Huskers Complete Doubleheader Sweep

Lincoln ? A three-run third inning proved to be enough for the Nebraska softball team, as the Huskers completed a doubleheader sweep of South Dakota State with a 3-2 victory in the nightcap at Bowlin Stadium.

 

The win was Nebraska’s third straight and evened the Huskers record at 16-16 on the season. Sophomore right-hander Alex Hupp (8-7) earned the win after allowing two runs on three hits in five innings of work, striking out six. Junior right-hander Molly Hill picked up her first save of the season by tossing a hitless final two innings.

 

Junior Meghan Mullin continued to roll offensively, as she went 3-for-4 to pace Nebraska's 10-hit attack. Mullin finished the doubleheader 6-for-7 with a walk, three runs scored and three stolen bases. The freshmen also produced at the plate for the Huskers, as Ashley Guile (2-for-2) and Heidi Foland (2-for-3) each recorded multi-hit games while Julie Brechtel drove in a pair of runs. Junior Darcy Rutherford also recorded a hit to extend her career-best hitting streak to 14 games.

 

Jenna Marston (11-15) took the loss for South DakotaState (11-19). In a complete-game effort, Marston worked around 10 hits and two walks to allow just three runs. Although she only struck out one batter, her punch out was the first strikeout of a Nebraska batter in nearly three games.

 

South DakotaState jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead when Sam Heinzman deposited the first pitch of the game over the 220-foot sign in center for a leadoff home run.

 

A costly double play hurt Nebraska’s scoring chances in the bottom of the first. After back-to-back singles to start the frame, junior Haley Long hit a pop up to shallow left field that Jackrabbit shortstop Jessica Vineyard was just able to run down and she threw to second to catch junior Darcy Rutherford off the bag. A single and walk followed to load the bases before a fly out ended the threat.

 

Vineyard made another great play in the bottom of the second, robbing Brechtel of a potential double with a leaping catch of a hard-hit shot headed toward the gap. On the very next pitch, Foland ripped a double to right center.

 

The Huskers found the scoreboard for the first ? and only ? time in the bottom of the third. Mullin led off with an infield single and was at third with two outs for Guile, who ripped a 3-2 offering to the gap in left center for an RBI double. A walk and a wild pitch put runners on second and third for Brechtel, who blooped a two-run single to center to put NU in front 3-1.

 

Hupp was cruising in the circle after the leadoff home run, throwing 5.0 consecutive hitless innings until Heinzman went deep again to lead off the seventh inning and pull the Jackrabbits to within 3-2. Hill relieved Hupp following the home run and allowed the tying and go-ahead runs to reach base before recording a strikeout to end the threat.

 

Hill then retired the side in order in the seventh to close out the victory.

 

Nebraska returns to Big 12 Conference play this weekend, when the Huskers travel to Lubbock, Texas, for a two-game series with the Texas Tech Red Raiders on Saturday and Sunday.

Box Score Nebraska Softball South Dakota State at Nebraska (Game 2) Apr 02, 2008 at Lincoln, Neb. (Bowlin Stadium)

South Dakota State 2 (11-19)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Sam Heinzman cf.......... 3 2 2 2 0 0 5 0 0 Jessica Vineyard ss...... 3 0 1 0 0 1 3 2 0 Dani Broshar c........... 3 0 0 0 0 3 1 1 1 Ashley Durazo 3b......... 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 2 0 Kiley Schwedhelm 1b...... 1 0 0 0 2 0 6 0 0 Brittany Postma rf....... 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 Stacey Evans dp.......... 2 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 Greta Stroh 2b........... 2 0 0 0 0 2 2 1 1 Stephanie Peters ph..... 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 Brooke Postma lf......... 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 Jenna Marston p.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals................... 23 2 3 2 4 10 18 6 4

Nebraska 3 (16-16)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Rutherford, Darcy lf..... 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 Hughes, Abby lf......... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Mullin, Meghan cf........ 4 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 Long, Haley rf........... 3 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 3 Carwile, Crystal 1b...... 3 0 1 0 0 0 8 0 0 Guile, Ashley c/dp....... 2 1 2 1 1 0 8 1 0 Liegl, Sammi pr......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Duran, Amanda dp/c....... 2 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 3 Brechtel, Julie 2b....... 3 0 1 2 0 0 1 1 1 Foland, Heidi 3b......... 3 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 Hupp, Alex p............. 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 Hill, Molly p........... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Barrett, Whitney ss...... 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 Totals................... 27 3 10 3 2 1 21 7 9

Score by Innings R H E ----------------------------------------- South Dakota State.. 100 001 0 - 2 3 1 Nebraska............ 003 000 X - 3 10 0 -----------------------------------------

E - Vineyard(13). DP - Jackrabbits 1. LOB - Jackrabbits 4; Huskers 9. 2B - Guile(4); Foland(3). HR - Heinzman 2(4). SH - Long(5). SB - Bro. Postma 2(13); Mullin 2(16). CS - Vineyard(2).

South Dakota State IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Jenna Marston....... 6.0 10 3 3 2 1 27 30 97

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Hupp, Alex.......... 5.0 3 2 2 3 6 16 19 84 Hill, Molly......... 2.0 0 0 0 1 4 7 8 36

Win - Hupp (8-7). Loss - Marston (11-15). Save - Hill (1). WP - Marston 2(14); Hill(9). Pitches/strikes: Marston 97/59; Hupp 84/45; Hill 36/22. Umpires - HP: Andy Hahn 1B: Matt Titkemeier 3B: Renee Williams Start: 6:10 pm Time: 1:58 Attendance: 331 Hupp faced 1 batter in the 6th. Game: NU32