Huskers Fall to 13th-Ranked Sooners

Lincoln - The Nebraska softball team was shut out for just the fourth time this season on Saturday, as 13th-ranked Oklahoma defeated the Huskers 5-0 in front of 586 fans at Bowlin Stadium.

The Huskers finished with only two hits - their second lowest total of the season - while Oklahoma's offense was efficient, scoring five times on only six hits, including a pair of home runs.

Junior right-hander Robin Mackin (12-12) took the loss for Nebraska, which fell to 27-21 on the season and 6-7 in league play. Mackin allowed two runs on two hits in 1.1 innings. Sophomore right-hander Ashley Hagemann came on in relief and escaped an immediate jam before allowing three runs on four hits over the final 5.2 innings.

Offensively, sophomore Nikki Haget walked and singled in her three plate appearances, while freshman Gabby Banda went 1-for-3.

Keilani Ricketts earned the win for the Sooners to improve to 22-8 in her freshman season. One of 25 finalists for the USA Softball Player of the Year Award, the left-hander tossed a two-hit shutout, her ninth of the season. With the win, Oklahoma improved to 35-10 on the season. The Sooners also moved to 9-3 in the Big 12 by winning on the road in conference play for the seventh time in eight tries.

After the first three Sooners all grounded back to Mackin in the top of the first, OU scored the only runs it would need in the top of the second. With one out, a hit batter, a single and a walk loaded the bases. Katie Norris then fouled off a pair of 0-2 pitches before lining a two-run single into left to give Oklahoma a 2-0 lead. Hagemann relieved Mackin and promptly hit the first batter she faced to load the bases again.

Hagemann then fell behind OU's leadoff hitter 3-0 before coming back to strike her out looking on a 3-2 pitch. The home plate umpire had a delayed third strike call on the strikeout and Ricketts began trotting home from third base thinking the pitch had been ruled ball four. That allowed the Huskers to escape further damage, as sophomore catcher Kirby Wright threw to freshman Banda at third, who tagged out Ricketts in a rundown to end the inning.

The Huskers had a chance to answer the runs in the bottom of the third. Wright was hit by a pitch, before an error and an infield single from Haget loaded the bases with only one out. Sophomore Ashley Guile then hit into an inning-ending double play to second base.

Ricketts then helped herself out by blasting a 2-2 pitch to deep right for a two-run homer in the top of the fourth that stretched the Sooner lead to 4-0.

Reigning Big 12 Player of the Year Amber Flores pushed the lead to 5-0 with a one-out solo home run in the fifth.

Oklahoma nearly added another run in the sixth. With Ricketts on first, Norris singled to left and the ball got past Haget. Ricketts then tried to score, but junior center fielder Tori Tyson delivered a perfect relay throw to senior shortstop Whitney Barrett, who threw home to get Ricketts for the second out. A foul out then ended the inning.

But the Huskers were unable to muster any offense after threatening in the third, as Ricketts retired the final 13 batters she faced.

Nebraska and Oklahoma wrap up their two-game series on Sunday at Noon.

Box Score 2010 Nebraska Softball #13 Oklahoma at Nebraska Apr 24, 2010 at Lincoln, Neb. (Bowlin Stadium)

Oklahoma 5 (35-10,9-3 Big 12)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Turang, Brianna cf....... 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 Anderson, Haley ph/lf... 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Jones, Chana'e lf........ 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Huey, Krystle cf........ 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 Flores, Amber 2b......... 3 1 1 1 0 0 2 3 0 Shults, Jessica 1b....... 3 0 0 0 0 0 10 0 0 Vandever, Lindsey c...... 2 1 0 0 0 0 6 0 1 Nix, Haley rf............ 3 2 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 Ricketts, Keilani p...... 1 1 1 2 2 0 0 4 0 Norris, Katie dp......... 3 0 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 Dobbs, Dani 3b........... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Sallis, Evan ph......... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Long, Karolyne ss........ 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 0 Totals................... 25 5 6 5 2 2 21 10 4

Nebraska 0 (27-21,6-7 Big 12)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Foland, Heidi 1b......... 3 0 0 0 0 1 6 0 0 Haget, Nikki lf.......... 2 0 1 0 1 0 4 0 0 Guile, Ashley dp......... 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 Brechtel, Julie 2b....... 3 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 Thomason, Brooke rf...... 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 Banda, Gabby 3b.......... 3 0 1 0 0 0 2 1 0 Tyson, Tori cf........... 2 0 0 0 0 2 1 1 1 Barrett, Whitney ss...... 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 0 Wright, Kirby c.......... 1 0 0 0 0 0 4 1 0 Drake, Madison pr....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Mackin, Robin p.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 Hagemann, Ashley p...... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals................... 22 0 2 0 1 6 21 8 3

Score by Innings R H E ----------------------------------------- Oklahoma............ 020 210 0 - 5 6 1 Nebraska............ 000 000 0 - 0 2 1 -----------------------------------------

E - Turang(2); Haget(6). DP - Sooners 2; Huskers 1. LOB - Sooners 4; Huskers 3. 2B - Nix(9). HR - Flores(12); Ricketts, K.(4). HBP - Flores; Vandever; Dobbs; Wright. SB - Nix(3). CS - Ricketts, K.(1).

Oklahoma IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Ricketts, Keilani... 7.0 2 0 0 1 6 22 24 85

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Mackin, Robin....... 1.1 2 2 2 1 0 6 8 21 Hagemann, Ashley.... 5.2 4 3 3 1 2 19 22 94

Win - Ricketts, K. (22-8). Loss - Mackin (12-12). Save - None. HBP - by Mackin (Vandever); by Hagemann (Dobbs); by Hagemann (Flores); by Ricketts, K. (Wright). Pitches/strikes: Ricketts, K. 85/58; Mackin 21/13; Hagemann 94/52. Umpires - HP: Tom Topping 1B: Dani Carson Newman 3B: Scott Mair Start: 2:02 pm Time: 1:55 Attendance: 586 Game: NU48