No. 21 Nebraska Travels to North Texas

The 21st-ranked Nebraska softball team looks to build upon an impressive start when the Huskers travel to Denton, Texas, this weekend for five games in three days at the Sleep Inn Classic, hosted by North Texas.
NU opened its 2011 season in impressive fashion last weekend, posting a 5-1 record at the Kajikawa Classic in Tempe, Ariz. Nebraska prevented both 18th-ranked Stanford and fellow Pac-10 Conference member Oregon State from going undefeated, as the Huskers handed both teams their lone loss of the opening weekend. Nebraska’s only loss last weekend came at the hands of second-ranked Arizona, who finished as the 2010 national runner-up.
On the strength of Nebraska’s impressive showing in the desert, the Huskers entered the NFCA/USA Today poll at No. 21 this week and received the most votes of any unranked team in the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll. NU was a mainstay in the polls from 1995 to 2006, earning a final top-25 ranking 12 straight seasons while going nearly 10 consecutive years being ranked in every weekly poll.
The Huskers’ ascension into this week’s poll marks the first time Nebraska has been ranked since the final week of February during the 2007 season. That year, the Huskers opened the season ranked 15th and remained in the top 25 for four straight weeks before falling out. Nebraska will play as a top-25 team for the first time in three seasons and more than 200 games when the Huskers face Tennessee Tech on Friday.
Nebraska will play a pair of games against the Golden Eagles this weekend, while also facing North Texas, Centenary and Northwestern State. The Huskers’ second game of the day on Friday will mark the first true road game of the season, as Nebraska takes on a North Texas squad that  featured one of the nation’s most powerful offenses last season.

The Huskers take a three-game winning streak into play this weekend after defeating Cal State Fullerton, 18th-ranked Stanford and Oregon State to close out play at the Kajikawa Classic. Junior right-hander Ashley Hagemann earned the win in each of those three games to highlight her impressive weekend.
Hagemann appeared in all six games last weekend, posting a 4-1 record with a 2.25 ERA. She also added a save and struck out 41 batters in only 28.0 innings. Overall, Nebraska’s pitching staff held opposing hitters to a .196 average and averaged more than one strikeout per inning.
Offensively, Nebraska made the most of its hits to average nearly five runs per game. The Huskers boasted a .269 team batting average, but had a .423 slugging percentage and a .358 on-base percentage.
Junior Nikki Haget hit .500 in the opening weekend, adding a double and the first home run of her career. Freshman twin sisters Tatum and Taylor Edwards debuted in impressive fashion, combining to produce five of Nebraska’s six home runs and 12 of the Huskers’ 25 RBIs.
Scouting the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles (0-2)
Tennessee Tech went 0-2 last weekend, losing a pair of one-run games to Syracuse (2-1) and Georgia State (3-2). The Golden Eagles were 28-30 last season.

Offensively, Tennessee Tech hit .220 in its two games last weekend, scoring only three runs. Five players had at least two hits in the two games, with Callie Schmidt adding a home run and two RBIs. Melody Christian went 0-for-3 last weekend after leading the team with a .328 average in 2010. Whitney Cummings also returns after leading TTU with 12 doubles and 12 home runs last spring.

In the circle, Tech’s pitchers posted a 2.84 ERA but allowed opponents to hit only .163, surrendering just seven hits in 12.1 innings. Cummings appeared in both games, taking the loss in relief against Georgia State. She posted an 0-1 record with a 2.33 ERA in 3.0 innings. Claudia Harke took the loss against Syracuse in her only appearance, allowing two runs on three hits in 4.0 innings. Holly Thomas (0-0, 2.62 ERA, 5.1 innings) rounds out the Golden Eagle staff.

The all-time series between the two programs is tied at 1-1. Both meetings came at the NFCA Leadoff Classic, with Tennessee Tech earning a 4-1 win in 2007 and Nebraska winning 11-1 in five innings the next season.

Scouting the North Texas Mean Green (2-4)
North Texas opened its season with two straight wins at the Kajikawa Classic last weekend, but the Mean Green lost their final four games in the desert. North Texas faced a tough schedule last weekend after opening with wins over Cal State Bakersfield and Appalachian State. UNT then lost to No. 18 Stanford (5-2) and Oregon State (3-2), a pair of teams the Huskers defeated at the same tournament. The Mean Green closed the tournament with losses to No. 14 Oregon (12-4 in five innings) and Northwestern (8-4).

Lesley Hirsch was North Texas’ top hitter last weekend, posting a .375 average to lead an offense that averaged more than four runs per game. Caitlin Grimes was the Mean Green’s top power hitter, slugging two doubles and two home runs to produce five RBIs in addition to a .286 average.

