Tulsa Rallies Past Nebraska

Tulsa, Okla. - Tulsa scored four times in the bottom of the seventh inning to rally for a 7-6 victory over the Nebraska softball team on Friday night in Tulsa, Okla.

Nebraska led 4-0 early and scored twice in the top of the seventh to take a 6-3 lead into the bottom of the frame. But a pair of walks and an error help Tulsa rally, as the Golden Hurricane tied the game on an RBI single and won it on a wild pitch from sophomore right-hander Ashley Hagemann.

Hagemann (3-5) took the loss, allowing the final three runs to score (one earned) as she retired only one of the six batters she faced in the bottom of the seventh. Junior right-hander Robin Mackin earned the start and pitched into the seventh inning, allowing four runs on five hits in 6.0 innings.

Jordan Kinard earned the win for Tulsa (8-8). In a complete-game effort, Kinard allowed six runs on 10 hits, as Nebraska out-hit Tulsa 10-8.

After both pitchers faced the minimum in the first two innings, the Huskers broke through in the top of the third. Sophomore Kirby Wright, senior Alex Hupp and junior Crystal Gonzalez led off the inning with three consecutive singles to load the bases. Junior Heidi Foland then worked the count before lining a 3-2 pitch over the wall in left center for a grand slam, the first of her career.

Tulsa cut the lead to 4-1 when Lauren Lindsay hit a towering fly ball to deep center that a stiff breeze helped carry over the fence for a one-out solo home run that broke up Mackin's no-hit bid.

The Golden Hurricane got another run back with consecutive doubles to begin the bottom of the fifth. Trailing 4-2, Tulsa put runners on first and third with one out before Mackin coaxed three ground outs that allowed only one additional run to score.

Down by just a run, Tulsa got another leadoff double to open the bottom of the sixth. The runner stood at third with one out when Foland charged a grounder off the bat of Lauren Menke and threw home to get Samantha Cobb for the second out before a strikeout ended the inning.

Nebraska added to the lead in the top of the seventh. A hit batter and a pair of singles loaded the bases with one out before sophomore Ashley Guile ripped the first pitch she saw up the middle for a two-run single that scored Hupp and Gonzalez.

But the Huskers saw their 6-3 lead evaporate when Tulsa rallied in the bottom of the frame. Mackin walked the leadoff batter and was relieved by Hagemann. After recording an out on a bunt, a walk and an error set the stage for Lindsay to deliver a two-run single that trimmed the lead to 6-5. Cobb followed with another RBI single to tie the game before an intentional walk loaded the bases with only one out.

Lindsay then scored the winning run on a wild pitch from Hagemann. Lindsay finished the game 2-for-4 with three RBIs.

Offensively for NU, Foland had four RBIs and Guile had two RBIs, while Gonzalez was 2-for-3 and Hupp scored twice.

Nebraska (9-8) returns to action at the Embassy Suites Festival on Saturday with a pair of games. The Huskers face North Dakota at 3 p.m. before facing Tulsa again at 5 p.m. Both games can be heard live on Huskers.com.

Box Score 2010 Nebraska Softball Nebraska at Tulsa Mar 05, 2010 at Tulsa, Okla. (Hardesty Sports Cmpl)

Nebraska 6 (9-8)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Foland, Heidi 3b......... 4 1 1 4 0 2 1 2 0 Haget, Nikki lf.......... 3 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 Guile, Ashley 1b......... 4 0 1 2 0 0 6 0 0 Gay, Jamie pr........... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Mackin, Robin p.......... 4 0 1 0 0 2 0 2 0 Hagemann, Ashley p...... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Brechtel, Julie 2b....... 3 0 0 0 0 0 5 1 3 Thomason, Brooke rf...... 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Wright, Kirby c.......... 3 0 1 0 0 2 7 1 1 Drake, Madison pr....... 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Hupp, Alex dp............ 2 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Gonzalez, Crystal cf..... 3 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 Scott, Keela pr......... 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Barrett, Whitney ss...... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 Totals................... 29 6 10 6 1 6 19 12 5

Tulsa 7 (7-9)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ EVERETT, Caitlin cf...... 4 1 0 1 0 1 4 0 0 LINDSAY, Lauren rf....... 4 2 2 3 0 0 1 0 1 COBB, Samantha ss........ 4 0 2 1 0 1 4 0 0 VICE, Vanessa 1b......... 1 0 0 0 2 0 4 0 0 MENKE, Lauren dp......... 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 SWANSON, Skylar 2b....... 3 1 1 0 0 2 1 1 1 STOELKE, Jessica lf...... 1 2 1 1 2 0 1 0 0 TIMMONS, Christian c..... 2 0 1 0 0 0 6 1 0 BOWEN, Cassidy 3b........ 2 0 0 0 1 1 0 2 0 LaVALLEY, Mickey pr..... 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 KINARD, Jordan p......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Totals................... 24 7 7 6 5 6 21 5 5

Score by Innings R H E ----------------------------------------- Nebraska............ 004 000 2 - 6 10 1 Tulsa............... 000 120 4 - 7 7 0 -----------------------------------------

Note: 1 out, 2 runners LOB when the game ended.

E - Haget. LOB - Huskers 5; Hurricane 5. 2B - COBB, S.(1); SWANSON, S.; STOELKE, J.(3). HR - Foland(5); LINDSAY, L.(6). HBP - Hupp. SH - Brechtel; VICE, V.; TIMMONS, C.. SB - Haget. CS - Haget; STOELKE, J..

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Mackin, Robin....... 6.0 5 4 4 3 6 21 25 96 Hagemann, Ashley.... 0.1 2 3 1 2 0 3 6 23

Tulsa IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- KINARD, Jordan...... 7.0 10 6 6 1 6 29 32 133

Win - KINARD, J. (2-2). Loss - Hagemann (3-5). Save - None. WP - Hagemann. HBP - by KINARD, J. (Hupp). Pitches/strikes: Mackin 96/54; Hagemann 23/9; KINARD, J. 133/76. Umpires - Start: 5:01 pm Time: 2:16 Attendance: Mackin faced 1 batter in the 7th. Game: NU17