Huskers Drop First Game on Saturday

Cathedral City, Calif. - Nothing went right defensively for the 22nd-ranked Nebraska softball team against Cal Poly on Saturday, as the Mustangs scored 14 times in a 14-7 victory over the Huskers.

Cal Poly, which had scored nine total runs in its first six games, exploded for the most runs against Nebraska since 1997. The Mustangs had 11 hits in the game, including seven with runners on base.

Cal Poly jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the second inning and scored 11 runs over the first three frames, leading by as many as 10 runs. The Huskers helped the Mustangs with five walks and three hit batters over the first three innings, while Cal Polyl produced a two-out, two-run single in the first inning, then had a three-run, two-out double in the second and a two-out, three-run homer in the third. Eight of the Mustangs' first 11 runs scored with two outs.

Nebraska plated its first run in the bottom of the second on an RBI double from Thomason, but the Huskers stranded runners on second and third with only one out. Cal Poly then scored three times in the fourth to take an 11-1 lead.

The Huskers began chipping away at the lead in the bottom of the frame. After the first two batters were retired, sophomore Taylor Edwards and Guile reached on back-to-back singles. Tatum Edwards and Thomason then followed with back-to-back doubles for the second straight inning, with Edwards scoring two with her hit and Thomason driving home run to cut the lead to 11-4.

The Mustangs plated two more runs in the top of the fourth on an RBI double and a Husker error.

Trailing 13-4, Nebraska again tried to chip away at the lead in the bottom of the fourth.  Freshman Mattie Fowler began the frame with a single and junior Courtney Breault followed with another single. Then with runners at second and third with one out, Banda ripped a two-run triple just inside the first-base bag. Taylor Edwards followed with an RBI double to trim the lead to six.

Senior right-hander Ashley Hagemann then entered the game and kept the Mustangs hitless until a two-out solo home run from Madi Vogelsang, her second home run of the day. Meanwhile Nebraska's offense was unable to figure out Chloe Wurst, Cal Poly's third pitcher of the game. Wurst (1-2) earned the victory by tossing a scoreless 3.2 innings, allowing only two hits.

Nebraska's offense produced more hits than Cal Poly, out-hitting the Mustangs 12-11. Every Husker who had an at bat recorded at least one hit, including multi-hit efforts from the Edwards twins and Thomason. Tatum Edwards and Thomason each produced a pair of doubles and two RBIs, while Banda added two RBIs of her own and Nebraska's only triple of the season.

Tatum Edwards (4-2) took the loss, earning the start and allowing six runs on three hits. Senior right-hander Haley Workman worked the middle 3.0 innings, allowing seven runs on seven hits.

The Huskers (8-5) close Saturday play at the Cathedral City Classic against 11th-ranked Missouri.

2012 Nebraska Softball Cal Poly vs #22 Nebraska Feb 25, 2012 at Cathedral City, CA (Big League Dreams)

Cal Poly 14 (1-5)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Sobczak, Nora cf/lf...... 4 1 1 0 1 0 2 0 0 Andersen, Jillian lf..... 4 1 1 0 0 1 2 0 1 Gerhart, Whitley lf/cf.. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Ceccacci, Emily 2b/dp.... 2 3 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 Vogelsang, Madi 1b....... 2 4 2 4 0 0 8 0 0 Ramirez, Alex pr........ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Romano, Ashley ss........ 5 2 2 1 0 0 2 1 0 Lund, Nicole rf.......... 3 1 1 4 0 1 0 0 0 Brown, Cami rf.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Williams, Shea 3b........ 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 Westlund, Kim ph/3b..... 3 1 2 1 0 0 2 1 2 Cochiolo, Mariah c....... 4 1 2 3 0 0 3 0 1 Lafrades, Celina dp/2b... 3 0 0 0 1 0 1 3 2 Yates, Jordan p.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 Patton, Rebecca p....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Wurst, Chloe p.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals................... 31 14 11 13 5 3 21 7 6

Nebraska 7 (8-5)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Haget, Nikki 2b/cf....... 4 0 1 0 0 0 3 0 0 Banda, Gabby 3b.......... 4 1 1 2 0 1 1 5 0 Edwards, Taylor dp/c..... 4 1 2 1 0 0 2 0 0 Guile, Ashley 1b......... 3 2 1 0 0 1 7 0 1 Edwards, Tatum p/dp...... 4 1 2 2 0 0 0 0 1 Thomason, Brooke rf...... 3 0 2 2 0 0 3 0 0 Drake, Madison lf........ 4 0 1 0 0 1 2 0 1 Fowler, Mattie ss........ 3 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 Bettiol, Jordan cf....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Breault, Courtney 2b.... 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 Wright, Kirby c.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 Workman, Haley p........ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Hagemann, Ashley p...... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Totals................... 32 7 12 7 0 3 21 8 6

Score by Innings R H E ----------------------------------------- Cal Poly............ 443 200 1 - 14 11 0 Nebraska............ 013 300 0 - 7 12 2 -----------------------------------------

E - Edwards, Tay(3); Thomason(1). DP - Mustangs 1. LOB - Mustangs 6; Huskers 6. 2B - Lund; Cochiolo; Edwards, Tay(5); Edwards, Tat 2(3); Thomason 2(6). 3B - Banda(1). HR - Vogelsang 2. HBP - Vogelsang 3; Lund; Guile; Thomason. SH - Andersen. SB - Lafrades.

Cal Poly IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Yates, Jordan....... 2.2 6 4 4 0 0 14 15 52 Patton, Rebecca..... 0.2 4 3 3 0 1 6 6 17 Wurst, Chloe........ 3.2 2 0 0 0 2 12 13 29

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Edwards, Tatum...... 1.1 3 6 6 3 2 6 12 41 Workman, Haley...... 3.0 7 7 7 2 0 16 20 74 Hagemann, Ashley.... 2.2 1 1 1 0 1 9 9 34

Win - Wurst (1-2). Loss - Edwards, Tat (4-2). Save - None. WP - Edwards, Tat(3); Workman(1). HBP - by Edwards, Tat (Vogelsang); by Edwards, Tat (Lund); by Workman (Vogelsang); by Yates (Guile); by Workman (Vogelsang); by Wurst (Thomason). PB - Cochiolo. Pitches/strikes: Yates 52/29; Patton 17/12; Wurst 29/22; Edwards, Tat 41/19; Workman 74/40; Hagemann 34/24. Umpires - Start: 1:56 pm Time: 2:27 Attendance: 125 Game: NEB13