In the circle, four pitchers saw action for North Texas at the Kajikawa Classic. Brittany Simmons started four of the Mean Green’s six games, posting a 1-3 record with a 3.29 ERA and eight strikeouts in 27.2 innings. Ashley Kirk earned the other two starts and finished the opening weekend with a 1-1 record and a 5.56 ERA with 12 strikeouts in 11.1 innings. Mallory Cantler (0-0, 0.00 ERA, 2.0 IP) and Lauren Poole (0-0, 9.33 ERA in 3.0 IP) round out the UNT staff.

Nebraska defeated North Texas 3-0 at a neutral site in 1988 in the only previous meeting between the two programs.
   
Scouting the Centenary Ladies (0-0)
Centenary opens its 2011 season this weekend at the Sleep Inn Classic, facing Tennessee Tech and Northwestern State on Friday before meeting the Huskers on Saturday. Centenary finished 10-34 last season, including a 4-19 record in the Summit League.

The Ladies averaged 3.3 runs per game last season while batting .233. Centenary must replace its top four batting averages from 2010. Bonnie Matak is the Ladies’ top returning hitter after batting .244 with seven doubles, two homers and 10 RBIs last season. Kalyn Harris also returns after leading the team with 27 RBIs in 2010.

In the circle, Centenary allowed more than six runs per game a season ago, while the staff posted a 5.67 ERA. The Ladies totaled more walks (163) than strikeouts (157), while surrendering 42 home runs in 44 games and allowing opponents to hit .337. The staff also posted only five complete games in 2010. Sara Dornelas was Centenary’s top pitcher last season, throwing nearly 60 percent of the team’s total innings. She posted a 9-22 record with a 4.58 ERA and 101 strikeouts in 159.0 innings. While losing Dornelas’ production, the Ladies return their other three pitchers from last season in Regina Salvatore, Lauren Highsmith and Courtney Avery. Together, that group combined for a 1-12 record with a 6.88 ERA in 114.0 innings.

Nebraska defeated Centenary 8-0 in five innings in Houston on Feb. 20, 2004, in the only meeting between the two programs. NU is 51-0 all-time against members of the Summit League.

Scouting the Northwestern State Demons (3-2)
The Northwestern State Demons are the only team besides Nebraska that enters play at the Sleep Inn Classic with a winning record. The Demons twice defeated Southeast Missouri State on the opening weekend and also earned a win over Eastern Illinois, while suffering losses to Indiana State and at Louisiana-Monroe.

Northwestern State hit .265 in the opening weekend of play while averaging 3.2 runs per game. Kylie Roos got her sophomore season off to a strong start by going 5-for-10 with a double, a homer and three RBIs. Six Demons hit .300 or better in the first weekend of play. Cali Burke produced a team-high two doubles, while Ashlee England drove in a team-high five runs.

In the circle, Northwestern State held its opponents to an average of 3.2 runs per game and a .217 batting average. Five pitchers saw action in the opening weekend. Roos made two starts and saw the most action, posting a 1-0 record and a 1.20 ERA in 11.2 innings. Brooke Boening went 2-0 with a 1.91 ERA in 7.1 innings, allowing only three hits and striking out 12. Kelee Grimes suffered both of the Demons’ losses, posting an 0-2 record with a 6.15 ERA in 9.1 innings. Kaitlin Holloway (0-0, 7.00 ERA in 1.0 IP) and Sara Aasness (0-0, 8.38 ERA in 1.2 IP) round out the Northwestern State staff.

Nebraska and Northwestern State will meet for the first time on Saturday.

Quick Hitters
The information below provides a quick glimpse of a few statistics and brief notes of interest as the Huskers open their 2011 season with six games in four days at the Kajikawa Classic.

• The Huskers are 133-76 (.636) all-time in the month of February, including a 9-7 mark last season.
• NU has posted a winning month of February in eight of the last nine seasons (3-6 in 2008).
• Under Revelle, Nebraska is 124-62 (.667) in February. She has posted a winning month of February 13 times in 17 seasons (the Huskers did not play a game in February of 1993, Revelle’s first season).
• Junior Ashley Guile enters this weekend two hits shy of reaching the 100-hit milestone.
• Nebraska allowed a total of 15 runs in six games last weekend, an average of 2.5 runs per game. That total could have been even lower, as eight of the 15 runners who scored (53 percent) reached base via a walk.
• The Huskers closed play last weekend with victories over then-No. 18 Stanford and Oregon State. The back-to-back victories marked the first time Nebraska won two straight meetings against Pac-10 opponents since 2005.
• NU has allowed two runs or less in three straight games and seven of its last nine games dating back to 2010.

