Huskers Rally Past Texas Tech

Lubbock, Texas - The Nebraska pitching staff tossed a one-hitter and a pair of clutch, two-out hits carried the Husker softball team to a 3-1 come-from-behind victory at Texas Tech on Saturday afternoon at Rocky Johnson Field.

Despite the one-hitter, Nebraska still trailed 1-0 with two outs in the top of the sixth. But freshman Brooke Thomason tied the game with a solo home run. Then with two outs in the seventh, sophomore Ashley Guile delivered a two-run single through the right side to lift the Huskers to their 10th win in the last 14 games.

With its second straight conference win, NU improved to 23-17 on the season and 2-3 in Big 12 play. Texas Tech fell to 30-8 and 2-4 in conference action, while losing for just the third time in 22 home games.

Sophomore right-hander Ashley Hagemann (11-8) earned the win, tossing 2.2 innings of no-hit, scoreless relief. Junior right-hander Robin Mackin earned the start and allowed one run on only one hit over the first 3.1 innings, walking three and striking out four. She then re-entered the game and notched up her second save of the year by tossing a hitless seventh inning.

Ashly Jacobs (11-4) took the loss for Texas Tech, allowing two runs on four hits in six-plus innings. Ashley Brokeshoulder allowed the game-winning hit to Guile and was charged with allowing one run on three hits in 1.0 inning of work.

After being retired in order through the first two innings, Texas Tech produced its first hit and run on the same pitch to take a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third. A one-out walk came back to haunt Mackin, as a stolen base and a strikeout put a runner at second with two outs. Leah Legler then grounded the first pitch she saw up the middle for a two-out, RBI single. Another walk and a hit batter loaded the bases for cleanup hitter Mikey Kenney, but Mackin struck out Kenney to prevent further damage.

Mackin then fell behind both batters she faced in the bottom of the fourth inning and issued a one-out walk before being relieved by Hagemann. Hagemann recorded a quick strikeout before walking the Nos. 8 and 9 hitters to load the bases with two outs for Legler. Hagemann jumped ahead of Legler 0-2 before a 2-2 pitch was blooped to shallow left field. Sophomore Nikki Haget raced in from left and made a superb diving catch to keep it a one-run game.

Senior Alex Hupp then began the top of the fifth with a leadoff single. She advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from senior Whitney Barrett, before a fly out and a ground out left Hupp stranded at second.

After Texas Tech was retired in order on only five pitches in the bottom of the fifth, Nebraska pulled even in the top of the sixth, when Thomason lifted a 2-1 pitch over the fence in left center for a two-out, solo home run.

Hagemann then retired the Red Raiders in order in the bottom of the frame before leading off the top of the seventh with a bloop single. That marked the end of the day for Jacobs, as Brokeshoulder entered and gave up a pair of singles to Hupp and freshman pinch-hitter Megan Southworth to load the bases with no outs. Brokeshoulder then retired the next two batters before Guile came through with her clutch, two-out, two-run single through the right side to score Mackin, who re-entered the game to run for Hagemann, and Hupp and put the Huskers on top, 3-1.

Mackin then worked around a two-out error to pitch a scoreless seventh and secure the win.

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

Nebraska vs Texas Tech (Apr 10, 2010)

• Box score

Box Score 2010 Nebraska Softball Nebraska at Texas Tech Apr 10, 2010 at Lubbock, Texas (Rocky Johnson Field)

Nebraska 3 (23-17,2-3 Big 12)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Foland, Heidi 1b......... 4 0 0 0 0 1 9 0 0 Haget, Nikki lf.......... 4 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 Guile, Ashley c.......... 3 0 1 2 1 0 5 0 0 Drake, Madison pr....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Brechtel, Julie 2b....... 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 4 Thomason, Brooke rf...... 2 1 1 1 1 0 2 0 0 Banda, Gabby 3b.......... 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Mackin, Robin p.......... 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 Hagemann, Ashley p...... 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Hupp, Alex dp............ 3 1 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 Barrett, Whitney ss...... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 2 Southworth, Megan ph.... 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Tyson, Tori cf........... 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 Totals................... 28 3 7 3 2 2 21 6 7

Texas Tech 1 (30-8,2-4 Big 12)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Legler, Leah ss.......... 4 0 1 1 0 1 0 2 3 Drewry, Stephanie lf..... 3 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 Bledsoe, Emily 3b........ 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Kenney, Mikey cf......... 3 0 0 0 0 2 5 0 3 Hall, Logan 2b........... 3 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 0 Gentsch, Holley c........ 2 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 0 Heath, Meredith pr...... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Clemmons, McKenzie dp.... 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 Lee, Jennifer ph........ 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Hamada, Ashley rf........ 1 1 0 0 2 0 5 0 0 Richardson, Raven 1b..... 2 0 0 0 1 1 5 1 0 Jacobs, Ashly p.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Brokeshoulder, A. p..... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals................... 23 1 1 1 5 5 21 5 7

Score by Innings R H E ----------------------------------------- Nebraska............ 000 001 2 - 3 7 1 Texas Tech.......... 001 000 0 - 1 1 1 -----------------------------------------

E - Barrett(12); Legler(8). LOB - Huskers 7; Red Raiders 7. HR - Thomason(7). HBP - Bledsoe. SH - Barrett(4). SB - Drake(1); Hamada(6).

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Mackin, Robin....... 4.1 1 1 1 3 4 15 19 73 Hagemann, Ashley.... 2.2 0 0 0 2 1 8 10 41

Texas Tech IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Jacobs, Ashly....... 6.0 4 2 2 2 1 22 25 87 Brokeshoulder, A.... 1.0 3 1 1 0 1 6 6 28

Win - Hagemann (11-8). Loss - Jacobs (11-4). Save - Mackin (2). HBP - by Mackin (Bledsoe). BK - Hagemann(1). Pitches/strikes: Mackin 73/41; Hagemann 41/23; Jacobs 87/53; Brokeshoulde 28/19. Umpires - HP: Tim Ellis 1B: Walter Hill 3B: Wyman Stephens Start: 1:57 pm Time: 2:09 Attendance: Jacobs faced 1 batter in the 7th. Game: NU40