Sacrifice Fly Lifts Lady Bears Past Huskers

Waco, Texas - It was a case of same story, different day for the 14th-ranked Nebraska softball team in a 1-0 loss at No. 20 Baylor on Sunday afternoon.

For the third straight game, Nebraska entered the seventh inning in a scoreless tie only to see the opponent claim a victory. After Baylor scored twice in the bottom of the seventh inning to rally for a 2-1 victory over the Huskers on Saturday, the Lady Bears had another walk-off win on Sunday. The hero on Sunday was Shelbi Redfearn, who fouled off nine total pitches - including five with two strikes - before lifting the 16th pitch of her at bat to right field for a game-winning sacrifice fly.

In a pitching-dominated game, each team had only one hit through the first five innings and Baylor had the only runner to advance past first base.

The game's first real scoring chance came in the top of the seventh. Senior Julie Brechtel reached on a leadoff walk. After a failed bunt attempt, a single from sophomore Brooke Thomason put Huskers on first and second with only one out. Freshman Tatum Edwards then stepped to the plate and launched a towering fly ball down the left field line. The ball carried well over the fence, but the wind pushed it just a few feet foul. Edwards then grounded out to move the runners to second and third before senior Heidi Foland struck out following a 12-pitch at bat.

Just a few feet from leading 3-0, Baylor's Megan Turk then ripped the first pitch of the bottom of the seventh inning into the left field corner and past a diving Madison Drake for a leadoff double. The Huskers then intentionally walked the next batter before Baylor popped up a bunt attempt. With one out, a wild pitch moved the runners to second and third before another walk loaded the bases. Hagemann then threw strike after strike to Redfearn, who kept fouling off pitches. After fouling off nine pitches, Redfearn lifted a 3-2 offering to right field on the 16th pitch of her at bat and Megan Turk easily tagged up and scored from third for the game's only run.

The win was Baylor's fourth straight walk-off victory at home against a Big 12 Conference opponent this season. With the win, the Lady Bears improved to 39-12 on the season and 10-7 in league play. Whitney Canion tossed a two-hit shutout and struck out seven to improve to 23-9 on the year.

Junior right-hander Ashley Hagemann was the hard-luck loser again for Nebraska. Hagemann took a shutout into the seventh inning for the fourth straight game, but dropped her third straight decision to fall to 25-11 on the season. Hagemann fired a three-hitter, allowing one run in 6.2 innings, while striking out eight.

Offensively for NU, Thomason went 2-for-3, recording both of the Huskers' hits. Brechtel and Tatum Edwards each drew one walk, while Brechtel was also hit by a pitch.

With the loss, the Huskers fell to 35-12 overall and 5-9 in conference play. Nebraska opens a busy final week of the regular season on Tuesday, when the Huskers host Iowa State on Tuesday at 5 p.m. 

Box Score 2011 Nebraska Softball #14 Nebraska at #20 Baylor May 08, 2011 at Waco, Texas (Getterman Stadium)

Nebraska 0 (35-12,10-7 Big 12)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Haget, Nikki cf.......... 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Edwards, Taylor c........ 3 0 0 0 0 1 11 0 0 Brechtel, Julie 2b....... 1 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 0 Guile, Ashley 1b......... 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 Wright, Saige pr........ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Thomason, Brooke rf...... 3 0 2 0 0 0 2 0 1 Edwards, Tatum dp........ 2 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 Foland, Heidi 3b......... 3 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 3 Banda, Gabby ss.......... 2 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 Drake, Madison lf........ 2 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 Hagemann, Ashley p....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 Totals................... 22 0 2 0 2 7 20 3 4

Baylor 1 (39-12,5-9 Big 12)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Shelton, Kathy cf........ 3 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 Walker, Kayce rf......... 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 Leal, Dani ss............ 2 0 0 0 1 2 2 0 0 Holl, Holly 1b........... 3 0 0 0 0 1 3 1 2 Turk, Megan 3b........... 3 1 1 0 0 2 2 0 0 Freeland, KJ 2b.......... 2 0 0 0 1 1 4 0 0 Hosack, Clare c.......... 3 0 0 0 0 0 7 2 0 Canion, Whitney p........ 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 3 0 Robertson, Makenzie pr.. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Redfearn, Shelbi lf...... 2 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 Vasquez, Alicia dp....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals................... 22 1 3 1 3 8 21 6 6

Score by Innings R H E ----------------------------------------- Nebraska............ 000 000 0 - 0 2 1 Baylor.............. 000 000 1 - 1 3 1 -----------------------------------------

Note: 2 outs, 2 runners LOB when the game ended.

E - Guile(3); Canion. LOB - Huskers 4; Lady Bears 6. 2B - Turk. HBP - Brechtel; Canion. SF - Redfearn. SB - Walker; Leal. CS - Haget(3).

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Hagemann, Ashley.... 6.2 3 1 1 3 8 22 27 119

Baylor IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Canion, Whitney..... 7.0 2 0 0 2 7 22 25 102

Win - Canion (23-9). Loss - Hagemann (25-11). Save - None. WP - Hagemann(12). HBP - by Hagemann (Canion); by Canion (Brechtel). Pitches/strikes: Hagemann 119/77; Canion 102/68. Umpires - HP: Wyman Stephens 1B: Jay Grigsby 3B: Rodney Roth Start: 11:59 am Time: 1:57 Attendance: Game: NU47