Huskers Open Doubleheader with 9-1 Win

Lincoln - The 14th-ranked Nebraska softball team used a six-run fourth inning to cruise to a 9-1, six-inning victory over South Dakota State on Wednesday in game one of a doubleheader at Bowlin Stadium.

With the win, Nebraska improved to 33-9 on the season, including a 29-3 mark against non-conference opponents. The win was the Huskers' eighth in a row outside of conference play and secured the best regular-season winning percentage against non-conference opponents in Husker history. 

Junior right-hander Ashley Hagemann earned the win to improve to 24-8 on the season. Hagemann fired a two-hitter and the only run she allowed scored without the aid of a hit. She added five strikeouts and worked around three walks. 

Offensively, senior Heidi Foland led the Husker offense with a 2-for-3 day that included a double, an RBI and two runs scored. Sophomores Gabby Banda and Brooke Thomason each produced multi-RBI games in the win. Banda finished 1-for-2 with a double, a sacrifice, a run scored and two RBIs, while Thomason went 1-for-3 with a double and two RBIs. Freshman Taylor Edwards hit her 16th home run of the season and produced two RBIs.

Kori Seidlitz (5-17) took the loss for South Dakota State, which fell to 9-36 on the year. In a complete-game effort, Seidlitz allowed nine runs on seven hits, while walking five and striking out four.

Nebraska scored the game's first run in the bottom of the second inning. Foland reached on a one-out single, stole second and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt from Banda. Foland then came home on an illegal pitch.

The Huskers added to their lead with four runs in the bottom of the fourth. Senior Julie Brechtel began the inning with a walk, before junior Ashley Guile doubled to put runners at second and third. Foland then brought Brechtel home with an RBI double. Banda followed with a two-run double that stretched the lead to 4-0. Junior Madison Drake then scored Banda, who had stolen third base the previous pitch, with a sacrifice fly to center.

The inning continued when Haget walked and Taylor Edwards was hit by a pitch. Sophomore Brooke Thomason then capped the six-run inning with a two-run double down the right field line that pushed the Husker lead to 7-0.

After South Dakota State got a run with a sacrifice fly in the top of the fifth, the Huskers closed out the victory in the bottom of the sixth. Haget began the inning with an infield single and quickly advanced to second a wild pitch. Taylor Edwards then launched a game-ending, two-run homer to left field into a stiff wind. The homer moved her into a tie for third on Nebraska's single-season list, while the two RBIs also moved her into a tie for third place in Husker history.

The Huskers will look for a sweep in game two of the doubleheader. 

Box Score 2011 Nebraska Softball South Dakota State at #14 Nebraska (Game 1) Apr 27, 2011 at Lincoln, Neb. (Bowlin Stadium)

South Dakota State 1 (9-36)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Ashley Durazo ss......... 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 0 Devon Reick lf........... 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Allison Huffman 1b....... 2 0 0 0 1 0 8 0 0 Morgan McCabe dp......... 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 3 Emily Weber cf........... 3 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 Marlee Petersen 2b....... 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 Tina Winter 3b........... 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 Greta Stroh rf........... 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 Sammy Bingham c.......... 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 2 0 Kori Seidlitz p.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Totals................... 18 1 2 1 3 5 15 6 4

Nebraska 9 (33-9)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Haget, Nikki cf.......... 2 2 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 Edwards, Taylor dp....... 3 2 1 2 0 2 0 0 0 Thomason, Brooke rf...... 3 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 Brechtel, Julie 2b....... 1 1 0 0 2 0 4 1 1 Guile, Ashley 1b......... 3 1 1 0 0 0 4 0 2 Foland, Heidi 3b......... 3 2 2 1 0 1 0 2 0 Banda, Gabby ss.......... 2 1 1 2 0 0 1 0 0 Wright, Kirby c.......... 1 0 0 0 2 1 5 1 0 McCann, Morgan pr....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Drake, Madison lf........ 2 0 0 1 0 0 4 0 2 Hagemann, Ashley p....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 Totals................... 20 9 7 8 5 4 18 6 5

Score by Innings R H E --------------------------------------- South Dakota State.. 000 010 - 1 2 0 Nebraska............ 010 602 - 9 7 0 ---------------------------------------

LOB - Jackrabbits 4; Huskers 5. 2B - Thomason(3); Guile(5); Foland(8); Banda(7). HR - Edwards, Tay(16). HBP - Haget; Edwards, Tay. SH - Bingham(2); Banda(6). SF - Durazo(2); Drake(1). SB - Foland(9); Banda(4).

South Dakota State IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Kori Seidlitz....... 5.0 7 9 9 5 4 20 29 125

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Hagemann, Ashley.... 6.0 2 1 1 3 5 18 23 99

Win - Hagemann (24-8). Loss - Seidlitz (5-17). Save - None. WP - Seidlitz(11); Hagemann(11). HBP - by Seidlitz (Haget); by Seidlitz (Edwards, Tay). BK - Seidlitz 2(7). PB - Bingham(7). Pitches/strikes: Seidlitz 125/73; Hagemann 99/68. Umpires - HP: Sally Keller 1B: Phil Grom 3B: Doug Keller Start: 3:01 pm Time: 1:48 Attendance: Seidlitz faced 2 batters in the 6th. Game: NU42