Home Runs Power Arkansas to 2-0 Win

Columbus, Ga. ? The Nebraska softball team was shut out for the first time this season, as a pair of solo home runs powered Arkansas to a 2-0 victory over the Huskers on Friday morning at the NFCA Leadoff Classic.

Hope McLemore got the better of Husker sophomore right-hander Ashley Hagemann in a classic pitcher’s duel. McLemore (4-1) allowed only three singles while striking out five for the Razorbacks (6-4).

Hagemann (2-3) tossed a two-hitter, but both hits were solo home runs. She added a season-high 13 strikeouts and walked only one while throwing her second two-hitter in her last three starts.

Hagemann lost her no-hit bid with two outs in the top of the sixth inning, when Brittany Griffiths lined a 2-2 pitch the opposite way for a two-out solo homer. One inning later, Courtney Breault extended the lead to 2-0 when she took a 3-2 pitch just over the four-foot fence in left.

The two home runs were too much to overcome for the Husker offense.

Nebraska’s first scoring threat came in the bottom of the first. After a leadoff strikeout, each of the next three Huskers were hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out. Senior Alex Hupp then hit a soft pop up to first base that Sandra Smith caught quickly and Smith was right at the base as she stepped on the bag for an inning-ending double play.

Junior Heidi Foland had Nebraska’s first hit with a hard-hit ball off the wall in center to lead off the third inning, but Foland was thrown out at second attempting to stretch the single into a double on a perfect throw from Arkansas center fielder Jessica Bachkora.

The Huskers' second hit didn't come until two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning, when freshman Megan Southworth recorded a pinch-hit single. Sophomore Kirby Wright then came through with another pinch-hit single to put the tying runners on base before a ground out ended any chance of a comeback.

Nebraska (7-5) returns to action at the NFCA Leadoff Classic at approximately 5:30 p.m. (Central) Friday against No. 8 Georgia Tech. Free audio will be available on Huskers.com, and fans are encouraged to check the website for game time information, as the contest could start late if the tournament is running behind schedule.

Box Score 2010 Nebraska Softball Arkansas vs Nebraska Feb 26, 2010 at Columbus, Ga.

Arkansas 2 (6-4)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Bachkora, Jessica cf..... 3 0 0 0 0 2 5 1 0 Griffiths, Brittany ss... 3 1 1 1 0 2 4 0 0 Dixon, Miranda dp........ 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 Smith, Sandra 1b......... 3 0 0 0 0 1 3 0 0 Breault, Courtney 2b..... 2 1 1 1 1 1 2 0 0 Carden, Becca lf......... 3 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 Robison, Jessica 3b...... 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 Van De Pol, Brea pr..... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Robison, Brittany rf..... 2 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 Mort, Tori rf........... 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Waddle, Jessica c........ 2 0 0 0 0 1 5 1 0 McLemore, Hope p......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals................... 24 2 2 2 1 13 21 2 2

Nebraska 0 (7-5)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Foland, Heidi 1b......... 3 0 1 0 0 1 2 0 0 Haget, Nikki lf.......... 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Guile, Ashley c.......... 1 0 0 0 1 0 13 0 0 Brechtel, Julie 2b....... 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 Hupp, Alex dp............ 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 Banda, Gabby 3b.......... 3 0 0 0 0 1 2 2 0 Barrett, Whitney ss...... 2 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 Southworth, Megan ph.... 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Hagemann, Ashley p....... 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 Wright, Kirby ph........ 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Drake, Madison pr....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Gonzalez, Crystal cf..... 2 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 Gay, Jamie ph........... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 Tyson, Tori rf........... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals................... 22 0 3 0 2 5 21 2 6

Score by Innings R H E ----------------------------------------- Arkansas............ 000 001 1 - 2 2 0 Nebraska............ 000 000 0 - 0 3 1 -----------------------------------------

E - Foland(1). DP - Razorbacks 1. LOB - Razorbacks 2; Huskers 6. HR - Griffiths(2); Breault(1). HBP - Haget; Guile; Brechtel. SB - Haget(4).

Arkansas IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- McLemore, Hope...... 7.0 3 0 0 2 5 22 27 106

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Hagemann, Ashley.... 7.0 2 2 2 1 13 24 25 111

Win - McLemore (4-1). Loss - Hagemann (2-3). Save - None. HBP - by McLemore (Haget); by McLemore (Guile); by McLemore (Brechtel). Pitches/strikes: McLemore 106/69; Hagemann 111/71. Umpires - HP: Kurnat 1B: Mangrum 3B: Martinez Start: 9:52 am Time: 2:00 Attendance: Game: NU12