NU Falls at 10th-Ranked Arizona State

Tempe, Ariz. - Arizona State scored four times in the first inning and then put the game away with three more runs in the sixth, as the 10th-ranked Sun Devils defeated the Nebraska softball team 7-1 on Sunday afternoon at Farrington Stadium in Tempe, Ariz.

The Sun Devils led 4-0 after one inning and had the bases loaded with no outs in both the second and the fourth innings. But the Huskers turned a pair of double plays in both of those innings to keep Arizona State from extending its lead. Freshman Brooke Thomason then pulled the Huskers within 4-1 with a leadoff home run in the fifth before Nebraska had the tying runs on base with the bases loaded and two outs in the sixth.

But the Sun Devils escaped that jam then scored three times in the sixth to improve to 24-2 on the season. Hillary Bach moved to 11-0 on the year by firing a four-hitter and allowing only one run on four hits in a complete-game effort.

Sophomore right-hander Ashley Hagemann (6-8) took the loss for Nebraska (13-13). Hagemann was hurt by four Husker errors, but she was also helped out as NU turned three double plays. In 5.0 innings, Hagemann allowed six runs (five earned) on 11 hits. Senior right-hander Alex Hupp came on in relief in the sixth, and allowed one run on no hits, while walking two in her 1.0 inning of work.

Offensively, Thomason went 2-for-3 with her third home run in three games. Junior Julie Brechtel went 1-for-3 to extend her hitting streak to a career-best nine games, while freshman Gabby Banda recorded her first career triple. Junior Heidi Foland went 0-for-3 to see her career-best hit streak snapped at 10 games.

Arizona State jumped out on top in the bottom of the first inning. The Sun Devils immediately cashed in a leadoff walk when Katelyn Boyd blasted a two-run homer to right. An error and a single then put two runners on base for Katie Crabb, who delivered a two-run single to give ASU a 4-0 lead.

Then in the bottom of the second, three straight singles loaded the bases with no outs for Boyd. But Hagemann escaped the jam without any damage as she struck Boyd out looking before Kaylyn Castillo lined into an inning-ending double play to Foland at first base.

In the bottom of the fourth, a single and a pair of Husker errors left the bases loaded with no outs. Hagemann recorded a foul out before Boyd lofted a fly ball to left field that junior Tori Tyson caught and then fired a strike to home to throw out the runner attempting to tag up and score for another inning-ending double play.

Thomason then broke up Bach's no-hitter when she led off the fifth inning with a solo home run to right center. Banda then reached on a triple to deep center, as Sun Devil center fielder Lesley Rogers was in position to make the catch just in front of the wall before she lost the ball in the sun. But the Huskers were unable to cut into the lead further as a pair of ground outs ended the inning.

Nebraska had a golden chance to close the gap in the top of the sixth. A one-out error opened the door for the Huskers before  Brechtel and Thomason reached on two-out singles to load the bases. But Hupp came on to pinch hit popped out to short on the first pitch she saw to end the threat.

Arizona State then finally converted a bases-loaded, no-out situation into a three-run bottom of the sixth. A single and back-to-back walks loaded the bases, before Hupp walked in a run to give Arizona State a 5-1 lead. Nebraska then recorded a force out at home before a ground resulted in two runs scoring, as Nebraska was caught napping after recording the out at first. A strikeout prevented the Sun Devils from adding to their 7-1 lead.

The Huskers were then retired in order in the top of the seventh, as Arizona State wrapped up its 18th straight victory.

After playing its first 26 games on the road, Nebraska is set for its home opener on Wednesday, when the Huskers host a doubleheader against South Dakota beginning at 3 p.m. at Bowlin Stadium.

Box Score 2010 Nebraska Softball Nebraska at #10 Arizona State Mar 14, 2010 at Tempe, Ariz. (Farrington Stadium)

Nebraska 1 (13-13)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Foland, Heidi 1b......... 3 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 1 Haget, Nikki cf.......... 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Guile, Ashley c.......... 3 0 0 0 0 0 5 1 0 Brechtel, Julie 2b....... 3 0 1 0 0 0 2 1 0 Thomason, Brooke rf...... 3 1 2 1 0 1 2 1 0 Scott, Keela dp.......... 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 Hupp, Alex ph/p......... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 Banda, Gabby 3b.......... 3 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 Tyson, Tori lf........... 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 Southworth, Megan ph.... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Barrett, Whitney ss...... 2 0 0 0 1 0 1 2 1 Hagemann, Ashley p....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Totals................... 26 1 4 1 1 2 18 9 5

Arizona State 7 (24-2)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Rogers, Lesley cf........ 2 2 1 1 2 0 0 0 0 Boyd, Katelyn ss......... 4 1 1 2 0 1 4 6 2 Castillo, Kaylyn c....... 4 0 1 2 0 0 2 1 2 Donnenwirth, Krista 3b... 4 1 0 0 0 2 0 6 1 Lockwood, Annie rf....... 3 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 Crabb, Katie 1b.......... 3 0 1 2 0 0 14 0 1 Parlich, Sam 2b.......... 3 1 2 0 0 0 0 2 0 Afusia, Nikole dp........ 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Haro, Taylor pr/dp...... 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 Carlson, Caylyn lf....... 2 1 2 0 1 0 1 0 0 Bach, Hillary p.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals................... 26 7 11 7 4 3 21 15 6

Score by Innings R H E ----------------------------------------- Nebraska............ 000 010 0 - 1 4 4 Arizona State....... 400 003 X - 7 11 2 -----------------------------------------

E - Foland(4); Guile(2); Banda(7); Hagemann(1); Boyd; Parlich. DP - Huskers 3. LOB - Huskers 5; Sun Devils 6. 3B - Banda(1). HR - Thomason(5); Boyd. SH - Haro. CS - Haget(4).

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Hagemann, Ashley.... 5.0 11 6 5 2 2 23 26 96 Hupp, Alex.......... 1.0 0 1 1 2 1 3 5 24

Arizona State IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Bach, Hillary....... 7.0 4 1 1 1 2 26 27 108

Win - Bach (11-0). Loss - Hagemann (6-8). Save - None. Pitches/strikes: Hagemann 96/59; Hupp 24/12; Bach 108/75. Umpires - HP: Geri Magwire 1B: Wally Latall 3B: Mike Gump Start: 2:59 pm Time: 2:10 Attendance: Hagemann faced 2 batters in the 6th. Game: NU26