Huskers Fall at Tulsa

Tulsa, Okla. - Junior Heidi Foland homered on the first pitch to a Husker batter, but it was all Tulsa from there as the Golden Hurricane rallied for a 4-1 victory over the Nebraska softball team on Saturday night at the Hardesty Sports Complex in Tulsa, Okla.

Nebraska (10-9) fell to Tulsa for the second straight day, as the Huskers dropped to 0-4 on the road this season. On Friday, Foland blasted her first career grand slam to give Nebraska a 4-0 lead, only to see Tulsa rally with four runs in its final at bat en route to a 7-6 walk-off victory. The formula was similar but far less dramatic on Saturday, as the Golden Hurricane scored three times in the fourth inning and once again in the fifth to post the come-from-behind win.

Sophomore right-hander Ashley Hagemann (4-6) took the loss for Nebraska. After earning the win in relief in Saturday's first game, Hagemann pitched well in stretches against Tulsa. She retired the first nine batters of the game before allowing five straight batters to reach in Tulsa's three-run fourth. Hagemann then bounced back to retire 12 of the final 13 batters she faced, but that included allowing a solo home run. On the game, Hagemann allowed four runs on only four hits, while striking out seven and walking two.

Jackie Lawrence (3-4) earned the win for Tulsa (9-9). Lawrence tossed a four-hitter and allowed only one run. She struck out five and walked two and hit a pair.

Foland gave Nebraska the early 1-0 lead when she belted the first pitch of the bottom of the first to deep left center for a leadoff home run. The homer was her seventh of the season - a career high - while it was also the third time this season she homered in Nebraska's first at bat.

Tulsa didn't get its first baserunner until the top of the fourth. Caitlin Everett led off with a single, then moved up to second on a wild pitch. A walk put runners on first and second before Samantha Cobb delivered an RBI single to tie the game at 1-1. With runners on second and third and still no outs, a bloop single gave the Golden Hurricane a 2-1 lead.

After a walk loaded the bases, Hagemann retired the next three batters, but not before a sacrifice fly pushed Tulsa's lead to 3-1.

The Huskers had a chance to answer in the bottom of the frame, but left the bases loaded.

Tulsa tacked on another run in the fifth when Lauren Lindsay connected on a 3-2 two-out pitch for a solo home run to center.

Nebraska had base runners in three of the final four innings but could not score a run. Foland finished 2-for-4, while junior Julie Brechtel and sophomore Nikki Haget had one hit apiece. Hits were even at 4-4, but the Huskers stranded six runners, while Tulsa left only two on base.

Nebraska wraps up play at the Embassy Suites Festival with a pair of games on Sunday, beginning with a 9 a.m. contest against North Dakota.

Box Score 2010 Nebraska Softball Tulsa at Nebraska Mar 06, 2010 at Tulsa, Okla. (Hardesty Complex)

Tulsa 4 (9-9)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ EVERETT, Caitlin cf...... 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 LINDSAY, Lauren rf....... 2 2 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 COBB, Samantha ss........ 3 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 VICE, Vanessa 1b......... 3 0 1 1 0 0 9 0 0 SWANSON, Skylar 2b....... 2 0 0 0 1 0 4 4 0 STOELKE, Jessica lf...... 3 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 TIMMONS, Christian c..... 2 0 0 1 0 1 5 1 0 LaVALLEY, Mickey dp...... 3 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 2 CHAPMAN, Kelly 3b........ 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 3 0 LAWRENCE, Jackie p....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 Totals................... 24 4 4 4 2 7 21 13 2

Nebraska 1 (10-9)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Foland, Heidi 1b......... 4 1 2 1 0 1 6 0 0 Haget, Nikki dp.......... 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Guile, Ashley c.......... 2 0 0 0 0 0 7 0 1 Drake, Madison pr....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Brechtel, Julie 2b....... 3 0 1 0 0 1 1 2 0 Banda, Gabby 3b.......... 2 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 Southworth, Megan rf..... 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 Hagemann, Ashley p....... 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 3 1 Scott, Keela pr......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Tyson, Tori lf........... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Thomason, Brooke ph..... 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 3 Hupp, Alex ph........... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Gonzalez, Crystal cf..... 3 0 0 0 0 2 2 0 0 Barrett, Whitney ss...... 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Totals................... 23 1 4 1 2 5 21 6 6

Score by Innings R H E ----------------------------------------- Tulsa............... 000 310 0 - 4 4 0 Nebraska............ 100 000 0 - 1 4 0 -----------------------------------------

LOB - Hurricane 2; Huskers 6. HR - LINDSAY, L.; Foland(7). HBP - Guile; Southworth. SH - Southworth. SF - TIMMONS, C.. CS - Foland.

Tulsa IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- LAWRENCE, Jackie.... 7.0 4 1 1 2 5 23 28 114

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Hagemann, Ashley.... 7.0 4 4 4 2 7 24 27 113

Win - LAWRENCE, J. (3-4). Loss - Hagemann (4-6). Save - None. WP - Hagemann. HBP - by LAWRENCE, J. (Guile); by LAWRENCE, J. (Southworth). Pitches/strikes: LAWRENCE, J. 114/73; Hagemann 113/71. Umpires - Start: 5:28 pm Time: 2:14 Attendance: Game: NU19