Huskers Blast Aggies, 16-1

Las Cruces, N.M. - A 12-run fourth inning, fueled by three home runs, powered the 14th-ranked Nebraska softball team to a 16-1, five-inning victory to complete a doubleheader sweep of New Mexico State in Las Cruces, N.M., on Saturday afternoon.

Nebraska led 3-1 before blowing the game wide open with the 12-run inning, where all 12 runs scored with two outs. NU sent 17 batters to the plate in the frame and after the second out was recorded, 12 consecutive Huskers reached base. Eleven of those 12 batters recorded a hit, including a a trio of home runs from freshman Taylor Edwards, senior Heidi Foland and junior Madison Drake.

The Huskers recorded 12 hits in the inning and finished with 18 hits for the second straight game. Nebraska homered four times in the game to score a season-high 16 runs, the Huskers' highest run total since score 21 runs against Illinois in 2006. In the doubleheader sweep, Nebraska scored 23 runs on 36 hits.

Every Husker with an at bat had a hit in the game, including six players producing a multi-hit game for the second straight game. Taylor Edwards, sophomore Brooke Thomason and senior Julie Brechtel each went 3-for-4, while juniors Ashley Guile and Nikki Haget and freshman Tatum Edwards each had two hits apiece. Haget extended her career-long hitting streak to 11 games with a 2-for-4 day.

Eight Huskers produced an RBI, including five multi-RBI efforts. Taylor Edwards, Foland and Drake each produced three RBIs, while Tatum Edwards and Brechtel each drove in two.

Tatum Edwards also earned the win, as Nebraska improved to 23-3 on the season. In 5.0 innings, Edwards allowed only one unearned run on just four hits.

The Aggies used four pitchers for the second straight game. Celisha Walker took the loss, allowing three runs on five hits in 2.2 innings.

For the third straight game, New Mexico State scored first. Nebraska was retired in order in the top of the first before an error, a single and a hit batter gave the Aggies the bases loaded with no outs in the bottom of the frame. Tatum Edwards rebounded to limit the damage, retiring the next three batters and allowing only one run on an RBI ground out.

The Huskers then tied the game in the top of the second. Brechtel led off with a single and was replaced on the basepaths with two outs when Foland reached on a fielder's choice. Foland then stole second and scored on an RBI single from Guile that tied the game at 1-1.

After New Mexico State stranded a pair of runners in the bottom of the frame, Nebraska took its first lead with a two-out rally in the top of the third. Taylor Edwards and Thomason reached on back-to-back two-out singles, before Brechtel doubled to left center to score both runners and give Nebraska a 3-1 lead.

In the bottom of the frame, a leadoff walk, a passed ball and an intentional walk put Aggies at first and second with no outs. Teresa Conrad then line a ball over Thomason's head in right field. Thomason tracked the ball down quickly and threw to Brechtel, who delivered a perfect relay throw to Taylor Edwards at home plate to cut down the runner for the first out. Tatum Edwards then recorded a strikeout and a ground out to keep New Mexico State off the scoreboard.

The Huskers then took control of the game with the explosive fourth inning. Guile reached on a one-out hit batter and Banda joined her with a single. A fielder's choice marked the second out of the inning, before Haget delivered a clutch two-out, RBI single up the middle. That set the stage for Edwards, who blasted a three-run homer to left center that stretched the lead to 7-1.

The rally continued after a New Mexico State pitching change, as Thomason lined the first pitch from Carissa Theis down the left-field line for a double. Brechtel followed with a single, before Tatum Edwards helped herself out with an RBI single. Foland then launched a three-run homer to left that put the Huskers on top 11-1.

Guile kept the rally going with her second hit of the inning - a single - before Banda walked. Drake then hit her first career home run, another three-run shot to left. Nebraska continued to roll when Haget delivered her second hit of the inning, which was followed by a single from Taylor Edwards. Thomason then closed out the scoring and gave Nebraska a 15-1 lead with an RBI single.

After retiring New Mexico State in order in the bottom of the fourth, Tatum Edwards led off the top of the fifth with a solo homer to left to make it 16-1.

Nebraska wraps up its four-game series at New Mexico State with a single game on Sunday at 1 p.m. (Central).

2011 Nebraska Softball #14 Nebraska at New Mexico State (Game 2) Mar 19, 2011 at Las Cruces, N.M. (NMSU Softball Cmplx)

Nebraska 16 (23-3)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Haget, Nikki cf.......... 4 2 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 Edwards, Taylor c........ 4 2 3 3 0 0 5 0 0 Wright, Saige pr........ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Thomason, Brooke rf...... 4 2 3 1 0 0 0 1 0 Brechtel, Julie 2b....... 4 1 3 2 0 0 0 3 2 Edwards, Tatum p......... 4 2 2 2 0 0 1 2 1 Foland, Heidi 3b......... 4 2 1 3 0 0 0 2 0 Guile, Ashley 1b......... 3 1 2 1 0 0 7 0 0 McCann, Morgan pr....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Banda, Gabby ss.......... 3 2 1 0 1 0 2 1 1 Drake, Madison dp........ 3 2 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 Southworth, Megan lf..... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals................... 33 16 18 16 1 0 15 9 4

New Mexico State 1 (19-9)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Randall, Kylie 2b........ 2 1 1 0 0 0 2 1 0 Kaaihue, Tehani ph/2b... 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 Jones, Kandis cf......... 3 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 2 Jennings, Tiare lf....... 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 Nohara, Hoku 1b.......... 2 0 0 0 1 1 8 0 0 Conrad, Teresa ss........ 2 0 1 1 0 0 1 6 0 Maroda, Ashley 3b........ 2 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 2 Ruiz, Alyssa c.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Swedberg, Valerie dp..... 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 Clifton, Brittany c...... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Covarrubia, Kristi ph/3b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Olive, Amber rf.......... 2 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 Walker, Celisha p........ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Newman, Alex p.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Theis, Carissa p........ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Williard, Sydney p...... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals................... 19 1 4 1 2 4 15 9 6

Score by Innings R H E ----------------------------------------- Nebraska............ 012 (12)1 - 16 18 2 New Mexico State.... 100 0 0 - 1 4 0 -----------------------------------------

E - Banda 2(8). DP - Huskers 1. LOB - Huskers 4; Aggies 6. 2B - Thomason(2); Brechtel(5); Conrad(3). HR - Edwards, Tay(11); Edwards, Tat(5); Foland(2); Drake(1). HBP - Guile; Jennings. SB - Foland(6).

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Edwards, Tatum...... 5.0 4 1 0 2 4 19 22 91

New Mexico State IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Walker, Celisha..... 2.2 5 3 3 0 0 13 13 34 Newman, Alex........ 1.0 3 4 4 0 0 6 7 22 Theis, Carissa...... 0.1 9 8 8 1 0 10 11 39 Williard, Sydney.... 1.0 1 1 1 0 0 4 4 17

Win - Edwards, Tat (4-0). Loss - Walker (0-4). Save - None. HBP - by Edwards, Tat (Jennings); by Newman (Guile). PB - Edwards, Tay 2(3). Pitches/strikes: Edwards, Tat 91/63; Walker 34/26; Newman 22/12; Theis 39/22; Williard 17/10. Umpires - Start: 4:05 pm Time: 1:54 Attendance: 277 Game: NU26