Huskers Blank UTEP, 8-0 in Six Innings

El Paso, Texas - Junior right-hander Ashley Hagemann tossed a two-hit shutout and freshman twins Tatum and Taylor Edwards each homered to lead the 14th-ranked Nebraska softball team to an 8-0, six-inning victory over UTEP in the first of two games Tuesday afternoon at El Paso, Texas.

Hagemann tossed her sixth shutout of the season, exceeding her career total from her first two seasons combined. In a dominant effort, Hagemann allowed only two singles and did not allow a runner to advance past first base. She added a season-high 12 strikeouts, while improving to 18-2 on the season.

Offensively, each of the Edwards twins homered in Nebraska's five-run sixth inning. Taylor's two-run shot was her 12th of the year, while Tatum's three-run blast four batters later was her seventh of the season.

Senior Julie Brechtel and junior Ashley Guile each produced two hits in the win, as Brechtel was 2-for-2 with an RBI and a pair of walks, while Guile was 2-for-3 with an RBI. Junior Nikki Haget saw her hitting streak end at 12 games with an 0-for-3 day, but she produced an RBI with a sacrifice fly in the fourth inning.

Courtney Auger allowed all eight runs in a losing effort for UTEP. In a complete-game effort, Auger (7-7) allowed only two earned runs, as she was hurt by three Miner errors and seven walks. With the loss, UTEP fell to 15-14 on the season.

Nebraska jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the second. Brechtel worked a leadoff walk and classmate Heidi Foland followed with a single. Brechtel then advanced to third on a throwing error by the catcher. She scored one pitch later when Guile delivered an RBI single up the middle.

The Huskers added another run in the fourth. Guile reached on a one-out single before a walk to sophomore Gabby Banda put runners on first and second. An error then allowed sophomore Megan Southworth to reach and load the bases for Haget, who came through with a sacrifice fly to center to score freshman pinch-runner Morgan McCann and give Nebraska a 2-0 lead.

NU continued to add to its lead in the fifth. Taylor Edwards walked to begin the inning and sophomore Brooke Thomason drew the third baseman in by showing bunt, then slapped a ball over her head for a base hit. With runners on first and second, Brechtel put a bunt down to the left side and it eluded both the pitcher and third baseman for a single. Once the ball got past the circle, there were no Miners behind the play, as Edwards came around to score on the play.

The Huskers had a chance for more with the bases loaded and only one out, but a strikeout and pop out ended the inning.

After scoring the third run of the game, Taylor Edwards made it 5-0 in the sixth inning as she lined a pitch over the wall in left center for a two-run homer that also scored Haget. A walk to Thomason and a single from Brechtel then set the stage for Tatum Edwards, who launched a three-run homer to push the lead to 8-0.

Hagemann then retired the side in order in the bottom of the sixth to wrap up her 18th victory of the season.

Nebraska (25-3) will look for a doubleheader sweep in game two. 

Box Score 2011 Nebraska Softball #14 Nebraska at UTEP (Game 1) Mar 22, 2011 at El Paso, Texas (Helen of Troy Field)

Nebraska 8 (25-3)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Haget, Nikki cf.......... 3 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 Edwards, Taylor c........ 3 2 1 2 1 0 13 1 0 Thomason, Brooke rf...... 2 1 1 0 2 0 0 0 0 Brechtel, Julie 2b....... 2 2 2 1 2 0 1 0 0 Foland, Heidi 3b......... 4 0 1 0 0 1 1 1 2 Edwards, Tatum dp........ 3 1 1 3 1 1 0 0 0 Guile, Ashley 1b......... 3 0 2 1 0 1 1 0 0 McCann, Morgan pr....... 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Banda, Gabby ss.......... 3 0 1 0 1 0 2 1 3 Southworth, Megan lf..... 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 Hagemann, Ashley p....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Totals................... 27 8 9 8 7 3 18 4 10

UTEP 0 (15-14)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Troupe, Chelsea ss/dp.... 2 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 2 Walts, Kayleigh c........ 3 0 0 0 0 2 5 0 1 Black, Kayla 3b.......... 3 0 0 0 0 2 2 1 0 Ramos, Laura 1b.......... 3 0 0 0 0 3 3 0 1 Smith, Becky cf.......... 1 0 0 0 1 1 2 1 0 Moore, Kia rf............ 2 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 Ware, Courtney lf........ 2 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 Oranger, Kayla 2b........ 2 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 Herrera, Camille dp/ss... 1 0 0 0 1 1 2 0 0 Auger, Courtney p........ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Totals................... 19 0 2 0 2 12 18 4 4

Score by Innings R H E --------------------------------------- Nebraska............ 010 115 - 8 9 0 UTEP................ 000 000 - 0 2 3 ---------------------------------------

E - Walts; Black; Oranger. LOB - Huskers 10; Miners 4. HR - Edwards, Tay(12); Edwards, Tat(7). HBP - Guile; Troupe. SF - Haget(2). SB - Brechtel(1). CS - Smith.

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Hagemann, Ashley.... 6.0 2 0 0 2 12 19 22 90

UTEP IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Auger, Courtney..... 6.0 9 8 2 7 3 27 36 135

Win - Hagemann (18-2). Loss - Auger (7-7). Save - None. HBP - by Hagemann (Troupe); by Auger (Guile). PB - Walts. Pitches/strikes: Hagemann 90/62; Auger 135/73. Umpires - Start: 3:00 pm Time: 1:55 Attendance: Game: NU28