Hupp Pitches Huskers Past Lady Bears

Lincoln - It was a day of firsts for the Nebraska softball team in game two of Sunday's doubleheader with Baylor, as sophomore right-hander Alex Hupp earned her first career Big 12 victory, while leading the Huskers to their first conference win of the season in a 5-0 victory at Bowlin Stadium.

Not only was it Nebraska's first Big 12 win, the five runs exceeded the Huskers' run total through the first seven conference games, while also marking the first time NU had scored more than one run in a Big 12 game this season. Nebraska (17-20, 1-7 Big 12) plated a three-run second inning, as the Huskers scored as many runs in that inning as they had in their first seven Big 12 games combined.

Hupp was brilliant in the circle, picking up the first conference shutout of her career while improving to 9-7. Hupp allowed just three hits and walked only two to go along with five strikeouts. She did not allow a single after the fourth inning while facing just one batter over the minimum of the final five innings.

All four Baylor pitches saw action in the circle, with Shaina Brock (3-3) taking the loss. Brock allowed three runs (two earned) in only 1.2 innings, as Baylor fell to 21-14 on the season and 4-7 in the Big 12 Conference.

Offensively for the Huskers, junior Crystal Carwile paced NU's seven-hit attack with a 2-for-3 day that included an RBI and a run. Five different Huskers produced an RBI, as five players also scored one run.

Nebraska got the offense started early, taking a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning. Carwile led off the inning with a double before freshman Kelli Linke ripped an 0-2 pitch down the right field line for an RBI triple. Freshman Julie Brechtel was then hit by a pitch, advanced to second on an error, to third on a wild pitch and scored when sophomore Whitney Barrett hustled to beat an infield single.

The Huskers added to their lead with more clutch hitting in the bottom of the third. An error, a sacrifice and a stolen base put junior Darcy Rutherford on third with two outs. Carwile then fell behind in the count 0-2, before lacing a single to left to bring Rutherford home and push Nebraska's lead to 4-0.

Nebraska added one more run in the top of the fourth on Rutherford's two-out infield single. The Huskers threatened for more when Rutherford stole second and Baylor threw wildly behind Brechtel at third, but Brette Reagan was able to track the ball down and throw home in time to record the final out.

With the offense clicking Hupp retired the final five batters she faced, while allowing just one runner past second base over her final five innings. On the game, Baylor failed to advance a runner past second base.

The Huskers continue Big 12 play this week, as Nebraska travels to IowaState on Tuesday, before hosting the Cyclones on Thursday at Bowlin Stadium.

Box Score Nebraska Softball Baylor at Nebraska (Game 2) Apr 13, 2008 at Lincoln, Neb. (Bowlin Stadium)

Baylor 0 (21-14,4-7 Big 12)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Reagan, Brette 3b........ 2 0 1 0 1 0 0 3 0 Wesley, Tiffany lf....... 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Lujan, Sophia lf........ 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Oberg, Courtney c........ 3 0 0 0 0 2 3 2 1 Daniels, Jordan 1b....... 3 0 1 0 0 0 7 0 0 Shortridge, Kirsten rf/p. 3 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 Wesley, Nicole cf........ 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 Vanham, Colby ph........ 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Weldon, Meagan 2b........ 2 0 0 0 0 1 4 2 0 Colyer, Alex dp/rf....... 2 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 2 Freeland, KJ ss.......... 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 0 Vannatta, Jordan ph..... 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 Brock, Shaina p.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 Turner, Brittany p...... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Isham, Jenny p.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals................... 22 0 3 0 2 5 18 14 3

Nebraska 5 (17-20,1-7 Big 12)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Rutherford, Darcy lf..... 3 1 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 Mullin, Meghan cf........ 2 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 Long, Haley rf........... 2 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 Carwile, Crystal 1b...... 3 1 2 1 0 0 7 0 0 Linke, Kelli dp.......... 3 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 2 Pascale, Brittany c...... 1 0 0 1 1 0 4 1 0 Liegl, Sammi pr......... 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Brechtel, Julie 2b....... 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 Foland, Heidi 3b......... 2 0 1 0 0 0 4 3 0 Barrett, Whitney ss...... 3 0 1 1 0 1 2 0 1 Hupp, Alex p/pr.......... 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Totals................... 20 5 7 5 2 2 21 6 4

Score by Innings R H E ----------------------------------------- Baylor.............. 000 000 0 - 0 3 2 Nebraska............ 031 100 X - 5 7 0 -----------------------------------------

E - Wesley, N.(2); Weldon(3). DP - Huskers 2. LOB - Lady Bears 3; Huskers 4. 2B - Carwile(6); Foland(4). 3B - Linke(1). HBP - Brechtel. SH - Mullin(9); Long(6); Pascale(1); Foland(5). SB - Reagan(5); Shortridge(22); Rutherford 2(10). CS - Barrett(1).

Baylor IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Brock, Shaina....... 1.2 3 3 2 0 0 7 9 23 Turner, Brittany.... 1.1 1 2 1 1 1 4 6 25 Shortridge, Kirsten. 2.0 2 0 0 1 1 5 8 22 Isham, Jenny........ 1.0 1 0 0 0 0 4 4 21

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Hupp, Alex.......... 7.0 3 0 0 2 5 22 24 105

Win - Hupp (9-7). Loss - Brock (3-3). Save - None. WP - Brock(9). HBP - by Brock (Brechtel). Pitches/strikes: Brock 23/15; Turner 25/16; Shortridge 22/12; Isham 21/15; Hupp 105/62. Umpires - HP: Ed Murphy 1B: Mike Boston 3B: Mike D'Ercole Start: 3:40 pm Time: 2:06 Attendance: 487 Turner faced 1 batter in the 4th. Game: NU37