Pascale's Homer Powers NU Past Pacific

Fullerton, Calif. - Nebraska's three senior captains came up big in the late innings as the Husker softball team slipped past Pacific 2-1 on Thursday at the Judi Garman Classic in Fullerton, Calif.

Brittany Pascale provided the winning run with a sixth-inning solo home run, while Molly Hill earned the victory by tossing 2.1 innings of scoreless relief. The third tri-captain, Meghan Mullin, threw out the potential tying run at home plate in the bottom of the sixth inning. The work of the senior tri-captains helped Nebraska improve to 12-4 this season with its sixth win in a row.

Pascale's homer - her third of the season - was one of only four hits on the game for the Huskers, as they were out-hit 8-4. NU's pitchers successfully worked around the Tigers' eight hits by allowing only one run. Freshman right-hander Ashley Hagemann earned the start and surrendered one run on five hits over 4.2 innings. Hill then allowed three hits over the final 2.1 innings to improve to 7-2 on the season.

Heidi Helberg (4-3) took the loss for Pacific (10-10), allowing two runs (one earned) on only four hits in a complete-game effort.

Nebraska stranded a pair of runners in the top of the first before coming through with another opportunity in the top of the second. A pair of errors gave the Huskers runners at second and third with one out for sophomore Julie Brechtel, who brought fellow sophomore Heidi Foland home with the game's first run on an RBI ground out to second.

Pacific tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the third thanks to some well-placed singles. Casey Goldsand blooped a two-out double just inside the right-field foul line that fell in the middle of a trio of Huskers. Paige Emerson then hit a grounder up the middle that hit the second base bag and caromed into left center field for an RBI double.

Another single off a base spelled the end of night for Hagemann with two outs and a runner on first in the bottom of the fifth. Hill came on and got the final out of the inning, putting her in line for the victory after Pascale's homer with one out in the sixth. Pascale's homer was a towering shot to left field on a 1-1 pitch that marked her second home run in her last four at bats.

Two of the first three Tigers singled in the bottom of the inning to put the tying run at second base and the go-ahead run at first with only one out. Karie Wilson then singled to center field, Mullin fired a perfect strike to fellow senior Amanda Duran at home plate to nail Amanda Collier trying to score from second. Hill then struck out Lauren Weyman to end the inning.

In the top of the seventh, Brechtel was robbed of a hit on a diving play by the center field to lead off the inning. Then with two outs, senior Darcy Rutherford extended her hitting streak to eight games with a single. Senior Crystal Carwile followed with a single and freshman pinch-runner Madison Drake stole second to give the Huskers runners at second and third before a ground out ended the inning.

Hill walked the No. 8 batter to begin the bottom of the seventh before Rutherford made a sliding catch in left field for the first out of the inning. A fielder's choice marked the second out before a ground out ended the game.

Nebraska wraps up play on the first day of the Judi Garman Classic with a contest against No. 16 Louisiana-Lafayette late Thursday.

Box Score 2009 Nebraska Softball Nebraska vs Pacific Mar 12, 2009 at Fullerton, Calif. (Field 2)

Nebraska 2 (12-4)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Mullin, Meghan cf........ 4 0 0 0 0 1 3 1 1 Rutherford, Darcy lf..... 2 0 1 0 2 0 1 0 0 Carwile, Crystal 1b...... 2 0 1 0 1 0 6 1 1 Drake, Madison pr....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Duran, Amanda c.......... 4 0 1 0 0 1 7 0 2 Pascale, Brittany dp..... 3 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 3 Foland, Heidi 3b......... 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 Long, Haley rf........... 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Barrett, Whitney ss...... 3 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 1 Brechtel, Julie 2b....... 3 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 Hagemann, Ashley p....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 Hill, Molly p........... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals................... 26 2 4 2 3 2 21 9 8

Pacific 1 (10-10)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Goldsand, Casey 2b....... 4 1 2 0 0 0 2 4 0 Emerson, Paige cf........ 4 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 2 Matson, Nicole ss........ 3 0 1 0 0 2 2 2 1 Collier, Amanda dp....... 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Rivera, Alexa 3b......... 2 0 1 0 0 1 0 2 0 Wilson, Karie c.......... 3 0 2 0 0 0 2 0 0 Hendrickson,Brittany pr. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Weyman, Lauren lf........ 3 0 0 0 0 2 2 0 4 Wilson, Kellee 1b........ 2 0 0 0 1 1 11 1 0 Pierce, Lindsey rf....... 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Helberg, Heidi p......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 Totals................... 27 1 8 1 1 6 21 12 7

Score by Innings R H E ----------------------------------------- Nebraska............ 010 001 0 - 2 4 0 Pacific............. 001 000 0 - 1 8 3 -----------------------------------------

E - Matson; Rivera; Helberg. LOB - Huskers 8; Tigers 7. 2B - Goldsand; Emerson. HR - Pascale(3). SH - Carwile(1); Long(3); Rivera. SB - Rutherford(4); Drake(1); Foland(6).

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Hagemann, Ashley.... 4.2 5 1 1 0 5 18 19 81 Hill, Molly......... 2.1 3 0 0 1 1 9 10 42

Pacific IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Helberg, Heidi...... 7.0 4 2 1 3 2 26 31 99

Win - Hill (7-2). Loss - Helberg (4-3). Save - None. WP - Hill(3). Pitches/strikes: Hagemann 81/55; Hill 42/26; Helberg 99/59. Umpires - HP: Sherrick Bracy 1B: Kent Jacobson 3B: Brenda Trepsta Start: 5:26 pm Time: 1:58 Attendance: Game: NU16