NU Opens NCAA Play with 4-2 Win

Knoxville, Tenn. - Seniors Darcy Rutherford and Amanda Duran came up with back-to-back RBI singles in the top of the ninth inning to lift the Nebraska softball team to a 4-2 victory over Jacksonville State in the first game of the NCAA Knoxville Regional at Lee Stadium on Friday.

The game took more than five hours to complete as the teams sat through a 3:08 weather delay. The delay proved to be a good thing for the Huskers. Prior to the delay, Nebraska had just three hits in seven innings, while the Huskers totaled five hits in two innings following the delay, including four singles in the decisive ninth inning.

The win improved Nebraska's record to 35-17 on the season, while the Huskers advanced to Saturday's winner's bracket game at 12:30 p.m. (Central). That game can be heard live in Lincoln on 105.3 FM. Senior right-hander Molly Hill (25-13) earned the victory, tossing a complete-game seven-hitter. Hill did not walk a single batter while allowing only two runs.

Karla Pittman (15-3) took the loss for Jacksonville State, which fell to 39-14 on the year. Pittman also tossed a complete game, allowing four runs (two earned) on eight hits.

Nebraska struggled offensively in clutch situations until the ninth. The Huskers loaded the bases with only one out in the first but failed to score. In the sixth, the Huskers already had one run home with runners at second and third with no outs, but were unable to add to what was then a 2-1 lead.

Then in the ninth, Nebraska came up with consecutive hits with runners in scoring position to come up with two runs. Rutherford provided the first big hit with an RBI infield single. Duran then followed with another RBI single down the left field line to lift Nebraska to its first NCAA Tournament victory since 2006.

The consecutive RBI singles capped a terrific day for Nebraska's senior class. Rutherford and classmate Meghan Mullin each finished 2-for-4 with a walk and an RBI, while Rutherford scored twice. Duran, Crystal Carwile and Haley Long also added hits, while Long added a run scored. Overall, NU's seniors accounted for seven of the Huskers' eight hits, three of the four runs scored and all three RBIs.

The seniors started the game on a strong note, as Rutherford, Duran and Carwile reached to load the bases with one out in the top of the first. The next two batters struck out looking however to end the inning.

Jacksonville State was able to convert its scoring chance in the bottom of the frame. The Gamecocks had Allie Barker on first with two outs and she took off on a 3-2 pitch that Courtney Underwood lined off the wall in left. Barker's head start made all the difference, as she just beat the relay throw home to score the game's first run.

In the top of the second, an error put sophomore Heidi Foland at second base with no outs. Foland moved up to third with one out on a sacrifice bunt from Long, before a pop out marked the second out of the inning. Mullin then came through with a clutch RBI single, as her high chopper back to the circle deflected off the glove of a leaping Pittman to score Foland.

Neither team mounted much offense again until the Huskers took their first lead of the game in the top of the sixth. Rutherford led off with an infield single and Duran was then hit by a pitch. With runners on first and second and no outs, Carwile dropped down a surprise bunt. She beat the play out, but Jacksonville State threw late and wildly to first, allowing Rutherford to score.

Leading 2-1, the Huskers still had runners at second and third with no outs. Nebraska was unable to add to the lead however, as the next three batters were retired on a strikeout, a ground out and a fly out.

Failing to add to the lead cost the Huskers, as Barker led off the bottom of the frame with a game-tying solo home run.

Nebraska was retired in the top of the seventh, before Hill retired the first batter of the bottom of the seventh. She then jumped ahead of Kayla Collins 1-2 before the weather delay. Following the break, Hill coaxed a pair of ground outs to force extra innings.

In the top of the eighth, sophomore Julie Brechtel reached on a two-out double and fellow sophomore Kelli Linke drew a walk before a pop out ended the inning.

Nebraska broke through in the top of the ninth. Long led off with a single and moved up to second on a sacrifice from junior Whitney Barrett. Mullin then followed with a single up the middle and advanced to second to put runners at second and third with one out. Rutherford then brought Long home with an RBI infield single, but Mullin was thrown out at home on the play attempting to score a second run.

Duran then lined an RBI single to left to score Rutherford and put the Huskers on top 4-2.

Hill closed out the victory by retiring the side in order in the bottom of the frame. Overall, Hill retired 12 of the final 13 batters she faced after allowing the game-tying home run.

Box Score 2009 Nebraska Softball Nebraska vs Jacksonville State May 15, 2009 at Knoxville, Tenn. (Lee Softball Stadium)

Nebraska 4 (35-17)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Mullin, Meghan cf........ 4 0 2 1 1 0 1 0 0 Rutherford, Darcy lf..... 4 2 2 1 1 0 1 0 1 Duran, Amanda c.......... 4 0 1 1 0 1 2 1 0 Haget, Nikki pr......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Carwile, Crystal 1b...... 3 0 1 0 1 0 12 1 0 Brechtel, Julie 2b....... 5 0 1 0 0 2 5 3 2 Pascale, Brittany dp..... 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 3 Linke, Kelli dp......... 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 Foland, Heidi 3b......... 4 1 0 0 0 0 2 4 4 Long, Haley rf........... 3 1 1 0 0 1 3 0 0 Barrett, Whitney ss...... 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 5 0 Hill, Molly p............ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Totals................... 33 4 8 3 4 5 27 15 10

Jacksonville State 2 (39-14)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Chrissy O'Neal lf........ 3 0 1 0 0 1 2 0 0 Nikki Prier 1b........... 4 0 2 0 0 0 7 2 2 Allie Barker c........... 4 2 1 1 0 0 6 2 1 Courtney Underwood 2b.... 4 0 1 1 0 0 4 2 1 Meredith Sellers dp...... 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Allison Svoboda 3b....... 4 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 Jackie Jarman rf......... 4 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 Mary Beth Ledbetter ss... 2 0 0 0 0 1 4 0 0 Kayla Collins ph........ 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Hillary Downs cf......... 3 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 Karla Pittman p.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 Totals................... 33 2 7 2 0 3 27 10 5

Score by Innings R H E ------------------------------------------- Nebraska............ 010 001 002 - 4 8 1 Jacksonville State.. 100 001 000 - 2 7 4 -------------------------------------------

E - Duran(8); UNDERWOOD, C(6); SVOBODA, A.(9); JARMAN, J.(8); LEDBETTER, M(24). LOB - Huskers 10; JSU 5. 2B - Brechtel(7); UNDERWOOD, C(12). HR - BARKER, A.(10). HBP - Duran; Carwile. SH - Long(9); Barrett(3); O'NEAL, C.(1). SB - Mullin(20). CS - Mullin(4).

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Hill, Molly......... 9.0 7 2 2 0 3 33 34 113

Jacksonville State IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Karla Pittman....... 9.0 8 4 2 4 5 33 41 143

Win - Hill (25-13). Loss - PITTMAN, K. (15-3). Save - None. HBP - by PITTMAN, K. (Duran); by PITTMAN, K. (Carwile). Pitches/strikes: Hill 113/75; PITTMAN, K. 143/82. Umpires - HP: Art St. Germain 1B: Joe Squires 3B: Kasate Start: 3:30 pm Time: 2:33 Attendance: Game: NU52