Big Inning Powers Huskers Past Cyclones

Lincoln ? Crystal Carwile's opposite field, three-run homer capped a six-run fourth inning for the Nebraska softball team, as the Huskers held off a late Iowa State rally to defeat the Cyclones, 6-4, on Tuesday night at Bowlin Stadium.

 

Nebraska trailed 2-0 entering the decisive frame, before the Huskers sent 10 batters to the plate and recorded six hits, including Carwile's team-leading 10th home run of the season. NU had pulled in front 3-2 on the strength of four consecutive hits before Carwile belted the first pitch she saw off the scoreboard in left field for the three-run home run that produced the game-winning runs.

 

Carwile's blast helped Nebraska pick up its second Big 12 Conference victory of the season, as the Huskers improved to 20-25 overall. Junior right-hander Molly Hill earned the victory in relief, allowing two runs in 4.1 innings. Hill (10-14) was cruising until the seventh, when IowaState made things interesting by scoring twice and bring the tying run to the plate.

 

The inning started harmlessly enough as two of the first three batters struck out. Courtney Wray then pulled the Cyclones to within 6-4 with a two-out, two-run single up the middle before Hill coaxed a pop up from pinch-hitter Jacquelyn Beatty to end the game.

 

Rachel Zabriskie (12-12) took the loss for IowaState, which fell to 26-26 on the season and 3-13 in Big 12 play. Zabriskie allowed the first three batters to reach in the fourth before being pulled in favor of Charissa Carlin. Five of Nebraska's six runs scored with Carlin in the circle, although she was only charged with allowing three runs in three innings of work. Zabriskie was tagged for three runs (two earned) on six hits over the first three-plus innings.

 

Offensively for Nebraska, the Huskers produced Big 12 highs of six runs and 11 hits. Eight of NU's nine starters had at least one hit, paced by junior Meghan Mullin's second consecutive three-hit game. Sophomore Whitney Barrett also added her third multi-hit game in her last five contests by finishing 2-for-3 with an RBI. Freshman Heidi Foland also added an RBI for the Big Red, while Carwile finished with the homer and three RBIs. Carwile has now hit 10 home runs this season and after belting 12 roundtrippers in her freshman season of 2006, Carwile joins three-time All-Americans Ali Viola and Jennifer Lizama as the only Huskers in the 33-year history of the program to produce two double-digit home run seasons in a career.

 

Highlighting the Huskers' offensive efficiency was the fact that Nebraska did not strike out for the fifth time this season and for the first time in a Big 12 game since 2003.

 

After both teams missed early scoring chances in their first at bat, IowaState cracked the scoreboard first in the top of the third on the strength of a two-run home run from Ariel Coburn. The homer snapped Nebraska’s 32-inning scoreless streak against the Cyclones at Bowlin Stadium.

 

The score remained 2-0 until the decisive sixth inning. In addition to Carwile's game-changing three-run homer, Nebraska plated runs on an RBI double from Foland, an RBI single from Barrett and on an Iowa State error. The first five batters all reached base safely and after IowaState recorded the inning's first out, Carwile promptly planted the next pitch off the scoreboard.

 

Nebraska returns to action tomorrow, as the Huskers host a doubleheader with Kansas beginning at 3 p.m. at Bowlin Stadium.

Box Score Nebraska Softball Iowa State at Nebraska Apr 29, 2008 at Lincoln, Neb. (Bowlin Stadium)

Iowa State 4 (26-26,3-13 Big 12)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Olsen, Kristy rf......... 4 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 Kidwell, Kelsey cf....... 4 1 3 0 0 0 3 0 0 Johnson, Alex c.......... 3 1 2 0 1 1 1 0 0 Coburn, Ariel 3b......... 3 1 1 2 1 1 1 2 2 Jones, Sydni 1b.......... 3 0 0 0 1 3 6 1 0 Bradberry, Amanda 2b..... 2 1 1 0 1 0 3 4 3 Wray, Courtney lf........ 3 0 2 2 1 0 1 0 0 Monroe, Carrie ss........ 3 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 3 Beatty, Jacquelyn ph.... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Berry, Carleigh dp....... 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 Zabriskie, Rachel p...... 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 Carlin, Charissa p...... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals................... 29 4 10 4 5 7 18 9 10

Nebraska 6 (20-25,2-12 Big 12)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Mullin, Meghan cf........ 4 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 Rutherford, Darcy lf..... 4 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 Carwile, Crystal 1b...... 3 1 1 3 0 0 8 0 0 Guile, Ashley c.......... 4 0 1 0 0 0 8 1 0 Long, Haley rf........... 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 4 Brechtel, Julie 2b....... 2 1 0 0 1 0 2 0 1 Linke, Kelli dp.......... 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Hughes, Abby pr......... 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Foland, Heidi 3b......... 3 1 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 Barrett, Whitney ss...... 3 1 2 1 0 0 1 2 1 Hupp, Alex p............. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 Hill, Molly p........... 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 Totals................... 29 6 11 5 1 0 21 8 7

Score by Innings R H E ----------------------------------------- Iowa State.......... 002 000 2 - 4 10 2 Nebraska............ 000 600 X - 6 11 0 -----------------------------------------

E - Kidwell(7); Bradberry(8). LOB - Cyclones 10; Huskers 7. 2B - Bradberry(5); Foland(5). HR - Coburn(9); Carwile(10). SH - Bradberry(1); Carwile(3). SB - Kidwell 2(16); Mullin(18); Guile(2); Foland(7); Barrett(2).

Iowa State IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Zabriskie, Rachel... 3.0 6 3 2 1 0 15 17 55 Carlin, Charissa.... 3.0 5 3 3 0 0 14 14 35

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Hupp, Alex.......... 2.2 4 2 2 4 3 12 16 62 Hill, Molly......... 4.1 6 2 2 1 4 17 19 67

Win - Hill (10-14). Loss - Zabriskie (12-12). Save - None. Pitches/strikes: Zabriskie 55/34; Carlin 35/22; Hupp 62/35; Hill 67/47. Umpires - HP: Matt Titkemeier 1B: Mike D'Ercole 3B: Kevin Killingsworth Start: 4:01 pm Time: 2:22 Attendance: 178 Game: livegame