Huskers Hang On for 2-1 Win

Cedar Falls, Iowa ? Freshman Ashley Hagemann was solid in her second career start and senior Molly Hill came up clutch in the late innings, as the Nebraska softball team held on for a 2-1 victory at Northern Iowa on Sunday night inside the UNI-Dome.

With the win, the Huskers moved to 4-0 on the season, marking their best start to a season since winning eight straight to open the 2003 season. Nebraska also won its first road game of 2009 after winning just once on the road last season. After offense was the story of the first three games at the UNI-Dome Classic, Hagemann and Hill took over in the circle against the Panthers.

Hagemann tossed the first four innings, allowing one run on three hits to improve to 2-0 in her young career. Hill earned her first save of 2009 by escaping jams in both the fifth and sixth innings before retiring six of the final seven batters she faced. Over the final three innings, Hill allowed three hits but struck out six.

After scoring 32 runs through its first three games, the Nebraska offense produced only two runs against Northern Iowa. NU jumped out to a 2-0 lead after one-half inning of play, but the Huskers missed a chance to blow the game open by leaving the bases loaded twice in the first three innings.

Nebraska had some tough hitting luck during that stretch as several line drives were caught by the Panther defense, but the Huskers were also the beneficiary of six walks from UNI pitchers through the first three frames.

In the top of the first, Nebraska loaded the bases with one out on a pair of walks and a single. Sophomore Kelli Linke then picked up an RBI with a bases-loaded walk that scored senior Darcy Rutherford. Following a pop out, junior Whitney Barrett coaxed a four-pitch walk to bring senior Meghan Mullin home from third. Leading 2-0, Northern Iowa switched pitchers and Jen Larsen, who did not allow a single run the rest of the game for the Panthers (3-1).

After stranding four runners through the first two innings, the Huskers came up empty on another scoring chance in the third. Walks to Linke and Barrett, combined with a double by junior Alex Hupp loaded the bases with only one out. Sophomores Heidi Foland and Julie Brechtel followed with hard-hit liners back up the middle, but Larsen was able to snag both of them to escape the inning.

Nebraska was retired in order for the first time in the top of the fifth and Northern Iowa coaxed a leadoff walk to open the bottom of the inning. Crystal Keiper followed with an RBI double to cut the Huskers’ lead to 2-1 and mark the end of the night for Hagemann.

Hill came on with the tying runner at second base and a wild pitch and an infield single put runners at the corner with no outs. Hill fought back to record consecutive strikeouts, before coaxing a ground out to end the inning and preserve the one-run lead.

Northern Iowa escaped a jam of its own in the top of the sixth. Barrett led off the inning with a single and Foland followed with a ground-rule double to put runners at second and third. The Huskers were unable to score however, as a pop out and two ground outs ended the inning.

In the bottom of the sixth, a leadoff single and a fielder’s choice where no out was recorded set the Panthers up with runners at first and second with no outs. Hill went to 3-2 counts with each of the next three hitters but came up big with strike threes to each batter to squash the threat.

In the bottom of the seventh, Hill retired the first two batters before Megan Machovec lined a single into left field. Foland then made a diving play to her left and threw from her knees to record the game’s final out.

Offensive for NU, Linke and Barrett each coaxed two walks and produced an RBI, while Mullin scored the game-winning run while improving her hitting streak to a career-high 14 games.

Nebraska is off next weekends and returns to action on Friday, Feb. 20 against UNLV at the Cathedral City Classic in Cathedral City, Calif.

Box Score 2009 Nebraska Softball Nebraska at Northern Iowa Feb 08, 2009 at Cedar Falls, Iowa (UNI-Dome)

Nebraska 2 (4-0)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Rutherford, Darcy cf/rf.. 2 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 Mullin, Meghan rf/cf..... 4 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 2 Duran, Amanda c.......... 3 0 0 0 1 1 12 0 1 Haget, Nikki pr......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Pascale, Brittany dp..... 3 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 Gonzalez, Crystal pr.... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Linke, Kelli 1b.......... 2 0 0 1 2 0 6 0 0 Hupp, Alex lf............ 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Long, Haley rf.......... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Barrett, Whitney ss...... 1 0 1 1 2 0 0 1 0 Foland, Heidi 3b......... 3 0 1 0 0 0 1 2 3 Brechtel, Julie 2b....... 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 3 Hagemann, Ashley p....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 Hill, Molly p........... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Totals................... 24 2 5 2 8 2 21 6 10

Northern Iowa 1 (3-1)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Machovec, Megan cf....... 4 0 1 0 0 2 1 0 0 Daigh, Mackenzie ss...... 4 0 0 0 0 0 4 2 3 Larsen, Jen dp/p......... 3 0 1 0 0 1 2 2 0 Gerking, Rachel rf....... 3 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 Paulson, Morgan 1b....... 3 0 1 0 0 1 8 0 1 Balduf, Brittney 3b...... 2 0 0 0 1 2 2 3 0 Galvin, Allison pr...... 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Keiper, Crystal 2b....... 3 0 1 1 0 1 1 2 3 Papesh, Kelly c.......... 2 0 0 0 0 1 2 3 0 Borschel, Hannah ph..... 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Waters, Samantha lf...... 2 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 Turner, Laura ph........ 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 Tillett, Melissa p/dp.... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals................... 28 1 6 1 1 11 21 12 7

Score by Innings R H E ----------------------------------------- Nebraska............ 200 000 0 - 2 5 0 Northern Iowa....... 000 010 0 - 1 6 0 -----------------------------------------

LOB - Huskers 10; Panthers 7. 2B - Hupp(2); Foland(3); Paulson; Keiper. SH - Rutherford(1). CS - Haget(1).

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Hagemann, Ashley.... 4.0 3 1 1 1 5 15 16 82 Hill, Molly......... 3.0 3 0 0 0 6 13 13 55

Northern Iowa IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Tillett, Melissa.... 0.2 1 2 2 4 0 3 7 28 Larsen, Jen......... 6.1 4 0 0 4 2 21 26 89

Win - Hagemann (2-0). Loss - Tillett (0-1). Save - Hill (1). WP - Hill(1). Pitches/strikes: Hagemann 82/60; Hill 55/35; Tillett 28/11; Larsen 89/49. Umpires - Start: 6:54 pm Time: 2:16 Attendance: 100 Hagemann faced 2 batters in the 5th. Game: NU4