Huskers Fall Short in 4-0 Loss

Austin, Texas ? Reigning Big 12 Pitcher of the Week Meagan Denny tossed a four-hit shutout to lead Texas past the Nebraska softball team, 4-0 on Saturday afternoon in Austin, Texas.

 

Denny (12-4) faced just one batter over the minimum over the final 5.1 innings, retiring 11 straight hitters from the second to the sixth inning, while sitting down 15 of the final 17 batters she faced. Denny also added seven strikeouts in posting her fifth shutout of the season.

 

Sophomore right-hander Alex Hupp (6-5) took the loss for Nebraska in a complete-game effort, allowing four runs on eight hits in her Big 12 debut in the circle. Hupp pitched well with the exception of Texas’ power-hitting combination of Loryn Johnson and Tallie Thrasher. That duo combined to go 6-for-6 with two home runs and all four of the Longhorns’ RBIs, while the rest of the lineup was just 2-for-19.

 

With the loss, Nebraska (13-12) was swept in its opening Big 12 series for the fourth straight season. The Huskers recovered in each of those years to post at least a .500 conference record and the last time NU was swept at Texas, the 2006 Huskers finished as the Big 12 runner-up with a 13-4 record.

 

After neither team mounted much of a scoring threat through the first two innings, Texas jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the third. The Longhorns began to hit Hupp hard the second time through the order, as a single, a double and a two-run homer to the first three batters in the Texas lineup resulted in the three-run inning.

 

Another home run added to the Longhorns’ lead, as Johnson’s two-out, solo home run in the bottom of the fifth put UT on top 4-0.

 

Freshman Ashley Guile went 2-for-3 to lead NU offensively, while juniors Darcy Rutherford and Haley Long finished 1-for-3.

 

After opening Big 12 play this weekend, Nebraska returns to the CornhuskerState this Wednesday for a road contest at in-state rival Creighton.

Box Score Nebraska Softball Nebraska at Texas Mar 22, 2008 at Austin, Texas (McCombs Field)

Nebraska 0 (13-12,0-2 Big 12)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Rutherford, Darcy lf..... 3 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 Mullin, Meghan cf........ 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Duran, Amanda c.......... 3 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 Carwile, Crystal 1b...... 3 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 Guile, Ashley dp......... 3 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 Hughes, Abby pr......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Brechtel, Julie 2b....... 3 0 0 0 0 2 5 0 1 Long, Haley rf........... 2 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 Hupp, Alex p............. 2 0 0 0 0 2 1 1 2 Foland, Heidi 3b......... 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 Linke, Kelli ph......... 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 Barrett, Whitney ss...... 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 Totals................... 24 0 4 0 0 7 18 4 3

Texas 4 (16-11-2,2-0 Big 12)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Gaskin, Kacie c.......... 3 1 1 0 0 1 8 0 0 Johnson, Loryn ss........ 3 2 3 2 0 0 2 2 0 Thrasher, Tallie dp...... 3 1 3 2 0 0 0 0 0 Melone, Kelly 2b......... 2 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 Savony, Shelby ph....... 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 Barnhill, Brittany rf.... 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 Schroeder, Torrey lf.... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Williams, Desiree 1b..... 3 0 1 0 0 0 8 0 0 Chalk, Brittany cf/rf.... 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Hooks, Amy lf............ 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 Cook, Kori cf........... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Saenz, Crystal 3b........ 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Reliford, Brittany ph... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Denny, Meagan p.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 Totals................... 25 4 8 4 0 4 21 7 4

Score by Innings R H E ----------------------------------------- Nebraska............ 000 000 0 - 0 4 0 Texas............... 003 010 X - 4 8 0 -----------------------------------------

DP - Longhorns 1. LOB - Huskers 3; Longhorns 4. 2B - Gaskin. HR - Johnson, L.; Thrasher. SH - Chalk.

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Hupp, Alex.......... 6.0 8 4 4 0 4 25 26 94

Texas IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Denny, Meagan....... 7.0 4 0 0 0 7 24 24 108

Win - Denny (12-4). Loss - Hupp (6-5). Save - None. Pitches/strikes: Hupp 94/62; Denny 108/69. Umpires - HP: Walter Hill 1B: Kent Ringo 3B: Bart Hadley Start: 12:01 pm Time: 1:49 Attendance: 986 Game: NU25