Error Costs Huskers in 4-3 Loss

Lincoln - Three unearned runs in the top of the third inning doomed the Nebraska softball team in a 4-3 loss to Iowa State on Thursday at Bowlin Stadium.

After defeating the Cyclones 10-0 in five innings on Tuesday, the Huskers jumped out to a 3-0 lead after one inning of play on Thursday on the strength of a two-out, three-run homer off the bat of senior Amanda Duran. Iowa State cut the lead to 3-1 with a run in the second, before Heidi Kidwell picked up a two-out, two-run single in the third to give the Cyclones the lead for good.

Neither team scored the rest of the way, as Nebraska stranded five runners over the final three innings. In both the fifth and the sixth innings the Huskers had runners at first and second with one out but were unable to score. Iowa State only out-hit Nebraska 9-8, but six of the Cyclones' hits came with runners on base, while NU was just 2-for-13 with runners on base. Every hitter in the ISU lineup finished with one hit.

ISU's four runs and nine hits were the most Nebraska has allowed to a Big 12 opponent this season. With the win, the Cyclones improved to 20-24 on the season and 2-8 in conference play. After taking the loss on Tuesday, Rachel Zabriskie (13-19) earned the win on Thursday, as she did not allow an earned run while scattering eight hits in a complete-game effort. The win was also Iowa State's first win in eight tries at Bowlin Stadium.

Senior right-hander Molly Hill (19-8) took the loss for Nebraska, allowing only one earned run in a complete-game effort. The loss snapped a three-game conference winning streak for the Huskers, who fell to 29-12 overall and 6-6 in Big 12 play.

Nebraska jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning thanks to Duran's home run. Senior Darcy Rutherford reached on a one-out error before sophomore Kelli Linke was hit by a two-out pitch. Duran then worked the count in her favor before launching a 2-1 pitch over the scoreboard in left for her fourth home run of the season.

Iowa State got a run back in the top of the second when Kelsey Kidwell recorded a two-out RBI single up the middle to score Amanda Bradberry.

The Cyclones then took a 4-3 lead with three runs in the top of the third. A leadoff error, a single and a double plated one run before the next two batters were retired. Heidi Kidwell then put ISU on top with a two-out, two-run single down the left field line.

Nebraska threatened in the bottom of the fifth but was unable to tie the game. Sophomore Julie Brechtel reached on a one-out single and Linke followed with a walk to put runners on first and second. Zabriskie then fell behind both of the next two hitters 3-1 before fighting back to coax a pop out and an inning-ending ground out.

The Huskers again had runners on first and second with one out in the sixth before a pair of pop outs on two consecutive pitches ended the inning.

In the seventh, Brechtel flew out to the wall in right center to lead off the inning and Duran reached on a two-out single but NU came up empty once again.

Duran finished 2-for-4 with three RBIs, while six other Huskers added hits, including a double from senior Crystal Carwile.

The Huskers hit the road this weekend when they travel to Waco, Texas, for a two-game series with the Baylor Lady Bears.

Box Score 2009 Nebraska Softball Iowa State at Nebraska Apr 16, 2009 at Lincoln, Neb. (Bowlin Stadium)

Iowa State 4 (20-24,2-8 Big 12)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Lopez, Bianca rf......... 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 Berry, Carleigh lf....... 4 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 Wray, Courtney 3b........ 3 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 Johnson, Alex c.......... 4 1 1 1 0 0 6 1 1 Jones, Sydni 1b.......... 4 0 1 0 0 1 9 0 0 Bradberry, Amanda 2b..... 3 2 1 0 0 0 3 2 0 Kidwell, Heidi dp........ 3 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 2 Monroe, Carrie ss........ 3 0 1 0 0 1 1 3 1 Kidwell, Kelsey cf....... 3 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 Zabriskie, Rachel p...... 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 Totals................... 31 4 9 4 1 3 21 8 7

Nebraska 3 (29-12,6-6 Big 12)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Mullin, Meghan cf........ 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Rutherford, Darcy lf..... 4 1 1 0 0 0 3 0 2 Brechtel, Julie 2b....... 4 0 1 0 0 2 3 2 2 Linke, Kelli dp.......... 2 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 Haget, Nikki pr......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Duran, Amanda c.......... 4 1 2 3 0 0 4 0 0 Hupp, Alex pr........... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Carwile, Crystal 1b...... 4 0 1 0 0 1 11 0 3 Gay, Jamie 3b............ 3 0 0 0 0 2 0 6 2 Barrett, Whitney ss...... 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 Foland, Heidi ph........ 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Long, Haley rf........... 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Pascale, Brittany ph.... 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 Hill, Molly p............ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Totals................... 30 3 8 3 2 5 21 12 9

Score by Innings R H E ----------------------------------------- Iowa State.......... 013 000 0 - 4 9 1 Nebraska............ 300 000 0 - 3 8 1 -----------------------------------------

E - Monroe(16); Hill(2). LOB - Cyclones 7; Huskers 9. 2B - Lopez(2); Johnson(7); Carwile(8). HR - Duran(4). HBP - Linke. SB - Bradberry(5); Mullin(18).

Iowa State IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Zabriskie, Rachel... 7.0 8 3 0 2 5 30 33 124

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Hill, Molly......... 7.0 9 4 1 1 3 31 32 101

Win - Zabriskie (13-19). Loss - Hill (19-8). Save - None. HBP - by Zabriskie (Linke). Pitches/strikes: Zabriskie 124/75; Hill 101/72. Umpires - HP: Tom Topping 1B: Jeff Sloan 3B: Andy Hahn Start: 5:03 pm Time: 2:10 Attendance: 397 Game: NU41