Huskers Fall in Big 12 Opener

Austin, Texas - The Nebraska softball team struggled to close out innings on Saturday, as 15th-ranked Texas scored eight of its nine runs with two outs in a 9-0 five-inning victory over the Huskers in the Big 12 opener for both teams at McCombs Field.

The loss snapped a four-game winning streak for the Huskers and dropped Nebraska to 17-14 on the season and 0-1 in conference action. NU lost its 11th straight road game dating back to last year, while losing the Big 12 opener for the sixth straight season.

Junior right-hander Robin Mackin (7-6) took the loss, allowing two runs on three hits in 2.0 innings. Senior right-hander Alex Hupp worked the final 2.0 innings, allowing seven runs (five earned) on seven hits. Both pitchers struggled with their control, as Mackin walked four and Hupp walked five.

Blaire Luna (14-4) earned the win for Texas, which improved to 25-8 on the season and 1-0 in Big 12 play. In picking up her fourth shutout of the season, Luna allowed only one hit while striking out seven. Offensively, Texas loaded the bases in each of its four innings, finishing with 10 hits to go along with nine walks.

The Longhorns created offensive pressure from the first pitch, as Texas loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the first on a pair of walks and a single. But Mackin was able to escape the jam by coaxing an infield pop up and a fly out to right.

The Huskers then stranded a pair of runners in the second before UT loaded the bases again with two outs in the bottom of the inning. This time Texas came through, as Nadia Taylor ripped a grounder off freshman Gabby Banda at third that caromed into foul ground down the left field line for for a two-run double.

The Longhorns used another two-out rally to blow the game open in the third. A leadoff walk came back to haunt Hupp with two outs when Courtney Craig produced an RBI single through the left side. Taylor Hoagland followed with an RBI double to make it 4-0 before it looked like Nebraska would get out of the inning.

With the bases loaded, Hupp unleashed a pitch to the backstop, but sophomore catcher Ashley Guile quickly corralled the errant pitch to keep the runner at third. Guile then threw behind Hoagland who was caught in between second and third. On the throw, Craig tried to score but Nebraska alertly threw home to force her to retreat to third. In the ensuing run down, Guile made an errant throw into left field that allowed two runs to score and stretch the Longhorn lead to 6-0.

Texas found the scoreboard again in the fourth. An RBI single that skipped under the glove of senior Whitney Barrett at short with one out produced the first run, before back-to-back two-out singles made it 9-0. The Huskers escaped the inning when sophomore Nikki Haget threw out Hoagland attempting to score from second on an RBI single from Taylor.

Nebraska loaded the bases with two outs in the top of the fifth but could not find the scoreboard. Mackin had the lone hit for the Huskers, who had only six baserunners in the game.

The Huskers and Longhorns wrap up their two-game series on Sunday at Noon.

Box Score 2010 Nebraska Softball Nebraska at #15 Texas Mar 27, 2010 at Austin, Texas (McCombs Field)

Nebraska 0 (17-14,0-1 Big 12)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Foland, Heidi 1b......... 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 Haget, Nikki dp/lf....... 3 0 0 0 0 2 1 1 3 Guile, Ashley c.......... 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 Drake, Madison pr....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Brechtel, Julie 2b....... 2 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 0 Thomason, Brooke rf...... 2 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 Mackin, Robin p/dp....... 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 Banda, Gabby 3b.......... 2 0 0 0 0 2 0 2 0 Gonzalez, Crystal cf..... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 Southworth, Megan ph.... 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 Barrett, Whitney ss...... 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 Tyson, Tori lf........... 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Hupp, Alex p............ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Totals................... 16 0 1 0 2 7 12 5 5

Texas 9 (25-8,1-0 Big 12)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Hoagland, Taylor rf...... 2 2 2 1 2 0 0 0 0 Bennett, Lexy 1b......... 2 0 1 1 2 0 3 0 0 Taylor, Nadia 3b......... 3 0 3 3 1 0 0 2 0 Hooks, Amy c............. 2 0 0 0 1 0 7 0 4 Johnson, Loryn ss........ 1 2 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 Thrasher, Tallie dp...... 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 Cook, Kori pr/dp........ 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Feight, Raygan 2b........ 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 Schmidt, Torie ph....... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Chalk, Brittany cf....... 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 Savony, Shelby ph....... 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 Craig, Courtney lf/dp.... 3 1 1 1 0 1 2 0 0 Luna, Blaire p........... 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 Totals................... 20 9 10 7 9 1 15 3 9

Score by Innings R H E -------------------------------------- Nebraska............ 000 00 - 0 1 1 Texas............... 024 3X - 9 10 1 --------------------------------------

E - Guile(3); Bennett. DP - Longhorns 1. LOB - Huskers 5; Longhorns 9. 2B - Hoagland; Taylor; Cook, K.. HBP - Foland; Guile. SH - Feight. SB - Hoagland.

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Mackin, Robin....... 2.0 3 2 2 4 1 9 13 57 Hupp, Alex.......... 2.0 7 7 5 5 0 11 17 63

Texas IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Luna, Blaire........ 5.0 1 0 0 2 7 16 20 95

Win - Luna (14-4). Loss - Mackin (7-6). Save - None. WP - Hupp(4). HBP - by Luna (Guile); by Luna (Foland). Pitches/strikes: Mackin 57/31; Hupp 63/29; Luna 95/54. Umpires - HP: Steve McCown 1B: Dora Martinez 3B: Gary Mitchell Start: 1:04 pm Time: 1:54 Attendance: Game: NU31