Huskers Lose on Walk-Off Grand Slam

Ames, Iowa - The Nebraska softball team twice rallied from two-run deficits but Sydni Jones denied the Huskers a come-from-behind victory, as her walk-off grand slam with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning gave Iowa State a 9-5 win on a rainy and cloudy day at the Southwest Athletic Complex in Ames, Iowa, on Thursday.

The Huskers had a tough time getting to Ames, as bus troubles delayed Nebraska's arrival until 4 a.m. on Thursday morning. Nebraska then fell behind 3-1 after two innings of play before tying the game in the top of the third. The Huskers again trailed by two at 5-3 in the top of the sixth before back-to-back home runs from junior Julie Brechtel and freshman Brooke Thomason once again tied the game.

But the Huskers were unable to complete the comeback as Iowa State loaded the bases with only one out in the bottom of the seventh. The count then went to 3-2 on Jones and with nowhere to put her, Hagemann came over the plate with a strike and Jones belted it to straight away center for the walk-off grand slam.

The loss snapped a five-game winning streak for the Huskers, who fell to 25-18 on the season and 4-4 in Big 12 play. But despite the loss, Nebraska finished 4-1 on its five-game road trip. Sophomore right-hander Ashley Hagemann (11-9) took the loss in relief, allowing six runs on five hits in 4.1 innings. Junior right-hander Robin Mackin earned the start and allowed three runs on three hits in 2.0 innings.

Nebraska out-hit Iowa State, 9-7. Sophomores Ashley Guile and Nikki Haget had two hits each, while Guile produced two RBIs.

Lauren Kennewell (1-3) earned her first win of the season, tossing 2.0 scoreless innings of relief, allowing only one hit. Iowa State improved to 24-19 on the season and 2-5 in conference action.

In the top of the first, a pair of errors cost the Cyclones. Haget reached on a one-out error before Guile singled to center. With runners on first and second and one out, junior Julie Brechtel hit a ball to second where Amanda Bradberry tagged out Guile. Bradberry then tried to turn a double play by throwing to first, but her throw was wild, allowing Haget to score. Thomason then drew a two-out walk to put runners on first and second before Mackin lined out to the third baseman.

Iowa State then snapped Nebraska's scoreless streak at 18.2 innings with a run in the bottom of the first. Kelsey Kidwell reached on a one-out single and scored one batter later when Erica Miller lined an RBI single into right center field to tie the game at 1-1.

A pair of walks then came back to haunt Mackin in the bottom of the second. Mackin walked two of the first three batters to put runners at first and second before Carleigh Berry grounded a 2-2 pitch through the right side for an RBI single. A stolen base then put Cyclones at second and third with only one out for the top of the order, where Heidi Kidwell recorded an RBI ground out to put Iowa State on top 3-1.

Nebraska answered back in the top of the third. Junior Heidi Foland doubled to lead off the inning before Haget followed with an unconventional double to center, when she caught the defense off guard by taking an extra base. Guile then ripped an 0-2 pitch back up the middle for a two-run single to tie the game at 3-3. Brechtel then hit into some hard luck, as she lined a ball right to the third baseman, who threw to second to double off Guile.

ISU answered right back in the bottom of the frame, when Miller greeted Hagemann with a leadoff home run to right center.

After Nebraska stranded the tying runner at second base in the top of the fifth, a steady rain began to fall. It affected Hagemann's grip to begin the bottom of the fifth, as she walked the leadoff batter. A sacrifice bunt and a single put Cyclones at the corners with one out. Hagemann then got Alex Johnson to hit a fly ball to shallow right but Thomason was unable to make the catch while fighting the rain and the wind, allowing a run to score. Another walk then loaded the bases with only one out before Hagemann retired the next two batters to keep the deficit at 5-3.

Brechtel then lined the first pitch of the top of the sixth inning over the wall down the right field line for a solo home run, before Thomason blasted an 0-1 offering to right center for a game-tying home run. Hagemann then produced her first career extra-base hit with a double that spelled the end of the day for ISU starter Rachel Zabriskie.

Banda then drew a walk against Kennewell before sophomore pinch-hitter Jamie Gay struck out swinging for the first out of the inning. A wild pitch moved the runners to second and third before Kennewell coaxed a ground out and a strikeout kept the game at 5-5.

