Panthers Rally Past Huskers

Lincoln ? A costly error combined with Northern Iowa’s only three hits of the game led to a two-run sixth inning for the Panthers, as UNI snapped Nebraska’s 44-game win streak in non-conference doubleheaders with a 2-1 come-from-behind victory over the Husker softball team on a chilly Monday afternoon.

 

The loss was Nebraska's sixth straight, marking the Huskers' longest losing streak since 1994. Junior right-hander Molly Hill (6-6) took the loss, despite a solid outing. In a complete-game effort, Hill allowed two runs (one earned) on just three hits while striking out a season high 12 for NU (13-16).

 

Sarah Bakey (3-3) earned the win in relief for Northern Iowa (12-16). In four innings, Bakey allowed three hits and walked one, but she kept the Huskers off the scoreboard.

 

In the bottom of the first inning, Nebraska scored one run to take its first lead in more than five games. Junior Meghan Mullin reached on a one-out single and freshman Ashley Guile followed with another single to put runners at first and third. Mullin then came home to score when Guile was caught in a rundown between first and second and Northern Iowa’s Michelle Phillips mishandled a throw.

 

Neither team mounted much of an offensive threat until the top of the sixth, when Megan Machovec broke up Hill’s no-hit bid. Stephanie Aguero then laid down a sacrifice bunt, but NU third baseman Heidi Foland threw wildly to first, allowing Machovec to score. Aguero then scored two batters later on a bloop single from Rachel Gerking.

 

Mullin and Guile each finished with two hits for Nebraska, while junior Darcy Rutherford extended her career-best hitting streak to 11 games with a 1-for-3 day.

 

After seeing its streak of non-conference doubleheader sweeps stopped at 22, Nebraska looks for a split in game two.

Box Score Nebraska Softball Northern Iowa at Nebraska (Game 1) Mar 31, 2008 at Lincoln, Neb. (Bowlin Stadium)

Northern Iowa 2 (12-16)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Machovec, Megan lf....... 3 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 Aguero, Stephanie ss..... 3 1 0 0 0 2 0 6 2 Larsen, Jen 1b........... 2 0 1 0 1 1 11 0 0 Gerking, Rachel rf....... 3 0 1 1 0 0 2 0 1 Phillips, Michelle 2b.... 0 0 0 0 2 0 3 3 0 Lepley, Ashley cf........ 3 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 1 Magnuson, Jessica dp..... 2 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 Keiper, Crytal ph....... 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 Balduf, Brittney 3b...... 2 0 0 0 1 1 1 2 0 Ruzicka, Brittany pr.... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Papesh, Kelly c.......... 1 0 0 0 1 1 2 0 0 Shalla, Stefaney ph..... 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 Adams, Liz p............. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Bakey, Sarah p.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 Totals................... 21 2 3 1 5 12 21 15 6

Nebraska 1 (13-16)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Rutherford, Darcy lf..... 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Mullin, Meghan cf........ 3 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 Guile, Ashley 1b......... 2 0 2 0 1 0 4 1 0 Hughes, Abby pr......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Duran, Amanda c.......... 2 0 1 0 0 1 12 2 0 Long, Haley rf........... 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Linke, Kelli dp.......... 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 Brechtel, Julie 2b....... 3 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 2 Foland, Heidi 3b......... 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Barrett, Whitney ss...... 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 Hill, Molly p............ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Totals................... 25 1 6 0 1 2 21 6 5

Score by Innings R H E ----------------------------------------- Northern Iowa....... 000 002 0 - 2 3 1 Nebraska............ 100 000 0 - 1 6 1 -----------------------------------------

E - Phillips; Foland(7). LOB - Panthers 6; Huskers 5. SH - Machovec; Aguero; Phillips; Duran(2). SB - Ruzicka; Rutherford(8). CS - Lepley.

Northern Iowa IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Adams, Liz.......... 3.0 3 1 0 0 2 12 12 36 Bakey, Sarah........ 4.0 3 0 0 1 0 13 15 51

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Hill, Molly......... 7.0 3 2 1 5 12 21 29 137

Win - Adams (1-0). Loss - Hill (6-6). Save - None. Pitches/strikes: Adams 36/26; Bakey 51/29; Hill 137/78. Umpires - HP: Renee Williams 1B: Scott Mair 3B: Jeff Sloan Start: 1:58 pm Time: 2:03 Attendance: Game: livegame