Nebraska Falls to Baylor

Lincoln - The Nebraska softball team was its own worst enemy on Sunday, as the defense committed two errors, the pitching staff walked seven batters over the final four innings and the offense stranded eight runners in a 6-2 loss to Baylor at Bowlin Stadium.

The Husker pitching staff cruised through the first three innings before losing the strike zone in the fourth and fifth innings. During those two frames, Nebraska walked six batters, including four straight with two outs in the fourth to force in the tying run. Of the five runs Baylor scored in the two innings, four of the batters reached base via a walk. The Lady Bears also came up with timely hits when Nebraska's pitchers found the plate, producing a two-run double and a two-run homer.

Junior right-hander Robin Mackin (12-10) took the loss, as she was charged with three runs on only two hits in 3.2 innings. She had retired 10 of the game's first 12 batters before walking four straight with two outs in the fourth. Sophomore Ashley Hagemann came on in relief and gave up three runs (two earned) on four hits over the final 3.1 innings. Hagemann walked three as Nebraska walked seven batters in the game.

Offensively, sophomore Nikki Haget drove in Nebraska's first run of the game and scored the Huskers' second run as part of a 1-for-2 day that included an RBI double and a pair of walks. Junior Heidi Foland also doubled and scored a run, while freshman Brooke Thomason had an RBI single.

Courtney Repka (16-11) earned the win for Baylor, which improved to 24-17 on the season and 4-6 in conference play. In a complete-game effort, Repka allowed two runs on five hits.

Nebraska jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Foland led off with a double to right center before Haget followed with an RBI double to left center to bring Foland home with the game's first run. After a strikeout, junior Julie Brechtel was hit by a pitch to put runners at first and second with one out before Repka retired the next two batters.

In the top of the third, Foland drew a leadoff walk, stole second and was joined on the base paths by sophomore Ashley Guile, who was hit by a one-out pitch. Brechtel then hit a fly ball toward the gap in left center, where Nicole Wesley made a terrific diving catch for the second out. Repka then escaped the jam with a strikeout.

Baylor then converted its first scoring chance in the top of the fourth with plenty of help from the Huskers. The first two batters were quickly retired before Mackin walked four straight batters to force in the tying run. The fourth walked marked the end of the day for Mackin and Hagemann came on with the bases still loaded and two outs. Meagan Turk greeted her with a double to left center that brought home two runs, before the Huskers threw the third runner out at home to end the inning.

Nebraska nearly answered back in the bottom of the frame. Freshman Gabby Banda led off with a single and with two outs, senior Whitney Barrett singled to put runners at the corners. But the Huskers could not convert, as a ground out ended the inning.

Another walk came back to hurt Nebraska in the top of the fifth as Baylor extended its lead to 5-1. Hagemann walked the No. 9 hitter on four pitches to begin the inning and with one out, pinch-hitter Jordan Vannatta blasted a 3-2 pitch over the scoreboard in left for a two-run homer.

The Huskers got one run back in the bottom of the fifth. Haget drew a leadoff walk and was at second with two outs for Thomason, who brought her home with an RBI single back up the middle that cut the lead to 5-2.

But Nebraska would get no closer. Baylor tacked on an insurance run in the top of the seventh thanks to a Husker error before Repka worked around a leadoff walk to pitch a scoreless bottom of the seventh.

Nebraska (26-19 overall, 5-5 Big 12) continues its eight-game homestand on Tuesday with a 5 p.m. contest against Iowa State at Bowlin Stadium.

Box Score 2010 Nebraska Softball Baylor at Nebraska Apr 18, 2010 at Lincoln, Neb. (Bowlin Stadium)

Baylor 6 (24-17,4-6 Big 12)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Walker, Kayce rf/cf...... 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 Wesley, Nicole cf........ 2 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 Vannatta, Jordan ph/dp.. 2 1 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 Nieten, Courtney c....... 4 0 1 0 0 0 5 1 0 Craig, Mallory pr....... 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Leal, Dani ss............ 3 1 1 0 1 2 3 2 0 Hanafin, Bree 1b......... 1 1 0 0 3 1 6 0 0 Shelton, Kathy lf........ 3 1 1 0 1 0 2 0 3 Freeland, KJ 2b.......... 2 0 0 1 1 1 2 0 1 Turk, Megan 3b........... 3 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 Wilson, Sydney dp/rf..... 2 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 Repka, Courtney p........ 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 Totals................... 26 6 6 4 7 5 21 4 6

Nebraska 2 (26-19,5-5 Big 12)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Foland, Heidi 1b......... 3 1 1 0 1 0 9 0 3 Haget, Nikki lf.......... 2 1 1 1 2 0 0 1 0 Guile, Ashley c.......... 3 0 0 0 0 1 6 1 0 Brechtel, Julie 2b....... 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Thomason, Brooke rf...... 4 0 1 1 0 3 1 0 3 Banda, Gabby 3b.......... 3 0 1 0 0 0 2 4 3 Mackin, Robin p.......... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 Hagemann, Ashley p...... 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Drake, Madison dp........ 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Barrett, Whitney ss...... 2 0 1 0 1 1 2 4 0 Tyson, Tori cf........... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals................... 26 2 5 2 4 5 21 12 9

Score by Innings R H E ----------------------------------------- Baylor.............. 000 320 1 - 6 6 0 Nebraska............ 100 010 0 - 2 5 2 -----------------------------------------

E - Guile(5); Barrett(14). LOB - Lady Bears 6; Huskers 9. 2B - Nieten(7); Turk(2); Foland(10); Haget(6). HR - Vannatta(6). HBP - Guile; Brechtel. SB - Craig(7); Foland(10). CS - Walker(5).

Baylor IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Repka, Courtney..... 7.0 5 2 2 4 5 26 32 128

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Mackin, Robin....... 3.2 2 3 3 4 3 12 16 67 Hagemann, Ashley.... 3.1 4 3 2 3 2 14 17 73

Win - Repka (16-11). Loss - Mackin (12-10). Save - None. HBP - by Repka (Brechtel); by Repka (Guile). PB - Guile(5). Pitches/strikes: Repka 128/77; Mackin 67/37; Hagemann 73/41. Umpires - HP: Matt Titkemeier 1B: John Orlowski 3B: Kevin Killingsworth Start: 12:02 pm Time: 2:17 Attendance: 403 Game: NU45