCHO, Angeline 3b..... 4 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 3 GONZALES, Monica cf...... 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 DAVIS, Cashjen lf........ 3 0 1 0 0 2 2 0 0 WILLING, Emi c........... 3 0 0 0 0 1 4 2 2 SNOW, Daniela 1b......... 3 0 2 0 0 0 9 0 0 NIX, Whitney pr......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 PURCELL, Jessica ss...... 3 0 0 0 0 1 2 2 0 DELAHOUSSAYE,Kristin 2b.. 2 0 0 0 1 0 3 2 0 HOPKINS, Stephanie rf.... 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 OLANDER, Erin dp......... 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 JENKINS, Shaylyn ph..... 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 ZINANTI, Christie p...... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 Totals................... 26 0 4 0 2 6 21 10 7

Score by Innings R H E ----------------------------------------- Nebraska............ 000 020 0 - 2 7 2 BYU................. 000 000 0 - 0 4 3 -----------------------------------------

E - Barrett 2(4); QUIOCHO 2(7); DELAHOUSSAYE(4). DP - Cougars 1. LOB - Huskers 12; Cougars 7. 2B - SNOW(6). HBP - Rutherford 2; Guile; Brechtel. SH - Long(3); Hupp(1). SB - Rutherford(3); Mullin(9); Foland(3); SNOW(2). CS - Hughes; GONZALES(2).

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Hupp, Alex.......... 7.0 4 0 0 2 6 26 28 100

BYU IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- ZINANTI, Christie... 7.0 7 2 2 2 3 27 35 124

Win - Hupp (5-3). Loss - ZINANTI (3-6). Save - None. HBP - by ZINANTI (Rutherford); by ZINANTI (Guile); by ZINANTI (Brechtel); by ZINANTI (Rutherford). PB - WILLING 2(9). Pitches/strikes: Hupp 100/64; ZINANTI 124/72. Umpires - Start: 4:57 pm Time: 2:18 Attendance: Game: NU17