NU Loses Seventh-Inning Lead at No. 20 Baylor

Waco, Texas - The 14th-ranked Nebraska softball team suffered another frustrating conference loss on Saturday, as No. 20 Baylor scored twice in the bottom of the seventh inning to rally for a 2-1 walk-off win over the Huskers.

Nebraska had broken a scoreless tie on an RBI double from senior Julie Brechtel in the top of the seventh inning. But the Lady Bears rallied in the bottom of the frame. With runners on first and second and only one out, Dani Leal hit a hard ground ball past sophomore shortstop Gabby Banda. That allowed the tying run to score and the Husker outfield then had trouble controlling the ball, committing an error that allowed Kathy Shelton to score the game-winning run all the way from first base.

The loss marked the second time in Big 12 play this season that Nebraska was unable to hold onto a lead in the opponent's final at bat. The Huskers have also dropped their last two conference games, with both games entering the seventh inning in a scoreless tie. With the loss, Nebraska fell to 35-11 on the season and 5-8 in league play.

Junior right-hander Ashley Hagemann (25-10) took the loss. In 6.1 innings, Hagemann allowed two runs (one earned) on seven hits. She added four strikeouts and walked five. Whitney Canion (22-9) earned the win for Baylor, which improved to 38-12 overall and 9-7 in conference action. Canion allowed one run on five hits in a complete-game effort.

Offensively, the Huskers were held to only five hits, but Nebraska had numerous scoring chances throughout the game. NU stranded nine base runners, had a runner thrown out at the plate and had another runner picked off. The Huskers were just 2-for-16 in the game with runners on base. Brechtel finished 1-for-3 with a double, an RBI and a hit-by-pitch, while junior Nikki Haget was 1-for-3 and scored Nebraska's lone run.

The first of Nebraska's many scoring chances came in the top of the third inning, when the first two Huskers reached on Baylor errors, before being stranded at second and third with only one out. NU stranded another runner in scoring position in the fourth, before leaving the bases loaded in the fifth. The Huskers had two more runners on base in the sixth before a pick-off ended another threat.

Nebraska finally broke through in the top of the seventh. Haget reached on a one-out infield single before freshman Taylor Edwards hit a chopper to short. The Baylor shortstop glanced at second base before throwing to first, and her hesitation allowed Edwards to reach base safely. Brechtel then ripped a 2-2 pitch to the gap in right center for an RBI double. Haget came around to score on the play and Edwards attempted to score from first but was thrown out at the plate. Brechtel was then stranded on third on Canion's ninth and final strikeout of the day.

The missed opportunity to add to the lead cost the Huskers in the bottom of the frame. A leadoff walk and a single put Lady Bears at first and second with none out. Hagemann bounced back to retire the next hitter on a foul out before Leal's RBI single turned into the game-winning hit.

The Huskers and Lady Bears wrap up their two-game series on Sunday at Noon. 

Box Score 2011 Nebraska Softball #14 Nebraska at #20 Baylor May 07, 2011 at Waco, Texas (Getterman Stadium)

Nebraska 1 (35-11,5-8 Big 12)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Haget, Nikki cf.......... 3 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 Edwards, Taylor c........ 3 0 0 0 1 1 4 2 0 Brechtel, Julie 2b....... 3 0 1 1 0 1 0 2 2 Edwards, Tatum dp........ 4 0 1 0 0 3 0 0 4 Guile, Ashley 1b......... 2 0 0 0 1 0 7 0 0 Thomason, Brooke rf...... 3 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 Foland, Heidi 3b......... 3 0 0 0 0 1 4 2 2 Banda, Gabby ss.......... 2 0 1 0 1 0 3 3 0 Drake, Madison lf........ 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 Hagemann, Ashley p....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals................... 26 1 5 1 3 9 19 9 9

Baylor 2 (38-12,9-7 Big 12)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Shelton, Kathy cf........ 3 1 2 0 1 0 0 1 0 Walker, Kayce rf......... 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Leal, Dani ss............ 2 0 2 1 2 0 1 0 0 Turk, Megan 3b........... 3 0 0 0 0 1 3 2 5 Holl, Holly 1b........... 3 0 2 0 0 1 4 0 0 Robertson, Makenzie pr/1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Freeland, KJ 2b.......... 2 0 0 0 1 0 3 1 0 Hosack, Clare c.......... 3 0 0 0 0 1 10 1 0 Canion, Whitney p........ 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 Redfearn, Shelbi lf...... 2 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 2 Vasquez, Alicia dp....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals................... 24 2 7 1 5 4 21 6 9

Score by Innings R H E ----------------------------------------- Nebraska............ 000 000 1 - 1 5 2 Baylor.............. 000 000 2 - 2 7 2 -----------------------------------------

Note: 1 out, 1 runner LOB when the game ended.

E - Haget(2); Drake(1); Holl; Canion. LOB - Huskers 9; Lady Bears 9. 2B - Brechtel(8). HBP - Brechtel. SH - Haget(5); Walker. SB - Edwards, Tay(2); Edwards, Tat(6); Banda(5); Redfearn. CS - Shelton.

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Hagemann, Ashley.... 6.1 7 2 1 5 4 24 30 128

Baylor IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Canion, Whitney..... 7.0 5 1 1 3 9 26 31 127

Win - Canion (22-9). Loss - Hagemann (25-10). Save - None. HBP - by Canion (Brechtel). Pitches/strikes: Hagemann 128/76; Canion 127/83. Umpires - HP: Rodney Roth 1B: Wyman Stephens 3B: Jay Grigsby Start: 1:57 pm Time: 2:09 Attendance: Game: NU49