Huskers Fare Well at ASA Gold Nationals

With the start of fall practice still more than a month away, eight Husker softball players got a headstart on the exhibition season by competing at the 2009 18-and-Under ASA Gold National Championships in Oklahoma City over the past week.

 

Featuring 64 of the nation's top travel ball teams, the national tournament began with two games of pool play Aug. 2-3, followed by double-elimination bracket play Aug. 4-9. Sophomores-to-be Jamie Gay, Ashley Hagemann, Nikki Haget and Kirby Wright all competed in the tournament, along with incoming freshmen Kylee Muir, Megan Southworth and Brooke Thomason.

 

Muir enjoyed the most success, as she started every game at first base while hitting cleanup in the order for the Northwest Bullets, coached by her father, Dennis. In six games during bracket play, Muir batted .630 (10-for-16) with two doubles, six runs scored and eight RBIs. She also drew four walks to post a .700 on-base percentage that complemented her .750 slugging percentage. Behind her big bat, the Bullets went 4-2 in Oklahoma City, finishing in a tie for fifth place at the tournament, their highest finish ever.

 

The Nebraska Gold, which featured four Huskers on its roster, also finished 4-2 while tying for 13th place - the highest finish ever by a Nebraska team at Gold Nationals. Gay and Haget started every game for the team, while Hagemann earned five starts and Southworth appeared in all six games, making three starts behind the plate.

 

Gay started every game at third base, batting .310 (5-for-16) with a run scored, two RBIs and a .390 on-base percentage. Hagemann saw action both at the plate and in the circle in Oklahoma City. Offensively, she finished 3-for-13 with an RBI and a walk. In the circle, Hagemann posted a 2-1 record with a 1.54 ERA in five appearances. She tossed one shutout and struck out 20 while allowing only four earned runs in 18.1 innings. Haget, who will make the transition from the infield to the outfield for the Huskers this season, batted leadoff and started every game in right field. She posted a .430 on-base percentage, finishing 4-for-16 while coaxing three walks and twice reaching on catcher's interference. Haget also added five runs scored, one stolen base and one RBI. Southworth went 1-for-8 at nationals and added one walk.

 

Wright, who will compete with Southworth and fellow sophomore Ashley Guile for the starting catching job this season, started every game behind the plate for the New Jersey Breakers. A native of Cortlandt Manor, N.Y., Wright hit .290 at the tournament while posting a .380 on-base percentage. Defensively, she threw out two would-be base stealers in three games.

 

Thomason rounded out the Husker contingent competing at Gold Nationals. Although her Wichita Mustangs team finished the tournament 0-2, Thomason started both games and went 1-for-5 at the plate.

 

With the summer season now complete, the Huskers turn their attention to the fall season. Nebraska begins fall practice on Sept. 14, and the Huskers' fall exhibition schedule features doubleheader scrimmages at Bowlin Stadium with Nebraska-Kearney (Wednesday, Sept. 23 at 6 p.m.) and Wayne State (Friday, Sept. 25 at 6 p.m.) and the annual Big Red Fall Classic at Bowlin Stadium Oct. 3 and 4. The classic features Nebraska, Nebraska-Omaha, South Dakota and Bellevue University.