Huskers Run-Rule Idaho State

Tempe, Ariz. - A nine-run fourth inning propelled the 20th-ranked Nebraska softball team to its second come-from-behind victory on Friday, as the Huskers used the big inning to post a 12-4, five-inning victory over Idaho State at the Kajikawa Classic.

The Huskers, who trailed 4-0, recorded nine hits in their big fourth inning, recording seven consecutive hits with two outs, including three doubles. The big fourth inning against Idaho State came after Nebraska scored five times in the fourth inning earlier Friday en route to erasing a six-run deficit and posting an 11-10 win over No. 8 Arizona.

Sophomore Tatum Edwards (1-0) earned the win in relief of freshman Mattie Fowler. Edwards worked only 1.0 inning, allowing no runs. Fowler surrendered four runs in 2.0 innings, while senior Ashley Hagemann worked the final 2.0 innings and did not allow a hit and struck out five.

Offensively, Nebraska pounded out 14 hits. Four Huskers had multi-hit games, led by junior Gabby Banda who went 3-for-4 with three RBIs. Classmate Brooke Thomason was 2-for-2 with two RBIs, while sophomore Taylor Edwards went 2-for-3 with a pair of RBIs. Senior Ashley Guilled added two hits, a double and two runs scored.

Kelsi Ott took the loss for Idaho State, which fell to 1-2 on the season. Ott allowed nine runs on 10 hits in 3.2 innings.

After Nebraska missed a scoring chance in the top of the second inning, a leadoff single and a pair of two-out walks gave Idaho State a threat in the bottom of the frame. Amanda Fitzsimmons came through with a two-run single that gave the Bengals a 2-0 lead.

The Huskers had a chance to answer an inning later, as freshman Jordan Bettiol walked and senior Nikki Haget singled to put runners on first and second with none out. Both runners moved up on a ground out from Fowler, before shortstop Hailey Breakwell went to a knee to field a hard-hit grounder off the bat of Taylor Edwards and senior Ashley Guile grounded out.

Idaho State struck again in the bottom of the third. A single, a walk and a pair of wild pitches gave the Bengals a 3-0 lead. An RBI groundout then made it 4-0.

Nebraska continued to get baserunners and finally broke through in a big way in the top of the fourth. Thomason reached on a one-out, Banda followed with a single and senior Madison Drake worked a walk to load the bases. Bettiol was then hit by a pitch to score Thomason with the Huskers' first run.

Haget followed with a single through the right side to cut the lead to 4-3, before Taylor Edwards delivered a two-out, two-run, ground-rule double to put Nebraska on top 5-4. Guile then added a double of her own to make it 6-4. After a single from Tatum Edwards, Thomason doubled to left center to score Guile and make it 7-4. Banda then added a two-run single to cap the nine-run inning.

The Huskers continued to score in the fifth. Taylor Edwards worked a one-out walk, Guile followed with a single and Tatum Edwards walked to load the bases. Thomason was then hit by a pitch, before Banda produced an RBI single to make it 11-4. Junior Megan Southworth then pinch hit and recorded an RBI ground out to bring the run-rule into effect.

Hagemann then closed out the run-rule victory by retiring the side in order in the bottom of the frame, with help from a catch from Bettiol up against the fence in center.

Nebraska (2-1) returns to action tomorrow with a pair of games at the Kajikawa Classic. The Huskers begin action at 10 a.m. (Central) against Cal State Northridge.

Box Score 2012 Nebraska Softball #20 Nebraska vs Idaho State Feb 10, 2012 at Tempe, Ariz. (Tempe Sports Cmplx)

Nebraska 12 (2-1)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Haget, Nikki 2b.......... 3 1 2 2 1 0 0 1 3 Fowler, Mattie p/3b...... 4 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 Edwards, Taylor 3b/dp.... 3 2 2 2 1 0 6 2 0 Guile, Ashley 1b......... 4 2 2 1 0 0 4 0 3 Edwards, Tatum dp/p...... 2 2 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 Thomason, Brooke rf...... 2 2 2 2 1 0 0 0 0 Banda, Gabby ss.......... 4 1 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 Drake, Madison lf........ 2 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 Southworth, Megan ph/lf. 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 Bettiol, Jordan cf....... 2 1 1 1 1 0 1 0 2 Wright, Kirby c.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 Hagemann, Ashley p...... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals................... 27 12 14 12 6 2 15 4 9

Idaho State 4 (1-2)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Fitzsimmons, Amanda 1b... 3 0 2 2 0 1 9 1 0 Simonsen, Becky 2b....... 1 0 0 0 2 0 1 4 2 Breakwell, Hailey ss..... 3 1 1 0 0 1 2 2 1 Galasso, Vicky c......... 2 1 0 0 1 1 2 1 1 Hancock, Courtney lf..... 3 1 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 Lopez, Gabby dp.......... 2 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 Dial, Courtney cf........ 2 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 Garrett, Shaundee 3b..... 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 Moeller, Ashley rf....... 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 Ott, Kelsi p............. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 Douglas, Haley p........ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals................... 18 4 4 3 6 8 15 12 5

Score by Innings R H E -------------------------------------- Nebraska............ 000 93 - 12 14 0 Idaho State......... 022 00 - 4 4 1 --------------------------------------

E - Fitzsimmons. DP - Huskers 1. LOB - Huskers 9; Bengals 5. 2B - Edwards, Tay(3); Guile(1); Thomason(1). HBP - Edwards, Tat; Thomason; Bettiol. CS - Haget(1).

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Fowler, Mattie...... 2.0 4 4 4 4 2 9 13 47 Edwards, Tatum...... 1.0 0 0 0 1 1 3 4 13 Hagemann, Ashley.... 2.0 0 0 0 1 5 6 7 36

Idaho State IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Ott, Kelsi.......... 3.2 10 9 9 4 1 19 25 92 Douglas, Haley...... 1.1 4 3 3 2 1 8 11 42

Win - Edwards, Tat (1-0). Loss - Ott (). Save - None. WP - Edwards, Tat 2(2); Ott 2. HBP - by Ott (Edwards, Tat); by Ott (Bettiol); by Douglas (Thomason). Pitches/strikes: Fowler 47/24; Edwards, Tat 13/8; Hagemann 36/20; Ott 92/49; Douglas 42/23. Umpires - Start: 10:00 pm Time: 2:10 Attendance: 50 Fowler faced 2 batters in the 3rd. Game: NEB3