Huskers Score Late Win over Ohio, 5-1

Auburn, Ala. – The Nebraska softball team scored four times in its final two at bats to pull away for a 5-1 victory over Ohio on Sunday in the Huskers’ final game at the Tiger Invitational in Auburn, Ala.

With the win, Nebraska finished the weekend with a 4-1 record while improving to 7-4 overall. Junior right-hander Robin Mackin (4-2) earned the win, allowing one run on eight hits in a complete-game effort, while tying her season high with seven strikeouts.

Sophomore Ashley Guile hit her first home run of the season, while Nebraska had hits from six different players and RBIs from four Huskers.

Candace Saucedo (0-1) took the loss for Ohio, allowing four runs (three earned) in 2.0 innings of relief. Starter Emily Wethington went the first 3.0 innings and allowed one run on two hits.

Guile opened the scoring with a solo home run to left center on a 3-2 pitch with two outs in the bottom of the first inning.

Sara Clark tied the game in the top of the second, when she belted the second pitch of the inning for a solo homer of her own.

The Bobcats then had the chance to take the lead one inning later. Ohio had runners on first and third with one out but a ground ball back to Mackin turned into an inning-ending double play, as Mackin fired to first for the second out and the Huskers then threw home to get the runner attempting to score.

Nebraska took the lead for good in the bottom of the fifth. Sophomore Kirby Wright reached on a error to begin the frame and was replaced on the basepaths when junior Heidi Foland reached on a fielder’s choice. Then with two outs, sophomore Nikki Haget delivered a clutch RBI single to score Foland and give Nebraska a 2-1 lead.

The Huskers added to the lead with three insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth. Senior Alex Hupp was hit by a pitch to start the frame before freshman Gabby Banda laid down a sacrifice bunt. On the play, Ohio tried to get Hupp at second, but she was safe and the throw went into center field giving the Huskers runners on first and third. Hupp scored on an RBI single from senior Whitney Barrett and then a wild pitch on an attempted squeeze bunt scored Banda.

NU tacked on its final run when Wright scored Barrett on a sacrifice fly.

Ohio got two runners on with one out in the top of the seventh before Mackin closed out the win by retiring the final two batters.

Nebraska heads south again next weekend, when the Huskers travel to Columbus, Ga., for five games in three days at the NFCA Leadoff Classic. Each game can be heard live on Huskers.com.

Box Score 2010 Nebraska Softball Ohio vs Nebraska Feb 21, 2010 at Auburn, Ala. (Jane B. Moore Field)

Ohio 1 (2-7)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ ZAMBRANA, Alexis ss...... 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 3 2 GELLERMAN, Lauren ph.... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 PETRICH, Shalene cf...... 3 0 2 0 1 0 1 0 0 HARTSOUGH, Deanna 1b..... 3 0 0 0 0 0 7 0 0 COLVIN, Caitlin dp....... 4 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 4 CLARK, Sara 3b........... 3 1 1 1 0 0 0 4 1 WETHINGTON, Emily p...... 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 GIUSTI, Jenna pr........ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 SAUCEDO, Candace p...... 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 BONNER, Melissa p....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 KEMEZIS, Paige rf........ 3 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 PADEN, Jordan c.......... 3 0 1 0 0 1 4 1 1 MORGART, Brooke 2b....... 3 0 2 0 0 1 3 1 1 VAN WAGNEN, Jillian lf/pr 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 Totals................... 28 1 8 1 2 7 18 9 9

Nebraska 5 (7-4)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Foland, Heidi 2b......... 4 1 0 0 0 1 3 3 1 Haget, Nikki cf.......... 2 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 Guile, Ashley 1b......... 3 1 1 1 0 0 8 1 1 Hupp, Alex lf............ 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Banda, Gabby 3b.......... 2 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 Barrett, Whitney ss...... 3 1 1 1 0 1 0 2 0 Southworth, Megan dp..... 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Wright, Kirby c.......... 3 0 1 1 0 1 8 0 0 Drake, Madison ph....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Tyson, Tori rf........... 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 Thomason, Brooke rf..... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Mackin, Robin p.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 0 Totals................... 23 5 6 4 1 4 21 10 5

Score by Innings R H E ----------------------------------------- Ohio................ 010 000 0 - 1 8 2 Nebraska............ 100 013 X - 5 6 0 -----------------------------------------

E - MORGART, B. 2. DP - Bobcats 1; Huskers 1. LOB - Bobcats 9; Huskers 5. 2B - PADEN, J.. HR - CLARK, S.; Guile. HBP - HARTSOUGH; Hupp 2. SH - Banda; Southworth. SB - Foland.

Ohio IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- WETHINGTON, Emily... 3.0 2 1 1 1 2 11 13 53 SAUCEDO, Candace.... 2.0 3 4 3 0 2 9 11 36 BONNER, Melissa..... 1.0 1 0 0 0 0 3 4 19

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Mackin, Robin....... 7.0 8 1 1 2 7 28 31 110

Win - Mackin (4-2). Loss - SAUCEDO, C. (0-1). Save - None. WP - WETHINGTON; BONNER, M.. HBP - by Mackin (HARTSOUGH); by WETHINGTON (Hupp); by SAUCEDO, C. (Hupp). Pitches/strikes: WETHINGTON 53/30; SAUCEDO, C. 36/24; BONNER, M. 19/13; Mackin 110/72. Umpires - HP: Larry Raines 1B: Donnie Teague 3B: Gary Mitchell Start: 9:07 am Time: 1:57 Attendance: SAUCEDO, C. faced 3 batters in the 6th. Game: NU11