Huskers Drop Season Opener to No. 12 Washington

Tempe, Ariz. - The 20th-ranked Nebraska softball team ran into a determined Kaitlyn Inglesby in Thursday's season opener, as Inglesby led No. 12 Washington to a 4-0 victory at the Kajikawa Classic in Tempe, Ariz.

Inglesby (1-0) tossed a two-hit shutout in the circle and went 2-for-3 with a homer and three RBIs at the plate, as Washington out-hit the Huskers, 5-2. Senior right-hander Ashley Hagemann (0-1) took the loss for Nebraska, allowing four runs on five hits in a complete-game effort. After allowing five walks, four hits and one hit batter to the first 14 batters she faced, Hagemann settled down and retired eight of her final nine batters.

Offensively for Nebraska, sophomore All-American Taylor Edwards and senior Madison Drake recorded the Huskers' lone hits. Edwards was 1-for-2 with a double and a walk, while Drake was 1-for-3 with a single. Senior Ashley Guile also reached base via a walk.

The Huskers made Inglesby work in the top of the first, forcing her to throw 27 pitches before stranding runners at first and second. Washington was then in jeopardy of stranding a runner at third in the bottom of the frame, before Inglesby blasted a 3-2 offering over the fence in left center for a two-out, two-run home run.

Inglesby then retired the Huskers in order in the second and third before producing again in her second turn at the plate. After Hagemann walked two of the first three batters to begin the bottom of the third, Inglesby delivered an RBI single through the left side to push Washington's lead to 3-0. Then with two outs, Taylor Smith produced another RBI single to make it 4-0.

Hagemann continued to struggle with her control in the fourth, issuing two walks and hitting a batter to load the bases with only one out for Nikia Williams, the Huskies' No. 3 hitter. But Hagemann bounced back, getting Williams to hit a ground ball to second before retiring Inglesby for the first time on a fly ball to deep left field.

Drake then picked up the Huskers' first hit of the season in the top of the fifth, lining a 1-2 pitch into center field for a one-out single. One inning later, Taylor Edwards delivered a one-out double, but the Huskers were unable to capitalize on either opportunity.

Nebraska returns to action tomorrow, facing No. 8 Arizona and Idaho State at the Kajikawa Classic. Play is scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. (Central) with first pitch between the Huskers and Wildcats.

Box Score 2012 Nebraska Softball #20 Nebraska vs #12 Washington Feb 09, 2012 at Tempe, Ariz. (Tempe Sports Cmplx)

Nebraska 0 (0-1)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Haget, Nikki 2b.......... 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 1 Fowler, Mattie 3b........ 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 Edwards, Taylor c........ 2 0 1 0 1 0 4 0 0 Guile, Ashley 1b......... 2 0 0 0 1 1 4 1 0 Edwards, Tatum dp........ 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 Thomason, Brooke rf...... 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 Banda, Gabby ss.......... 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Breault, Courtney ph.... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Drake, Madison lf........ 3 0 1 0 0 2 2 0 0 Bettiol, Jordan cf....... 2 0 0 0 0 1 3 0 0 Hagemann, Ashley p....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Totals................... 24 0 2 0 2 5 18 6 5

Washington 4 (1-0)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Pohlman, Kimi cf......... 1 2 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 Souza, Kimberlee ss...... 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 1 Williams, Nikia dp....... 2 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 Inglesby, Kaitlin p...... 3 1 2 2 0 0 0 0 3 Creger-Zier, Marki pr... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Fagaly, Hooch 1b......... 3 0 0 0 0 1 13 0 0 Smith, Taylor lf......... 2 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 Clifton, Jenna ph....... 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Lahners, Kylee 2b........ 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 4 2 Wright, Shawna c......... 2 0 2 0 1 0 5 0 0 Suguro, Kelli pr........ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Jones, Whitney rf........ 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Hayward, Victoria rf.... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Gano, Courtney 3b........ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 0 Totals................... 22 4 5 3 5 2 21 13 7

Score by Innings R H E ----------------------------------------- Nebraska............ 000 000 0 - 0 2 0 Washington.......... 202 000 X - 4 5 1 -----------------------------------------

E - Lahners, K.(1). LOB - Huskers 5; Huskies 7. 2B - Edwards, Tay(1); Wright, S.(1). HR - Inglesby, K.(1). HBP - Souza, K.. SH - Souza, K.(1). SB - Jones, W.(1).

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Hagemann, Ashley.... 6.0 5 4 4 5 2 22 29 120

Washington IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Inglesby, Kaitlin... 7.0 2 0 0 2 5 24 26 95

Win - Inglesby, K. (1-0). Loss - Hagemann (0-1). Save - None. HBP - by Hagemann (Souza, K.). Pitches/strikes: Hagemann 120/63; Inglesby, K. 95/63. Umpires - HP: Tony Cooper 1B: Eric Hawthorne 3B: Edward cooper Start: 2:59 pm Time: 2:07 Attendance: 100 Weather: 72 degrees & sunny Game: livegame