Linke's Big Day Boosts Huskers Past Texas

Lincoln - Sophomore Kelli Linke drove in all five Husker runs to power the Nebraska softball team to a 5-2 win over the 20th-ranked Texas Longhorns on Saturday at Bowlin Stadium.

Linke gave Nebraska a 2-0 lead in the first with a two-run double, added an RBI walk with the bases loaded in the second and then sealed the win with a two-run single in the bottom of the sixth inning. Linke, who batted with the bases loaded in three of her four plate appearances, finished 2-for-3 with five RBIs. Her five RBIs were a career high, while her two hits tied her career best.

While Linke provided the offense, senior right-hander Molly Hill capped a brilliant week with another strong performance on Saturday. After allowing only one run on Friday to the second-highest scoring team in the Big 12, Hill came back and allowed just two hits in another complete-game effort on Saturday. She scattered seven hits and five walks and allowed only one hit over her final 5.0 innings to improve to 18-7 on the season. On the week, Hill went 3-0 with a 1.04 ERA and one shutout in 27.0 innings of work.

Combined with Friday's 2-1 win, the Huskers recorded their first Big 12 Conference sweep since 2007. Saturday's victory evened NU's Big 12 record at 5-5, while Nebraska improved to 28-11 overall. Texas, which entered the series in first place in the league standings, fell to 31-14 and 7-4 in conference play. Brittany Barnhill (19-9) took the loss for UT, allowing five runs (four earned) on eight hits in 5.1 innings.

The Huskers took an early lead in the bottom of the first by scoring two runs. NU loaded the bases on a leadoff single from senior Meghan Mullin, a Longhorn error and a fielder's choice where no out was recorded. Linke then fell behind in the count 0-2 before battling back to lace a two-run double to the gap in left center. Leading 2-0, Nebraska still had runners at second and third with no outs but was unable to plate another run as Barnhill retired the next three batters.

In the top of the second, the Longhorns tied the game. Texas got a leadoff single followed by a double to put runners at second and third with no outs. Kelly Melone then recorded a sacrifice fly to cut the lead to 2-1. Another single put runners at the corners and the Longhorns tied the game at two on an RBI ground out.

Linke came up with the bases loaded again with two outs in the bottom of the second and worked a five-pitch walk to score Mullin and put the Huskers back on top 3-2.

After neither team scored through the middle innings, the Huskers added some insurance in the bottom of the sixth. Back-to-back singles by freshman Jamie Gay and Mullin, combined with a one-out walk to sophomore Julie Brechtel, loaded the bases with only one out for Linke. Erin Tresselt relieved Barnhill with a 2-0 count to Linke but she quickly evened the count at 2-2. Linke then fouled off a pair of two-strike pitches before lacing a line drive off the wall in left that scored both Gay and Mullin.

Linke's two-run single gave the Huskers some added cushion, but Texas mounted a threat in the top of the seventh. Hill walked three of the first four batters she faced in the inning to load the bases with only one out. Amy Hooks then hit a soft liner back to Hill, who made the grab and threw to third for a game-ending double play.

In addition to the brilliant performances from Hill and Linke, Mullin enjoyed a career day as well. Mullin went 4-for-4 in the game and scored three times, tying her career highs in both hits and walks.

Following the sweep of No. 20 Texas, Nebraska continues conference action next week, when the Huskers play a home-and-home series with the Iowa State Cyclones. NU travels to Iowa State on Tuesday, before the Cyclones visit Bowlin Stadium on Thursday.

Box Score 2009 Nebraska Softball #20 Texas at Nebraska Apr 11, 2009 at Lincoln, Neb. (Bowlin Stadium)

Texas 2 (31-14,7-4 Big 12)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Williams, Desiree 1b..... 3 0 1 1 1 0 5 0 0 Craig, Courtney rf/lf.... 3 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 Thrasher, Tallie ph..... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Bennett, Alexis ss....... 1 0 1 0 3 0 2 2 0 Cook, Kori pr........... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Johnson, Loryn dp........ 2 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 Chalk, Brittany pr...... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Hooks, Amy c............. 4 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 6 Barnhill, Brittany p/rf.. 3 0 2 0 0 1 0 3 1 Taylor, Nadia 3b......... 3 1 1 0 0 0 3 2 0 Melone, Kelly 2b......... 2 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 Gaskin, Kacie cf......... 3 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 Saenz, Crystal lf/pr..... 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Tresselt, Erin p........ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Totals................... 25 2 7 2 5 4 18 8 9

Nebraska 5 (28-11,5-5 Big 12)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Mullin, Meghan cf........ 4 3 4 0 0 0 2 0 0 Rutherford, Darcy lf..... 3 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 Brechtel, Julie 2b....... 2 0 0 0 1 0 4 1 0 Linke, Kelli dp.......... 3 0 2 5 1 0 0 0 0 Duran, Amanda c.......... 3 0 0 0 0 3 3 1 3 Pascale, Brittany ph.... 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Drake, Madison pr....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Carwile, Crystal 1b...... 3 0 1 0 1 0 2 1 2 Haget, Nikki pr......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Long, Haley rf........... 3 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 2 Barrett, Whitney ss...... 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 0 Foland, Heidi ph........ 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 Gay, Jamie 3b............ 2 1 1 0 1 0 3 1 1 Hill, Molly p............ 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 Totals................... 27 5 9 5 4 4 21 8 10

Score by Innings R H E ----------------------------------------- Texas............... 020 000 0 - 2 7 2 Nebraska............ 210 002 X - 5 9 0 -----------------------------------------

E - Bennett(8); Hooks(4). DP - Longhorns 1; Huskers 1. LOB - Longhorns 9; Huskers 10. 2B - Taylor(6); Linke(4). HBP - Brechtel. SH - Johnson, L.(1); Rutherford(5). SF - Melone(1).

Texas IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Barnhill, Brittany.. 5.1 8 5 4 4 3 24 30 119 Tresselt, Erin...... 0.2 1 0 0 0 1 3 3 16

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Hill, Molly......... 7.0 7 2 2 5 4 25 32 126

Win - Hill (18-7). Loss - Barnhill (19-9). Save - None. HBP - by Barnhill (Brechtel). Pitches/strikes: Barnhill 119/67; Tresselt 16/11; Hill 126/72. Umpires - HP: Scott Mair 1B: Greg Pohl 3B: Kevin Wallace Start: 11:02 am Time: 2:23 Attendance: 744 Game: NU39