Huskers Upset No. 16 Ragin' Cajuns

Fullerton, Calif. - Senior right-hander Molly Hill tossed a six-hit shutout to lead the Nebraska softball team to its seventh straight victory with a 2-0 win over 16th-ranked Louisiana-Lafayette late Thursday night at the Judi Garman Classic in Fullerton, Calif.

Hill scattered six hits and struck out nine, a high for the Ragin' Cajuns this season. Four of the six hits Hill (8-2) allowed never left the infield, as the Wayne, Neb., native did not allow a single ball to leave the infield after the first batter of the fourth inning. Behind Hill, the Huskers improved to 13-4 on the season.

While Nebraska saw its winning streak grow to a season-high seven games with the win, Louisiana (13-2) saw its 12-game winning streak snapped. Donna Bourgeois, who entered the game with an 11-1 record and a 0.56 ERA, pitched well but fell to 11-2 on the year. In a complete game, Bourgeois allowed just two runs (one earned) on only three hits while striking out seven.

Sophomore Julie Brechtel, a Fullerton native and senior Haley Long each drove in a run to account for the only two runs of the game.

Each team only had one hit through the first three innings before Louisiana recorded a line-drive leadoff single in the bottom of the fourth followed by a dribbler down the third base line that stayed fair for another single. With runners at first and second and no outs, Hill recorded back-to-back strikeouts before coaxing an inning-ending ground out to keep the game scoreless.

The Huskers got a runner to second base with one out in the fifth. Following the second out, Brechtel ripped a 1-1 pitch through the left side for an RBI single that scored Long with the game's first run.

In the bottom of the sixth, an infield single and an error put Cajuns at first and second with no outs for the middle of the Louisiana order. Hill came back strong by striking out the No. 4 and 5 hitters on six straight pitches. Hill then got Jessica Dupont looking on a 3-2 pitch to end the inning.

Nebraska added an insurance run in the top of the seventh thanks to a Louisiana error. Senior Brittany Pascale struck out with one out but reached on a wild pitch. Sophomore Heidi Foland followed with a grounder to third that the third baseman was unable to field cleanly, allowing Foland to reach and junior pinch-runner Alex Hupp to advance to third. Long then brought Hupp home with an RBI ground out to second on a 1-0 pitch.

Hill issued her first walk of the game to the leadoff batter in the bottom of the seventh. After recording a strikeout, a pair of well-placed bunt singles loaded the bases with only one out. Hill preserved her second shutout of the year by getting Karli Hubbard to slap a line drive to Foland at third, who made the catch and tagged the runner at third for a game-ending double play.

Nebraska returns to action on Friday, when the Huskers face defending national champion and sixth-ranked Arizona State at 3 p.m. (Central).

Box Score 2009 Nebraska Softball Nebraska vs #16 Louisiana-Lafayette Mar 12, 2009 at Fullerton, Calif. (Field 2)

Nebraska 2 (13-4)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Mullin, Meghan cf........ 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Rutherford, Darcy lf..... 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 Carwile, Crystal 1b...... 3 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 Duran, Amanda c.......... 3 0 0 0 0 3 9 0 1 Pascale, Brittany dp..... 3 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 Hupp, Alex pr........... 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Foland, Heidi 3b......... 3 0 1 0 0 0 3 3 0 Long, Haley rf........... 2 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 Barrett, Whitney ss...... 3 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 2 Brechtel, Julie 2b....... 2 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 Hill, Molly p............ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Totals................... 25 2 3 2 0 7 21 4 3

Louisiana-Lafayette 0 (13-3)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Smith, Katie lf.......... 4 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 Hubbard, Karli cf........ 4 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 Verde, Melissa 3b........ 3 0 1 0 0 0 3 1 0 Trahan, Courtney pr..... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Runyan, Codi ss.......... 3 0 1 0 0 1 0 2 0 Ray, Ashley pr.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Bridges, Gabriele 1b..... 3 0 0 0 0 2 9 0 2 Dupont, Jessica dp....... 3 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 2 Bowers, Lana c........... 2 0 0 0 1 0 6 1 2 Cormier, Kelly 2b........ 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 3 0 Orgeron, Christi ph..... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Murphy, Erikka ph....... 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 Gaspard, Vallie rf....... 3 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 Bourgeois, Donna p....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 Totals................... 28 0 6 0 1 9 21 10 8

Score by Innings R H E ----------------------------------------- Nebraska............ 000 010 1 - 2 3 2 Louisiana-Lafayette. 000 000 0 - 0 6 2 -----------------------------------------

E - Carwile(1); Brechtel(3); Smith; Verde. DP - Huskers 1. LOB - Huskers 3; Ragin Cajuns 8. HBP - Long. SB - Mullin(7).

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Hill, Molly......... 7.0 6 0 0 1 9 28 29 119

Louisiana-Lafayette IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Bourgeois, Donna.... 7.0 3 2 1 0 7 25 26 102

Win - Hill (8-2). Loss - Bourgeois (11-2). Save - None. WP - Bourgeois 3. HBP - by Bourgeois (Long). Pitches/strikes: Hill 119/78; Bourgeois 102/69. Umpires - HP: Dave Long 1B: John Bennett 3B: Chris Martinez Start: 7:43 pm Time: 2:18 Attendance: Game: NU17