Huskers Fall to Tech in Home Finale

Lincoln - After winning the first game of Saturday's doubleheader 8-0 in five innings, the Nebraska softball team lost another one-run conference game in game two, falling to Texas Tech 4-3 in the final home game of the season at Bowlin Stadium.

Texas Tech out-hit NU 8-7 and each team stranded four runners, but the Huskers committed the game's only error, which led to one unearned run. The loss dropped Nebraska to 32-15 on the season and 8-8 in the Big 12 Conference. Seven of the Huskers' eight league losses have come by a single run, including each of their last six.

Senior right-hander Molly Hill took the loss to fall to 22-11 on the season. In her second complete-game effort of the day, Hill allowed four runs (three earned) on seven hits while striking out three and walking two. Alex Watkins improved to 4-15 with the win, allowing three runs in her seven-hitter. Texas Tech improved to 14-39 with the victory, including a 3-13 mark in conference play.

On Senior Day, Nebraska's seniors accounted for six of the team's seven hits and all three RBIs and runs scored. Meghan Mullin and Amanda Duran each finished with two hits, while Darcy Rutherford and Crystal Carwile had one hit apiece. Carwile also tallied a Big 12 season-high two RBIs, while fellow senior Brittany Pascale added the Huskers' third RBI. Sophomore Julie Brechtel added Nebraska's seventh hit while drawing NU's lone walk.

Texas Tech manufactured a run in the top of the first. Leah Legler led off with an infield single that just eluded freshman Jamie Gay at third base. She moved up to third with two outs on a ground out and a sacrifice bunt. Legler then scored when Watkins hit a liner down the third base line that Gay was able to get a glove on but not control.

The Huskers answered with a run of their own in the bottom of the frame. Mullin led off with a single and Duran doubled with one out to put runners at first and second. Carwile then brought Mullin home with a sacrifice fly to left.

The Red Raiders regained the lead in the top of the third. Ashley Harmada led off with a single before Hill walked Legler on four pitches. After a pop out, Elizabeth Eimen singled through the middle to score Harmada and give Tech a 2-1 lead. An error allowed the runners to each move up a base and an infield single allowed Legler to score. Texas Tech got aggressive and tried to score a second run on the single, but Nebraska threw home in time to record the inning-ending out.

Seniors brought Nebraska back in the bottom of the frame. Mullin, Rutherford and Duran reached on consecutive singles to load the bases with no outs. Carwile then picked up her second sacrifice fly of the game to cut the lead to 3-2. A wild pitch put runners at second and third before Pascale scored Rutherford with an RBI ground out to tie the game.

Neither team scored again until Texas Tech took its third and final lead of the game in the top of the sixth. Emily Bledsoe led off with a double off the top of the fence in right center and scored two batters later on an RBI single off the bat of Holley Gentsch.

After answering Tech's runs in the first and third inning, Nebraska threatened to do it again in the bottom of the inning. Carwile led off with a single before a double-play erased the baserunner. Brechtel then reached on a one-out single before Watkins retired the final four batters of the game, retiring the side in order in the seventh.

Following its final home games, the Huskers close the regular season next week with three road contests. Nebraska travels to Creighton on Tuesday before heading to 10th-ranked Missouri for a two-game series next weekend.

Box Score 2009 Nebraska Softball Texas Tech at Nebraska (Game 2) Apr 25, 2009 at Lincoln, Neb. (Bowlin Stadium)

Texas Tech 4 (14-39,3-13 Big 12)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Legler, Leah 2b.......... 3 2 1 0 1 0 4 5 0 Drewry, Stephanie lf..... 4 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Eimen, Elizabeth 1b...... 1 0 1 1 1 0 10 1 0 Watkins, Alex p.......... 3 0 1 1 0 1 1 2 1 Bledsoe, Emily ss........ 3 1 2 1 0 0 4 4 3 Matthews, Danielle 3b.... 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 Gentsch, Holley c........ 3 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 Shupp, Megan cf.......... 3 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 Hamada,Ashley rf......... 3 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 Merlich, Karli dp........ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals................... 26 4 7 3 2 3 21 15 4

Nebraska 3 (32-15,8-8 Big 12)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Mullin, Meghan cf........ 4 2 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 Rutherford, Darcy lf..... 3 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 Duran, Amanda c.......... 3 0 2 0 0 0 4 2 0 Carwile, Crystal 1b...... 1 0 1 2 0 0 10 0 0 Haget, Nikki pr......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Pascale, Brittany dp..... 3 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 Brechtel, Julie 2b....... 2 0 1 0 1 0 1 2 1 Gay, Jamie 3b............ 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 4 1 Long, Haley rf........... 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Linke, Kelli ph......... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Barrett, Whitney ss...... 2 0 0 0 0 0 3 3 1 Foland, Heidi ph........ 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Hill, Molly p............ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Totals................... 23 3 7 3 1 0 21 13 4

Score by Innings R H E ----------------------------------------- Texas Tech.......... 102 001 0 - 4 8 0 Nebraska............ 102 000 0 - 3 7 1 -----------------------------------------

E - Mullin(1); DP - Red Raiders 1. LOB - Red Raiders 4; Huskers 4. 2B - Bledsoe(5); Duran(11). HBP - Gay. SH - Eimen(15); Gay(1). SF - Carwile 2(3). CS - Barrett(1).

Texas Tech IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Watkins, Alex....... 7.0 7 3 3 1 0 23 28 92

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Hill, Molly......... 7.0 7 4 3 2 3 26 29 89

Win - Watkins (4-15). Loss - Hill (22-11). Save - None. WP - Watkins(10). HBP - by Watkins (Gay). Pitches/strikes: Watkins 92/58; Hill 89/66. Umpires - HP: Steve McCrillis 1B: Matt Titkemeier 3B: Robert Blatcher Start: 2:05 pm Time: 2:00 Attendance: 512 Game: NU47