Huskers Sweep Red Raiders

Lubbock, Texas - The Nebraska softball team completed its first two-game road sweep of a conference opponent in nearly four seasons on Sunday, as the Huskers blanked Texas Tech 2-0 at Rocky Johnson Field.

Junior right-hander Robin Mackin and sophomore right-hander Ashley Hagemann combined on a three-hit shutout, while sophomore Nikki Haget produced all of the scoring with a two-out, two-run double in the top of the fourth inning. The win improved Nebraska to 24-17 on the season and evened the Huskers' Big 12 Conference record at 3-3. Nebraska, winners of seven of its last eight, earned just its second sweep of a conference opponent since 2008 and its first road sweep since winning twice at Texas Tech in 2006.

Mackin (10-9) earned the win, as she allowed only two hits over the first 4.0 innings. Hagemann picked up her third save of the season, allowing only one hit in 3.0 innings of relief. She struck out five of the 10 batters she faced and allowed only a single.

Offensively, Haget tied her career highs with three hits and two RBIs. Her clutch double was the highlight of a frustrating day for the Husker offense. Nebraska had at least two base runners in every inning and pounded out 10 hits. But Nebraska was just 1-for-14 with runners in scoring position and stranded a season-high 13 runners.

Mackin and sophomore Ashley Guile each produced a pair of hits, while Mackin and senior Alex Hupp scored the Huskers' lone runs.

Ashley Brokeshoulder (7-4) took the loss for Texas Tech, which fell to 30-9 on the season and 2-5 in league play. Brokeshoulder allowed two runs while scattering seven hits over 4.1 innings.

After stranding four base runners through the first two innings, Haget and Guile led off the top of the third with back-to-back singles. Junior Julie Brechtel then advanced the runners to second and third with a sacrifice bunt before a foul out and a ground out ended the inning.

The Huskers got two more base runners for the fourth time in four innings when Mackin led off the top of the fourth with a double and Hupp followed with a walk. But the next two batters were quickly retired before Haget lined a 2-0 pitch into the gap in left center that rolled all the way to the wall for a two-out, two-run double that put Nebraska on top 2-0.

In the bottom of the frame, Mackin quickly retired the first two hitters before a two-out single and a walk put runners on first and second. But Mackin got Raven Richardson to fly out to shallow left to end the inning.

Nebraska again got back-to-back leadoff singles from Brechtel and freshman Brooke Thomason to begin the top of the fifth. Freshman Gabby Banda was then called out for batter's interference on a bunt attempt before Ashly Jacobs entered the game and retired the next two batters, as Nebraska stranded a pair of runners for the fourth time in five innings.

Mackin walked the leadoff batter in the bottom of the fifth on four pitches and was relieved by Hagemann, who recorded three quick outs.

The Huskers then missed another scoring opportunity in the sixth.  Junior Heidi Foland reached on a one-out single, but was caught stealing after she slid around the tag initially, before her hand came off the base and she was tagged out. That would prove to be a big out, as Haget followed with an infield single before Guile singled up the middle. But with runners at first and second and two outs, Brechtel was thrown out on a bang-bang play at first to end the inning.

A pair of one-out walks in the top of the seventh gave Nebraska another chance to add to its lead, but the Huskers failed to capitalize again as the next two batters were retired.

Hagemann struck out the first two batters in the bottom of the seventh before a single and an error kept the Red Raiders' comeback hopes alive. But Hagemann then got leadoff batter Leah Legler to foul out to Banda at third to end the game.

The Huskers continue a five-game road trip next week, when Nebraska plays at Kansas on Wednesday and at Iowa State on Thursday.

2010 Nebraska Softball Nebraska at Texas Tech Apr 11, 2010 at Lubbock, Texas (Rocky Johnson Field)

Nebraska 2 (24-17,3-3 Big 12)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Foland, Heidi 1b......... 4 0 1 0 0 0 5 0 2 Haget, Nikki lf.......... 4 0 3 2 0 0 2 0 0 Guile, Ashley c.......... 3 0 2 0 0 0 6 0 1 Drake, Madison pr....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Brechtel, Julie 2b....... 3 0 1 0 0 0 3 0 2 Thomason, Brooke rf...... 4 0 1 0 0 1 3 0 2 Banda, Gabby 3b.......... 3 0 0 0 1 0 1 2 2 Mackin, Robin p.......... 3 1 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 Hagemann, Ashley p...... 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 Hupp, Alex dp............ 3 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 Barrett, Whitney ss...... 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 2 Gay, Jamie ph........... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Tyson, Tori cf........... 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Totals................... 30 2 10 2 4 2 21 5 13

Texas Tech 0 (30-9,2-5 Big 12)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Legler, Leah ss.......... 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 5 1 Drewry, Stephanie lf..... 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 Bledsoe, Emily 3b........ 3 0 0 0 0 1 3 0 2 Hall, Logan 2b........... 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 2 1 Kenney, Mikey cf......... 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 Gentsch, Holley c........ 2 0 1 0 0 1 3 1 0 Palmer, Jordan pr....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Hamada, Ashley rf........ 2 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 Richardson, Raven 1b..... 3 0 0 0 0 2 8 0 3 Lee, Jennifer dp......... 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 Heath, Meredith pr...... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Clemmons, McKenzie pr/dp 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Brokeshoulder, A. p...... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 Jacobs, Ashly p......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals................... 24 0 3 0 3 6 21 10 7

Score by Innings R H E ----------------------------------------- Nebraska............ 000 200 0 - 2 10 0 Texas Tech.......... 000 000 0 - 0 3 1 -----------------------------------------

E - Legler(9). LOB - Huskers 13; Red Raiders 7. 2B - Haget(3); Mackin(2); Clemmons(1). HBP - Guile; Gentsch. SH - Brechtel(2). SB - Banda(4). CS - Foland(3).

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Mackin, Robin....... 4.0 2 0 0 3 1 14 18 60 Hagemann, Ashley.... 3.0 1 0 0 0 5 10 10 42

Texas Tech IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Brokeshoulder, A.... 4.1 7 2 2 2 1 20 24 96 Jacobs, Ashly....... 2.2 3 0 0 2 1 10 12 46

Win - Mackin (10-9). Loss - Brokeshoulde (7-4). Save - Hagemann (3). HBP - by Brokeshoulde (Guile); by Mackin (Gentsch). Pitches/strikes: Mackin 60/27; Hagemann 42/31; Brokeshoulde 96/62; Jacobs 46/26. Umpires - HP: Walter Hill 1B: Wyman Stephens 3B: Tim Ellis Start: 11:55 am Time: 2:16 Attendance: Mackin faced 1 batter in the 5th. Game: NU41