Huskers Win Fourth Straight

Auburn, Ala. ? Junior right-hander Robin Mackin fired a three-hitter and Nebraska scored four runs in the fifth and sixth innings to rally for a 4-1 victory over Central Michigan on Friday morning at the Tiger Invitational in Auburn, Ala.

Mackin (3-1) won her third straight decision as Nebraska improved to 4-3 on the season with its fourth straight win. Mackin allowed only two runners past second base in the game, while retiring 12 of the final 13 hitters. Mackin added six strikeouts and walked two.

Offensively, sophomore Nikki Haget tied the game at 1-1 with a clutch two-out RBI single in the bottom of the fifth and senior Alex Hupp broke the game open with a two-run triple ? the first of her career ? one inning later. Haget finished 2-for-4, marking her fourth straight two-hit game. Hupp also recorded a two-hit game with a 2-for-3 effort, while sophomore Ashley Guile walked in each of her three plate appearances.

Kari Seddon (0-1) took the loss for Central Michigan, which opened its season with a loss. Seddon tossed 5.0 innings and allowed four runs (three earned) on five hits while striking out nine and walking four.

The game was scoreless through the first three frames. Ten in the top of the third, Molly Coldren led off with a double, advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt and scored on an RBI ground out from Amanda Patrick to give Central Michigan a 1-0 lead.

After wasting a leadoff single in the bottom of the fourth, Nebraska scored a pair of two-out runs in the fifth. Hupp led off with a single and with one out, junior Tori Tyson singled on a 1-2 pitch to put runners on first and second. After a strikeout, Haget came through with a clutch RBI single up the middle, and Hupp avoided the tag at home to tie the game. Sophomore Ashley Guile was then intentionally walked to load the bases and on the next pitch, a passed ball allowed Tyson to score.

The Huskers added to their lead in the sixth. Freshmen Brooke Thomason and Gabby Banda were hit by a pitch and walked to start the inning. Hupp then laced her three-run triple to the gap in right center to stretch Nebraska’s lead to 4-1.

The Chippewas got a leadoff double to open the seventh before Mackin retired the next three hitters.

The Huskers will look for a doubleheader sweep of CMU in game two.

Box Score 2010 Nebraska Softball Central Michigan vs Nebraska (Game 1) Feb 19, 2010 at Auburn, Ala. (Jane B. Moore Field)

Central Michigan 1 (0-1)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Olejniczak, Amber lf..... 2 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 Novak, Christina cf...... 3 0 1 0 0 2 1 0 0 Greenman, Katie rf....... 2 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 Coldren, Molly ss........ 3 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 Merchant, Macy 2b........ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Merchant, Brittini 2b... 2 0 1 0 0 1 3 1 2 Patrick, Amanda 3b....... 3 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 Seddon, Kari p/dp........ 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 Schulz, Jill 1b.......... 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Klosterman, Amanda c..... 2 0 0 0 0 1 10 1 0 King, Courtney dp/p...... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals................... 23 1 3 1 2 6 18 3 4

Nebraska 4 (4-3)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Foland, Heidi 2b......... 3 0 0 0 1 2 2 3 0 Haget, Nikki cf.......... 4 0 2 1 0 1 1 0 2 Guile, Ashley 1b......... 0 0 0 0 3 0 7 1 0 Drake, Madison pr....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Wright, Kirby c.......... 2 0 0 0 0 1 6 0 2 Thomason, Brooke lf...... 2 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 Banda, Gabby 3b.......... 2 1 0 0 1 1 2 2 1 Hupp, Alex dp............ 3 1 2 2 0 1 0 0 0 Barrett, Whitney ss...... 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 Southworth, Megan ph.... 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 Tyson, Tori rf........... 3 1 1 0 0 1 3 0 0 Mackin, Robin p.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 Totals................... 21 4 5 3 6 9 21 8 7

Score by Innings R H E ----------------------------------------- Central Michigan.... 000 100 0 - 1 3 0 Nebraska............ 000 022 X - 4 5 0 -----------------------------------------

LOB - Chippewas 4; Huskers 7. 2B - Coldren; Merchant, B.. 3B - Hupp(1). HBP - Thomason. SH - Merchant, B.; Wright(1). SB - Olejniczak; Novak. CS - Hupp(1).

Central Michigan IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Seddon, Kari........ 5.0 5 4 3 4 9 19 25 118 King, Courtney...... 1.0 0 0 0 2 0 2 4 20

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Mackin, Robin....... 7.0 3 1 1 2 6 23 26 103

Win - Mackin (3-1). Loss - Seddon (0-1). Save - None. WP - Seddon. HBP - by Seddon (Thomason). PB - Klosterman 2. Pitches/strikes: Seddon 118/65; King 20/11; Mackin 103/64. Umpires - HP: Donny Finlayson 1B: Mike Bush 3B: Craig Hyde Start: 10:05 am Time: 2:00 Attendance: Seddon faced 3 batters in the 6th. Game: NU7