Huskers Rally Past No. 25 BYU

Cathedral City, Calif. - Senior Heidi Foland delivered a one-out, RBI single in the top of the seventh inning to rally the 18th-ranked Nebraska softball team to a 4-3 come-from-behind victory over No. 25 BYU on Friday at the Cathedral City Classic.

Nebraska jumped out to a 2-0 lead before BYU scored three straight runs to take a 3-2 lead heading into the seventh. Down to itw final two outs, sophomore Brooke Thomason tied the game with an RBI fielder's choice, before Foland scored the winning run with her clutch RBI single.

The Huskers then escaped a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the seventh to hold on for their ninth straight win. The win improved Nebraska to 11-1 on the season, while the nine-game winning streak is the program's longest ever in the month of February.

Junior right-hander Ashley Hagemann improved to 8-1 on the season with a complete-game victory. Hagemann fired a five-hitter and struck out eight, while only one of the three runs she allowed was earned.

Offensively, Thomason and Foland both went 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs, while freshman Tatum Edwards also had two hits and scored twice. Nebraska also drew a season-high nine walks in the win, including three from junior leadoff hitter Nikki Haget.

Paige Affleck (3-5) took the loss for BYU, which fell to 6-7 on the season. Affleck went the distance, allowing four runs on seven hits.

Nebraska jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning. Tatum Edwards beat out an infield single to begin the inning before stealing second. Two batters later, Foland lined a 1-0 pitch into center field for an RBI single to score Edwards.

In the top of the third, a one-out single from freshman Taylor Edwards and back-to-back walks to junior Ashley Guile and Tatum Edwards loaded the bases. Thomason then lined an RBI single to left to score junior pinch runner Saige Wright. Leading 2-0, Nebraska had a chance to add to the lead with the bases loaded and only one out, but a pair of ground balls prevented further damage.

In the bottom of the frame, a walk, an infield single and an error gave BYU the bases loaded with no outs. A bases-loaded walk gave the Cougars their first run. Nebraska then turned a double play to record the first two outs, but Stacie Graham came home from third on the grounder to tie the game at 2-2.

The next real scoring threat for either team came for Nebraska with two outs in the top of the sixth. Thomason began the frame with a single before the next two batters were retired. Sophomore Gabby Banda then walked, as did Haget to load the bases with two outs, before a fly out to left to end the inning.

In the bottom of the inning, Caschjen Atagi launched a one-out solo home run to put BYU on top 3-2. The hit was only the third of the game for the Cougars and was the first hit to leave the infield.

In the top of the seventh, Taylor Edwards drew a four-pitch walk to get things started. After a fly out to center, Tatum Edwards reached on an infield single and Taylor wound up at third following a throwing error. Thomason then hit a ground ball to short and BYU shortstop JC Clayton threw home, but her throw was late as Taylor Edwards scored the tying run.

With runners on first and second with only one out, Foland then grounded an RBI single past the third baseman and just inside the third-base foul line to score Tatum Edwards and put the Huskers back on top, 4-3. Nebraska nearly added some insurance runs with two outs and the bases loaded, but a line drive from Haget bounced off the pitcher Affleck, who recovered to throw her out.

In the bottom of the seventh, a leadoff single and a sacrifice put the tying runner on second base with one out. Hagemann then recorded the second out before a walk loaded the bases for BYU cleanup hitter Jessica Fitu. But Hagemann secured the win by getting Fitu to fly out to left.

Nebraska closes Friday action at the Cathedral City Classic against 10th-ranked Hawaii. First pitch is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. (Central).