Huskers Fall at Texas Tech

Lubbock, Texas ? Texas Tech snapped a 14-game losing streak to the Nebraska softball team on Saturday, as the Red Raiders blanked the Huskers, 7-0, on a windy day at Rocky Johnson Field.

 

The loss was the Huskers’ first against Texas Tech since a 6-5 home loss on March 31, 2001. Nebraska also saw its 11-game winning streak in Lubbock snapped, as the Red Raiders defended their home field with a win against NU for the first time since 1997 and just the second time ever.

 

With the loss, Nebraska (16-17) remained winless in Big 12 play, falling to 0-5 to start the conference season. Junior right-hander Molly Hill (7-7) took the loss, as she allowed seven runs (six earned) in a complete-game effort.

 

Ashly Jacobs (4-9) earned the win for Texas Tech, which improved to 10-27 overall and 2-4 in the Big 12 Conference. Jacobs threw a three-hit shutout, marking the first shutout for a Red Raider pitcher this season and just the second time Texas Tech has held a team scoreless.

 

After being retired in order in the first, Texas Tech scored in each of its final five innings. During that stretch, the Red Raiders pounded out 10 hits - including one home run and four doubles - while scoring four of their seven runs with two outs.

 

Although the Huskers had only three hits in the game, two went for extra bases. Junior Darcy Rutherford doubled in the sixth to extend her career-best hitting streak to 15 games, while fellow junior Crystal Carwile had a rare infield double in the seventh, as the wind played with her high pop up and allowed it to fall. Freshman Julie Brechtel had Nebraska's other hit.

 

After the first nine batters of the game were retired, Jennifer Corkin lined the first pitch of the bottom of the second inning to left-center and a strong wind gave it just enough boost to clear the fence for a leadoff home run that put Texas Tech on top, 1-0.

 

Nebraska had a chance to tie the game in the top of the third. Brechtel led off with a single and stood at third base with only one out, but the Huskers were unable to bring her home.

 

The Red Raiders extended their lead to 3-0 in the bottom of the third. The wind carried a ball of the bat of Leah Legler over the head of junior outfielder Darcy Rutherford for a one-out double. Devin Zaragoza then singled Legler home, before the Red Raiders loaded the bases with two outs. The final run of the inning scored on a catcher’s interference call.

 

Texas Tech went in front 4-0 with another run in the fourth. It was Zaragoza again coming through, as the wind again carried her fly ball over Rutherford’s head for a two-out double to score Legler.

 

The Red Raiders plated two more in the bottom of the fifth on a two-out, two-run single from Jennifer Bowers. Texas Tech wrapped up the scoring in the sixth with an RBI single from Montana Patin

 

Nebraska looks for a split in the series finale on Sunday at Noon.

Box Score Nebraska Softball Nebraska at Texas Tech Apr 05, 2008 at Lubbock, Texas

Nebraska 0 (16-17,0-5 Big 12)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Rutherford, Darcy lf..... 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 Mullin, Meghan cf........ 3 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 Long, Haley rf........... 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 Carwile, Crystal 1b...... 3 0 1 0 0 1 8 1 0 Guile, Ashley dp......... 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Duran, Amanda c.......... 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 1 Brechtel, Julie 2b....... 2 0 1 0 0 0 3 2 0 Foland, Heidi 3b......... 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 Barrett, Whitney ss...... 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 Linke, Kelli ph......... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Hill, Molly p............ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals................... 23 0 3 0 0 3 18 7 3

Texas Tech 7 (10-27,2-4 Big 12)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Legler, Leah ss.......... 4 3 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 Zaragoza, Devin lf....... 4 1 2 2 0 1 3 0 0 Patin, Montana rf........ 4 0 2 1 0 0 1 0 1 Corkin, Jennifer 1b...... 3 1 1 1 0 0 7 0 0 Krause, Jennifer pr..... 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Shupp, Megan 2b.......... 2 1 1 0 2 0 3 1 0 Eimen, Elizabeth dp...... 3 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 2 Wike, Robyn c............ 2 0 0 0 1 0 3 0 3 Bowers, Jennifer 3b...... 3 0 1 2 0 1 2 5 1 Riley, Whitney cf........ 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 Jacobs, Ashly p.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 Totals................... 28 7 10 7 3 3 21 8 8

Score by Innings R H E ----------------------------------------- Nebraska............ 000 000 0 - 0 3 2 Texas Tech.......... 012 121 X - 7 10 1 -----------------------------------------

E - Duran(4); Hill(3); Zaragoza. LOB - Huskers 3; Red Raiders 8. 2B - Rutherford(2); Carwile(5); Legler; Zaragoza; Shupp. HR - Corkin. HBP - Corkin. SH - Foland(3). SB - Legler; Patin. Reached on CI - Eimen.

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Hill, Molly......... 6.0 10 7 6 3 3 28 33 120

Texas Tech IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Jacobs, Ashly....... 7.0 3 0 0 0 3 23 24 88

Win - Jacobs (4-9). Loss - Hill (7-7). Save - None. HBP - by Hill (Corkin). PB - Duran(3). CI - Duran. Pitches/strikes: Hill 120/73; Jacobs 88/60. Umpires - HP: Winn Garrett 1B: Kevin Davis 3B: Jackie Shults Start: 2:00 pm Time: 2:05 Attendance: 310 Game: NU33