Errors Cost Huskers in 6-3 Loss

Lincoln - The Nebraska softball team committed a season-high five errors leading to four unearned runs that allowed Northern Iowa to rally from a three-run deficit and post a 6-3 victory over the Huskers in game two of Wednesday's doubleheader at Bowlin Stadium.

Nebraska scored three runs over the first three innings to jump out to a 3-0 lead before the Panthers rallied. Northern Iowa scored one run in the fourth, two in the fifth, one in the sixth and two more in the seventh. The Huskers' defensive struggles fueled the rally as two errors led to both fifth-inning runs that tied the game at 3-3. Two more errors keyed a two-run seventh inning that turned a one-run Northern Iowa advantage into a 6-3 lead heading into the final half inning.

The Huskers were then retired in order in the bottom of the seventh, as Northern Iowa managed a split in the doubleheader while improving to 31-18 on the season. Nebraska, which allowed more than four runs for the first time in 26 games, fell to 31-14 with the loss.

Senior right-hander Molly Hill was the hard-luck loser for NU. Hill (21-10) tossed 6.1 innings and was charged with six runs on eight hits. Only two of the runs she allowed were earned, while she added seven strikeouts.

Melissa Tillett (6-7) earned the win with a complete-game three-hitter. She allowed three runs but did not allow a hit over her final 3.2 innings.

Things started well for the Huskers, as Nebraska jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Senior Meghan Mullin reached on a leadoff walk and went to third on a single off the bat of fellow senior Amanda Duran. Mullin then scored the game's first run when senior Crystal Carwile did an excellent job laying down an RBI squeeze bunt on a pitch up in the zone.

The Huskers increased their lead to 3-0 in the bottom of the third. Junior Whitney Barrett coaxed a leadoff walk and senior Darcy Rutherford worked the count for a one-out walk. Duran then laced a double down the left field line that brought both runners home.

Erin Daugharthy got a run back for UNI when she lined a 3-1 pitch over the wall in left for a one-out solo home run in the top of the fourth inning.

In the top of the fifth inning, the Huskers opened the door for Northern Iowa to score two runs and tie the game despite the fact that the Panthers didn't hit a ball out of the infield. A leadoff walk, a throwing error and an infield single loaded the bases with no outs. NU then recorded an out at home on an interference call before the next batter hit a ball to freshman Jamie Gay at third. Gay fielded the ball cleanly but threw wildly to home to allow a run to score.

With the bases still loaded another infield single brought the tying run home before Hill struck out the next two batters looking to leave the bases loaded and keep the game tied.

The Panthers then took the lead in the sixth on a two-out RBI bloop single off the bat of Megan Machovec.

In the bottom of the frame, sophomore Julie Brechtel coaxed a two-out walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch before fellow sophomore Heidi Foland lost a 12-pitch at bat by flying out to left.

Northern Iowa then sealed the win by scoring twice in the seventh inning thanks to two more Husker errors.

Following Tuesday's doubleheader split, Nebraska wraps up its regular-season home schedule this weekend when the Huskers host Texas Tech on Saturday and Sunday at Bowlin Stadium. Saturday's first pitch is set for 2 p.m. and the game will be televised live by NET in the state of Nebraska.

Box Score 2009 Nebraska Softball Northern Iowa at Nebraska (Game 2) Apr 22, 2009 at Lincoln, Neb. (Bowlin Stadium)

Northern Iowa 6 (31-18)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Machovec, Megan cf....... 4 1 2 1 0 0 1 0 0 Daigh, Mackenzie ss...... 4 0 1 0 0 2 1 3 1 Gerking, Rachel rf....... 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Galvin, Allison rf...... 2 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 Daugharthy, Eranne dp.... 4 1 3 2 0 0 0 0 1 Plein, Whitney pr....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Borschel, Hannah pr..... 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Paulson, Morgan 1b....... 4 0 0 0 0 1 10 0 0 Wachholder, Kim pr...... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Balduf, Brittney 3b...... 3 0 0 0 0 2 1 2 3 Larsen, Jen ph.......... 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 Dunker, Courtney c....... 4 0 0 0 0 2 2 2 1 Embrey, Leah pr........ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Keiper, Crystal 2b....... 1 1 1 0 2 0 3 1 0 Callanan, Lindsay pr.... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Waters, Samantha lf...... 2 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 Tillett, Melissa p....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Totals................... 31 6 8 4 2 7 21 9 7

Nebraska 3 (31-14)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Mullin, Meghan cf........ 3 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 Rutherford, Darcy lf..... 2 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 Duran, Amanda c.......... 3 0 2 2 0 1 7 3 0 Carwile, Crystal 1b...... 2 0 0 1 0 0 8 1 0 Linke, Kelli dp.......... 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 Brechtel, Julie 2b....... 2 0 0 0 1 0 1 3 0 Gay, Jamie 3b............ 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Foland, Heidi 3b........ 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 Long, Haley rf........... 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 Pascale, Brittany ph.... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Barrett, Whitney ss...... 2 1 0 0 1 1 3 4 1 Hill, Molly p............ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Hupp, Alex p............ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals................... 23 3 3 3 4 3 21 12 4

Score by Innings R H E ----------------------------------------- Northern Iowa....... 000 121 2 - 6 8 0 Nebraska............ 102 000 0 - 3 3 5 -----------------------------------------

E - Carwile(6); Gay 2(3); Foland 2(12). LOB - Panthers 7; Huskers 4. 2B - Duran(10). HR - Daugharthy. SH - Waters; Carwile(4). CS - Machovec; Wachholder.

Northern Iowa IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Tillett, Melissa.... 7.0 3 3 3 4 3 23 28 117

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Hill, Molly......... 6.1 8 6 2 2 7 29 32 115 Hupp, Alex.......... 0.2 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 7

Win - Tillett (6-7). Loss - Hill (21-10). Save - None. WP - Tillett 2. Pitches/strikes: Tillett 117/74; Hill 115/76; Hupp 7/7. Umpires - HP: Kevin Killingsworth 1B: Ed Murphy 3B: Andy Hahn Start: 5:24 pm Time: 2:08 Attendance: 412 Game: NU45