Impressive Debuts for Edwards Twins
Freshman twin sisters Tatum and Taylor Edwards had an outstanding debut weekend at the Kajikawa Classic.  Together, the duo combined for a .275 average with two doubles, five home runs and 12 RBIs. The twins slugged five of the six home runs the Huskers hit in the desert, while producing 12 of the team’s 25 RBIs, including three game-winning RBIs courtesy of the long ball.

Tatum Edwards slugged three home runs and her homers against Portland State and Cal State Fullerton both produced the game-winning RBI. Taylor Edwards had two home runs and her two-run homer against Oregon State produced the game-winning RBI.

Haget Starts Season in Strong Fashion
Junior Nikki Haget helped Nebraska post a 5-1 record against tough competition at the Kajikawa Classic last weekend. Haget, known primarily as a slapper, showed a complete game at the plate. She hit .500 (9-for-18) at the tournament with a double and her first career home run. She also stole two bases and scored nine runs, including tying the school record with four runs scored as part of a 4-for-4 effort against San Jose State.

Haget reached base safely in eight straight plate appearances at one point and her three walks help her post a .571 on-base percentage. She also scored at least one run in every game of the tournament. Against Cal State Fullerton, Haget went 2-for-3 with a double and a solo home run. On the weekend, she set career highs in hits, runs scored, doubles and home runs, while also posting a 1.000 fielding percentage.

Hagemann Impressive in Opening Weekend
Junior right-hander Ashley Hagemann appeared in all six games at the Kajikawa Classic last weekend, carrying the workload as the only returning pitcher on the Husker staff. She played a key role in each of Nebraska’s five victories, totaling four wins and earning the save in the Huskers’ other victory. Hagemann posted a 4-1 record with a 2.25 ERA and struck out 41 batters in 28.0 innings, while holding opposing hitters to a .196 average.

She suffered her only loss against top-ranked Arizona, allowing four earned runs in 4.0 innings, including a three-run inning where the Wildcats hit only one ball out of the infield. She earned the victory over No. 18 Stanford, allowing only three hits and two runs in 5.0 innings of work, while adding eight strikeouts. Aside from the Arizona game, Hagemann posted a 4-0 record with one save, a 1.46 ERA and 35 strikeouts in 24.0 innings.

What a Relief
Nebraska received some great relief performances from junior right-handers Ashley Hagemann and Haley Workman last weekend. The two pitchers combined to make six relief appearances, posting a 3-0 record with one save and a 1.33 ERA. In 21.0 innings of relief, the duo allowed only seven hits and four runs, while striking out 25.

Hagemann earned the save against San Jose State in her first relief appearance of the season. She allowed only one hit over 3.0 shutout innings, while striking out seven. She then earned the win in relief against No. 18 Stanford, allowing two runs on only three hits in 5.0 innings, while striking out eight. Hagemann’s work in that game included working a scoreless eighth and ninth innings when a runner began both innings on second base. She then picked up another relief victory the next day against Oregon State, tossing 5.0 shutout innings without allowing a hit.

Workman closed out the Portland State victory with a perfect inning of work before stepping into a difficult situation the next day against San Jose State. Against the Spartans, Workman entered the game in the bottom of the first with Nebraska trailing 2-1 and the bases loaded and no outs. She masterfully worked out of the jam without allowing another run to score and went on to pick up the win, giving up one run on only one hit in 4.0 innings of work. Workman’s final relief effort came against top-ranked Arizona. She held the high-powered Wildcat offense in check, allowing only one run on two hits over the final 3.0 innings.

Huskers Look to Tie Best Start in School History
After going 5-1 in its season-opening tournament, Nebraska will play five games in three days this weekend at the Sleep Inn Classic. The Huskers’ final game on Saturday against Northwestern State will mark their 10th game of the season, and Nebraska has a chance to tie the best 10-game start in school history by winning its first four games this weekend.

Only three teams in Nebraska history have started a season 9-1, with only three other squads opening the season 8-2.

Tatum Edwards Homers in First Career At Bat
Tatum Edwards became the first Husker freshman in more than a decade to homer in her first career at bat against Portland State in the season opener. Edwards came to the plate for the first time in her career with two runner on base in the top of the second inning against the Vikings and blasted a three-run home run. The last freshman to homer in her first career at bat was Amber Burgess, who homered in the 2000 season opener. Burgess and Edwards are the only two Husker freshmen known to have homered their first career at bat.

Haget Ties School Record
Junior Nikki Haget put together an impressive performance against San Jose State in the second game of the season. Haget went 4-for-4 at the plate and scored four times. Her four runs scored tied the school record, as she became the sixth Husker to score four runs in a game. Haget’s four hits also tied her career high and were one shy of the school record.