Huskers Run Past La Salle, 9-0

Clearwater, Fla. - Junior right-hander Haley Workman fired a two-hit shutout and the Husker offense scored nine times, as the 16th-ranked Nebraska softball team cruised to a 9-0 five-inning victory over La Salle on Saturday afternoon.

The Huskers scored five times in the first inning and twice each in the second and third innings. NU pounded out 13 hits in only 26 at bats. Six of those hits went for extra bases, including five doubles and a home run.

Junior Nikki Haget produced her fourth straight multi-hit game to lead a Husker offense that scored at least six runs for the fifth consecutive game and recorded 10 hits for the fourth straight contest. Haget finished 2-for-3 and added a career-high three stolen bases, becoming the first Husker to record three stolen bases in a game since 2006.

Eleven Huskers recorded a hit in the win, including the first career hits for junior Saige Wright and freshman Morgan McCann. Sophomore Gabby Banda joined Haget with a multi-hit game, finishing 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles. Freshman Taylor Edwards added her ninth home run of the season and finished 1-for-1 with a pair of RBIs, while junior Madison Drake came off the bench and went 1-for-2 with a double and two RBIs.

Not to be overshadowed by the strong offensive performance was Workman's performance in the circle. Workman (2-1) tossed a two-hit shutout in her first career complete game. Workman took a no-hitter into the fifth inning and added a career-high nine strikeouts.

With the win, Nebraska improved to 17-2 on the season. The Huskers have already earned the best 20-game start in school history, as before this year, no Nebraska team had ever won more than 16 of the first 20 games.

Kristen Paoletti (0-6) took the loss for La Salle, which dropped to 2-12 on the season. Paoletti went 2.0 innings, allowing seven runs (four earned) on eight hits.

After La Salle was retired in order in the top of the first, Nebraska exploded for five runs in the bottom of the frame. Haget led off with an infield single, stole second on the next pitch and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Senior Heidi Foland followed with a high pop up to shallow left field that the left fielder misplayed, allowing Haget to score. Edwards then gave Nebraska a 3-0 lead three batters into the game with a line drive home run over the fence in left.

Sophomore Brooke Thomason reached on a one-out single and scored two batters later on an two-out RBI single from classmate Megan Southworth. Southworth made it 5-0 when she came home on an RBI double from junior Kirby Wright that hit halfway up the fence in left field.

The Huskers added two more runs in the second. Edwards worked a one-out walk before a single from senior Julie Brechtel put runners at the corners. Drake, who entered the game in right field at the top of the inning, delivered a two-run double to the gap in right center to push the lead to 7-0.

The offense kept rolling in the third against a new pitcher. Banda reached on a one-out double and Haget followed with a single and a stolen base to put runners at second and third. After La Salle recorded the second out, Haget made it 8-0 when she came home on a successful double steal. Saige Wright then produced her first career hit, an RBI single to center that scored Foland and stretched the lead to 9-0.

Workman worked around an infield single to preserve the shutout in the top of the fifth.

The Huskers continue play on Saturday evening against No. 1 Florida. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m. (Central).

Box Score 2011 Nebraska Softball La Salle vs #16 Nebraska Mar 12, 2011 at Clearwater, Fla. (Eddie C. Moore Cmplx) La Salle 0 (2-12) Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Reed, Liz 2b............. 2 0 0 0 0 2 0 3 0 Brabazon, Heather cf..... 2 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 Shepherd, Ali 1b......... 2 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 Hodgson, Megan ss........ 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 McBride, Jackie 3b....... 2 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 1 Skomorucha, Shannon c.... 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 Musho, Tristan c........ 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 Paoletti, Kristen p...... 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 Guinn, DJ p............. 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 DiTommaso, Breanna lf.... 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Cooper, Kati ph......... 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 Codagnone, Megan rf...... 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 Cullen, Danielle rf..... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Totals................... 17 0 2 0 1 9 12 4 3 Nebraska 9 (17-2) Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Haget, Nikki cf.......... 3 2 2 0 0 0 2 0 2 Foland, Heidi 3b......... 3 2 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 Edwards, Taylor dp....... 1 1 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 Wright, Saige pr/dp..... 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 Brechtel, Julie 2b....... 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 Thomason, Brooke rf...... 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Drake, Madison rf/lf.... 2 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 Guile, Ashley 1b......... 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Edwards, Tatum ph/1b.... 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 Southworth, Megan lf..... 2 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 McCann, Morgan rf....... 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Wright, Kirby c.......... 3 0 1 1 0 0 10 0 0 Banda, Gabby ss.......... 3 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 2 Workman, Haley p......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals................... 26 9 13 7 1 1 15 1 6 Score by Innings R H E -------------------------------------- La Salle............ 000 00 - 0 2 3 Nebraska............ 522 0X - 9 13 1 -------------------------------------- E - DiTOMMASO 3; Brechtel(3). LOB - Explorers 3; Huskers 6. 2B - Drake(1); McCann(1); Wright, K.(2); Banda 2(4). HR - Edwards, Tay(8). SB - Haget 3(10); Foland(4). La Salle IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Paoletti, Kristen... 2.0 8 7 4 1 1 15 16 50 Guinn, DJ........... 2.0 5 2 2 0 0 11 11 31 Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Workman, Haley...... 5.0 2 0 0 1 9 17 18 73 Win - Workman (2-1). Loss - PAOLETTI (0-6). Save - None. WP - PAOLETTI. Pitches/strikes: PAOLETTI 50/30; GUINN 31/19; Workman 73/47. Umpires - Start: 2:44 pm Time: 1:10 Attendance: Game: NU19