In the top of the seventh, Haget led off the inning with a single and stole second with two outs but the Huskers could not bring her home.

That set the stage for Jones' dramatics in the bottom of the seventh. An error allowed the leadoff batter to reach before Hagemann struck out Miller. Kelsey Kidwell then stole second on a bang-bang play that led to an intentional walk of Johnson. With runners on first and second and still only one out, Courtney Wray hit a slow grounder to second that Brechtel collected, but Foland had made a diving attempt to field the ball and was unable to get back to cover the first base bag, allowing an infield single that loaded the bases. With the bases loaded despite a ball not leaving the infield, Jones fouled off a pair of 2-2 pitches before working the count full and ending the game with her grand slam.

Following the five-game road trip, the Huskers return home this weekend to host Baylor on Saturday and Sunday at Bowlin Stadium.

Box Score 2010 Nebraska Softball Nebraska at Iowa State Apr 15, 2010 at Ames, Iowa (SW Athletic Complex)

Nebraska 5 (25-18,4-4 Big 12)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Foland, Heidi 1b......... 4 1 1 0 0 1 9 0 2 Haget, Nikki lf.......... 4 2 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 Guile, Ashley c.......... 4 0 2 2 0 0 5 0 1 Brechtel, Julie 2b....... 4 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 Thomason, Brooke rf...... 3 1 1 1 1 0 1 0 1 Mackin, Robin p.......... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 Hagemann, Ashley p...... 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Banda, Gabby 3b.......... 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 3 0 Hupp, Alex dp............ 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Gay, Jamie ph........... 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 Barrett, Whitney ss...... 3 0 1 0 0 0 2 3 0 Tyson, Tori cf........... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals................... 30 5 9 4 2 3 19 7 6

Iowa State 9 (24-19,2-5 Big 12)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Kidwell, Heidi rf........ 3 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 Kidwell, Kelsey cf....... 3 2 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 Miller, Erica dp......... 4 1 3 2 0 1 0 0 0 Habben, Amandine pr..... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Johnson, Alex c.......... 2 1 0 1 1 0 5 0 0 Wray, Courtney 3b........ 3 1 1 0 1 1 2 3 1 Jones, Sydni 1b.......... 3 2 1 4 1 1 6 0 0 Bradberry, Amanda 2b..... 3 0 0 0 0 1 4 2 3 Monroe, Carrie ss........ 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 Lopez, Bianca ph........ 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 Berry, Carleigh lf....... 3 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 Zabriskie, Rachel p...... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Kennewell, Lauren p..... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Totals................... 26 9 7 9 5 5 21 7 5

Score by Innings R H E ----------------------------------------- Nebraska............ 102 002 0 - 5 9 2 Iowa State.......... 121 010 4 - 9 7 2 -----------------------------------------

Note: 1 out, 0 runners LOB when the game ended.

E - Brechtel(1); Thomason(1); Jones(2); Bradberry(7). DP - Cyclones 1. LOB - Huskers 6; Cyclones 5. 2B - Foland(9); Haget(4); Hagemann(1). HR - Brechtel(5); Thomason(8); Miller(3); Jones(5). SH - Kidwell, K.(4). SF - Johnson(3). SB - Haget(11); Kidwell, K.(10); Berry(8).

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Mackin, Robin....... 2.0 3 3 3 2 2 9 11 52 Hagemann, Ashley.... 4.1 4 6 5 3 3 17 22 88

Iowa State IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Zabriskie, Rachel... 5.0 8 5 4 1 0 23 24 76 Kennewell, Lauren... 2.0 1 0 0 1 3 7 8 35

Win - Kennewell (1-3). Loss - Hagemann (11-9). Save - None. WP - Mackin(5); Kennewell(9). Pitches/strikes: Mackin 52/28; Hagemann 88/47; Zabriskie 76/52; Kennewell 35/23. Umpires - HP: Jeff Brice 1B: Steve McCrillis 3B: Sara Bixby Start: 4:00 pm Time: 2:25 Attendance: 182 Zabriskie faced 3 batters in the 6th. Game: NU43