Huskers Drop First Game at New Mexico State

Las Cruces, N.M. - The 14th-ranked Nebraska softball team saw its nine-game winning streak snapped on Friday, as Hoku Nohara and the New Mexico State Aggies made the most of their opportunities in a 4-3 win in Las Cruces, N.M.

New Mexico State led 4-3 after four innings of play thanks to a go-ahead, three-run homer from Nohara. The Aggies had only five base runners to that point in the game, but brought four of those runners home. New Mexico State finished with only five hits in the game and had hits in only the second and fourth innings. Nohara keyed the clutch hitting by going 2-for-2 with a triple, a homer, a walk, three RBIs and two runs scored, in addition to making a pair of excellent defensive plays at first base.

While NMSU stranded only two base runners in the game, Nebraska left six on base. Sophomore Gabby Banda led the Husker offense, finishing 2-for-3 with three RBIs. Her three-run homer in the top of the fourth inning gave Nebraska its only lead of the game. Classmate Brooke Thomason also produced a multi-hit game, going 2-for-3.

In the cricle, junior right-hander Ashley Hagemann saw her 14-game win streak snapped, as she lost for just the second time this season. In a complete-game effort, Hagemann (14-2) allowed four runs on five hits.

Alex Newman (12-1) earned the victory for New Mexico State, allowing three runs on six hits in 4.1 innings. Celisha Walker earned the save, preserving the one-run lead by tossing 2.2 innings of one-hit relief. The win improved the Aggies' record to 19-7 on the year, as NMSU is now 12-4 at home this season, with all four losses coming to top-10 teams.

Both teams were retired in order in the first inning before Nebraska missed a scoring chance in the top of the second. Back-to-back one-out singles from Thomason and freshman Tatum Edwards gave the Huskers runners at first and third with one out. Following a pop out, Edwards stole second to put a pair of runners in scoring position, but a strikeout ended the threat.

In the bottom of the frame, the Aggies made the most of their first scoring chance. Nohara led off with a triple that just eluded Thomason in right field. Ashley Maroda followed with an RBI single that put New Mexico State in front 1-0.

Nebraska had another scoring opportunity in the top of the third but were denied by a great defensive play. With runners on first and second and two outs, senior Julie Brechtel ripped a 3-2 pitch to the right side, but Nohara, the first baseman, made a diving stop to her right and flipped the ball to second baseman Tehani Kaaihue covering first for the third out.

A leadoff single from Thomason and a sacrifice bunt from Tatum Edwards gave Nebraska another scoring chance in the top of the third. Junior Ashley Guile followed with a one-out single to put runners at the corners with one out, before a pop out marked the second out. On the verge of stranding a pair of runners for the third straight inning, Banda blasted a 2-1 pitch over the fence in left for a three-run homer, her first of the season.

Trailing 3-1, New Mexico State answered back in the bottom of the frame. The inning began with back-to-back singles to bring Nohara to the plate. Nohara quickly fell behind in the count before sending a 2-2 offering just inside the right-field foul pole for a three-run homer that put the Aggies back on top, 4-3.

Nebraska got the tying runner on base with one out in the top of the seventh, when junior Nikki Haget singled to extend her hitting streak to a career-high-tying nine games. But a strikeout and a fly out ended any hopes for a Husker comeback.

Nebraska and New Mexico State continue their four-game series on Saturday with a doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m. (Central).

Box Score 2011 Nebraska Softball #14 Nebraska at New Mexico State Mar 18, 2011 at Las Cruces, N.M. (NMSU Softball Cmplx)

Nebraska 3 (21-3)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Haget, Nikki cf.......... 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Foland, Heidi 3b......... 4 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 Edwards, Taylor c........ 2 0 0 0 2 0 8 0 1 Brechtel, Julie 2b....... 3 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 2 Thomason, Brooke rf...... 3 1 2 0 0 0 1 0 1 Edwards, Tatum dp........ 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Guile, Ashley 1b......... 3 0 1 0 0 1 2 0 0 McCann, Morgan pr....... 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Southworth, Megan lf..... 3 0 0 0 0 2 3 0 2 Banda, Gabby ss.......... 3 1 2 3 0 0 1 1 0 Hagemann, Ashley p....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Totals................... 27 3 7 3 2 4 18 4 6

New Mexico State 4 (19-7)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Randall, Kylie rf........ 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 Jones, Kandis cf......... 3 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 Jennings, Tiare lf....... 2 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 Nohara, Hoku 1b.......... 2 2 2 3 1 0 6 1 0 Javillo, Shaleese pr.... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Maroda, Ashley 3b........ 3 0 1 1 0 0 1 5 0 Conrad, Teresa ss........ 3 0 0 0 0 1 2 3 2 Swedberg, Valerie dp..... 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 Kaaihue, Tehani 2b....... 2 0 0 0 0 2 5 0 0 Clifton, Brittany c...... 1 0 0 0 0 1 4 0 0 Olive, Amber ph/c....... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Newman, Alex p........... 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Walker, Celisha p....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals................... 22 4 5 4 2 8 21 9 2

Score by Innings R H E ----------------------------------------- Nebraska............ 000 300 0 - 3 7 0 New Mexico State.... 010 300 X - 4 5 0 -----------------------------------------

DP - Huskers 1. LOB - Huskers 6; Aggies 2. 3B - Nohara(1). HR - Banda(1); Nohara(16). SH - Edwards, Tat(1). SB - Edwards, Tat(2); Banda(2).

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Hagemann, Ashley.... 6.0 5 4 4 2 8 22 24 93

New Mexico State IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Newman, Alex........ 4.1 6 3 3 2 1 18 21 84 Walker, Celisha..... 2.2 1 0 0 0 3 9 9 36

Win - Newman (12-1). Loss - Hagemann (14-2). Save - Walker (2). PB - Clifton(3). Pitches/strikes: Hagemann 93/63; Newman 84/51; Walker 36/25. Umpires - HP: Scott Sparks 1B: Don Baca 3B: Gary Mitchell Start: 3:56 pm Time: 1:57 Attendance: 172 Game: NU24