Big First Inning Propels NU to 5-1 Win

Lincoln ? The Nebraska softball team used a four-run first inning and a solid outing from sophomore right-hander Ashley Hagemann to post a 5-1 victory over South Dakota on Saturday afternoon at Bowlin Stadium.

After scoring five times in the eighth inning of a 6-4 come-from-behind win over UNO in their first game on Saturday, the Huskers asserted themselves early against the Coyotes. Hagemann opened the game in dominating fashion, striking out the side on only 14 pitches in the top of the first.

NU sent 10 batters to the plate in the bottom of the first, with each of the first six batters reaching base safely. After the first three batters reached to load the bases, junior Heidi Foland singled on a line drive off the pitcher to score fellow junior Julie Brechtel and give the Huskers a 1-0 lead. Hagemann followed with a bloop single that scored freshman Gabby Banda. Freshman Kyle Muir then worked a bases-loaded walk that scored sophomore pinch-runner Madison Drake.

Leading 3-0, freshman Brooke Thomason hit a grounder back to the circle and pitcher Mel Johnson threw home for the force out, but catcher Rachel Fricke was unable to hold on to the throw, allowing Foland to score. Trailing 4-0 with the bases loaded and still no outs, South Dakota avoided further damage by retiring the next three batters.

Nebraska was held scoreless over the next three innings before freshman Megan Southworth hit her second double of the game to lead off the bottom of the fifth. After moving up to third on a wild pitch, Southworth scored on another wild pitch on strike three to Foland, who was able to reach safely after the pitch got away from the catcher. Hagemann followed with an infield single and a ground out one batter later put Huskers at second and third with only one out, but NU was unable to add to its lead.

Michelle Jones, who had three of South Dakota’s four hits, led off the top of the sixth with a triple that scooted past Southworth in right. Hagemann retired the next two batters before Callie Roan doubled to center to score Jones and cut the lead to 5-1.

The Coyotes had runners on first and third with two outs in the top of the seventh before Hagemann struck out Lexie Eversley to end the game. In a complete-game four-hitter, Hagemann allowed only one run while striking out 12.

Offensively, Hagemann (2-for-3), Brechtel (2-for-3) and Southworth (2-for-2) each finished with two hits to pace the Huskers' eight-hit attack.

Nebraska returns to action on Sunday to wrap up its fall exhibition schedule. On day two of the Big Red Fall Classic, the Huskers face Bellevue at 3 p.m. and UNO at 5:30 p.m. Admission is free for both games.

Box Score 2009 Nebraska Softball South Dakota at Nebraska Oct 03, 2009 at Lincoln, Neb. (Bowlin Stadium)

South Dakota 1 (0-1)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Rudeen, Alexa 1b......... 3 0 0 0 0 2 7 0 1 Roan, Callie ss.......... 3 0 1 1 0 2 0 0 0 Novotny, Alaina 3b....... 2 0 0 0 1 1 1 3 0 Johnson, Mel p........... 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 Fricke, Rachel c......... 2 0 0 0 1 1 2 0 0 Snow, Kate pr........... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Goedeken, Jasey rf....... 3 0 0 0 0 2 2 0 0 Bahlmann, Dani 2b........ 3 0 0 0 0 2 3 3 0 Jones, Michelle lf....... 3 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 Eversley, Lexie cf....... 3 0 0 0 0 2 3 0 2 Totals................... 25 1 4 1 2 12 18 8 5

Nebraska 5 (2-0)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Brechtel, Julie 2b....... 3 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 Scott, Keela 2b......... 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 Banda, Gabby dp.......... 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Gonzalez, Crystal ph/dp. 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 Guile, Ashley dp......... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Drake, Madison pr....... 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Southworth, Megan ph/rf. 2 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 Foland, Heidi 3b......... 3 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 Hagemann, Ashley p....... 3 0 2 1 0 0 0 1 2 Muir, Kylee 1b........... 2 0 0 1 1 0 2 0 0 Thomason, Brooke rf/cf... 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 Tyson, Tori lf........... 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 Wright, Kirby c.......... 3 0 0 0 0 1 13 0 0 Haget, Nikki cf/dp....... 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 Hupp, Alex dp........... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Barrett, Whitney ss/pr... 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Totals................... 30 5 8 3 2 2 21 2 9

Score by Innings R H E ----------------------------------------- South Dakota........ 000 001 0 - 1 4 2 Nebraska............ 400 010 X - 5 8 0 -----------------------------------------

E - Novotny; Fricke. LOB - Coyotes 5; Cornhuskers 9. 2B - Roan; Jones; Southworth 2. 3B - Jones. SB - Southworth.

South Dakota IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Johnson, Mel........ 6.0 8 5 4 2 2 30 32 114

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Hagemann, Ashley.... 7.0 4 1 1 2 12 25 27 110

Win - Hagemann (1-0). Loss - Johnson (0-1). Save - None. WP - Johnson. Pitches/strikes: Johnson 114/69; Hagemann 110/78. Umpires - Start: 3:02 pm Time: 1:47 Attendance: 230 Game: NU6