Husker Rally Falls Short

Las Cruces, N.M. - Ashley Hagemann did not allow an earned run against one of the nation’s top lineups, but a late rally by the Nebraska softball team fell just short, as the Huskers lost the nightcap of a doubleheader at New Mexico State by a score of 2-1 Thursday night at the NMSU Softball Complex.

Hagemann (0-1) tossed a complete game, allowing eight hits and striking out five. Only one of the runs she allowed was earned as Nebraska committed two errors. In fact, both of the Aggie runs scored without the ball being put in play, as both runs scored on wild pitches.

Nebraska fell to 0-2 on the young season with the loss, while New Mexico State improved to 2-0. Charissa Theis (1-0) earned the victory, allowing one run on only two hits in 5.0 innings. Sydney Williard picked up the save by getting the final two outs of the game when the Huskers had the tying run in scoring position.

Offensively, Nebraska was held to only four hits and the Huskers were 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position for the second straight game. Junior Julie Brechtel finished 1-for-2 with Nebraska's lone RBI and she also drew two walks, as did classmate Robin Mackin.

After Nebraska hit the ball hard but was retired without a run scoring in the top of the first, New Mexico State manufactured a run in the bottom of the inning. Kylie Randall led off with a double, moved up to third on a sacrifice and scored two pitches later on a passed ball.

New Mexico State stranded two runners in each of the next two innings before breaking through in the fourth. A one-out error and a two-out double put runners on second and third before a wild pitch brought Teresa Conrad home to give the Aggies a 2-0 lead, as NMSU scored each of its first two runs without putting the ball in play.

Nebraska responded in the top of the fifth by spoiling the no-hitter and the shutout. Freshman Megan Southworth broke up the no-hit bid with a one-out double and sophomore Madison Drake was then hit by a pitch. After a strikeout, Brechtel came up with a clutch two-out, RBI single up the middle to score Southworth and cut the lead to 2-1.

Hagemann kept the deficit at one in a strange bottom of the sixth inning. The first four Aggies in the inning reached base safely, but the first two runners were called out on the basepaths to help prevent a big inning.

In the top of the sixth, the Huskers got their first two runners on base before the next three batters were retired.

Hagemann completed her solid outing by working around another Husker error to keep the Aggies off the scoreboard in the bottom of the sixth and give her offense a chance to rally.

Freshman Gabby Banda reached on a one-out double in the top of the seventh before Brechtel walked on four pitches against Williard. Sophomore Ashley Guile then hit a hard line right to the center fielder for the second out before Mackin grounded out to end the game.

Nebraska returns to action at the Hotel Encanto Tournament with a single game on Friday against UTSA at approximately 3 p.m. (Central). The game can be heard live for free on Huskers.com, although there are two games to be played before Nebraska takes the field, so fans are encouraged to check on any potential delayed starts on the Husker Gameday page.

Box Score 2010 Nebraska Softball Nebraska at New Mexico State (Game 2) Feb 11, 2010 at Las Cruces, N.M. (NMSU Softball Cmplx)

Nebraska 1 (0-2)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Banda, Gabby 3b.......... 4 0 1 0 0 1 2 0 0 Brechtel, Julie 2b....... 2 0 1 1 2 0 3 2 0 Guile, Ashley c.......... 3 0 0 0 1 0 5 0 3 Mackin, Robin dp......... 2 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 2 Foland, Heidi 1b......... 3 0 1 0 0 0 7 1 2 Tyson, Tori cf........... 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 Hagemann, Ashley p....... 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Southworth, Megan rf..... 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 Drake, Madison lf........ 2 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 Barrett, Whitney ss/pr... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals................... 25 1 4 1 5 5 18 5 9

New Mexico State 2 (2-0)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Randall, Kylie lf........ 3 1 1 0 1 0 2 0 0 Valles, Vanessa 2b....... 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 3 Jennings, Tiare cf....... 3 0 2 0 0 0 4 0 0 Ortega, Angie rf......... 2 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 Javillo, Shaleese rf.... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Nohara, Hoku dp.......... 2 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 2 Jones, Kandis pr........ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Maroda, Ashley 3b........ 3 0 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 Conrad, Teresa ss........ 3 1 0 0 0 1 2 3 2 Baumhover, Ali c......... 2 0 0 0 0 2 5 0 0 Clifton, Brittany ph.... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Kaaihue, Tehani 1b....... 3 0 1 0 0 1 7 1 2 Theis, Carissa p......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Byrne, Sarah p.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Williard, Sydney p...... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals................... 25 2 8 0 3 5 21 7 9

Score by Innings R H E ----------------------------------------- Nebraska............ 000 010 0 - 1 4 2 New Mexico State.... 100 100 X - 2 8 0 -----------------------------------------

E - Banda; Barrett. LOB - Huskers 9; Aggies 9. 2B - Banda(1); Southworth(1); Randall; Ortega; Kaaihue. HBP - Drake. SH - Valles. SB - Jennings.

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Hagemann, Ashley.... 6.0 8 2 1 3 5 25 29 105

New Mexico State IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Theis, Carissa...... 5.0 2 1 1 4 4 17 22 78 Byrne, Sarah........ 1.1 2 0 0 0 1 6 6 18 Williard, Sydney.... 0.2 0 0 0 1 0 2 3 13

Win - Theis (1-0). Loss - Hagemann (0-1). Save - Williard (1). WP - Hagemann; Theis 2. HBP - by Theis (Drake). PB - Guile. Pitches/strikes: Hagemann 105/70; Theis 78/43; Byrne 18/13; Williard 13/7. Umpires - Start: 8:11 pm Time: 2:11 Attendance: 304 Theis faced 1 batter in the 6th. Game: NU2