Huskers Fall 2-0 at Oklahoma State

Stillwater, Okla. - After scoring 16 runs earlier in the day, the Nebraska softball team was no-hit in a 2-0 loss to Oklahoma State in Friday's second game at Cowgirl Stadium.

Oklahoma State starter Kat Espinosa baffled the Husker hitters all night long. She allowed only one base runner - a one-out walk to junior Brooke Thomason in the third inning - and retired the final 14 hitters she faced. Espinosa added seven strikeouts and allowed only one ball to leave the infield all night long.

In a classic pitcher's duel, senior right-hander Ashley Hagemann pitched well for NU, despite losing her fifth straight decision and falling to 6-10 on the year. Hagemann allowed only two balls to leave the infield and gave up just one earned run and only three hits, includin two infield singles. Hagemann struck out 10 on the game, and she finished her complete game by retiring the final seven batters she faced, all via the strikeout.

In a game that featured only three hits, Oklahoma State took advantage of its chances. Neither team had a hit until the third when things went awry for the Huskers. Hagemann walked the No. 9 hitter with one out before a perfectly-placed infield single put runners on first and second. Kelsey Anchors then hit a ground ball to second that Courtney Breault bobbled, recovered then threw low to first and off the glove of Ashley Guile for an error. Tamara Brown then reached on an RBI infield single - a hard-hit one-hopper that ricocheted off third baseman Gabby Banda - to give OSU a 1-0 lead.

With the bases loaded and still only one out, Julie Ward hit a one-hopper to Breault who immediately tagged the base runner for the second out. Breault then got caught up with the runner and flipped the ball to first to try and complete an inning-ending double play and her throw would have been in time, but it popped out of Guile's glove, allowing a second run to score.

That was more than enough support for Espinosa who did not allow a base runner after OSU's two-run third inning. Espinosa improved to 6-3 on the year with the win, as Oklahoma State improved to 11-10. Nebraska fell to 11-12 with the loss, as the Huskers were no hit for the first time since the 2010 NCAA Tournament.

In a change from the original schedule, Nebraska opens Saturday play at the Mizuno Classic at 10 a.m. against Loyola-Chicago. The start time has been moved up an hour due to expected rainy weather in the Stillwater area.

Box Score 2012 Nebraska Softball Nebraska at Oklahoma State Mar 09, 2012 at Stillwater, Okla. (Cowgirl Stadium)

Nebraska 0 (11-12)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Haget, Nikki cf.......... 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 Banda, Gabby 3b.......... 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 Edwards, Taylor c........ 3 0 0 0 0 1 10 0 0 Guile, Ashley 1b......... 3 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 Edwards, Tatum dp........ 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 Breault, Courtney 2b..... 2 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 Fowler, Mattie ss........ 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 Thomason, Brooke rf...... 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 Drake, Madison lf........ 2 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 Hagemann, Ashley p....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Totals................... 21 0 0 0 1 7 18 4 1

Oklahoma State 2 (11-9)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Morrison, Ari 2b......... 3 1 1 0 0 1 2 1 2 Anchors, Kelsey cf....... 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 Brown, Tamara lf......... 3 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 Ward, Julie 1b........... 3 0 0 1 0 1 10 0 0 Garcia, Chelsea ss....... 2 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 2 Davis, Shelby rf......... 2 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 Ettinger, Tarah c........ 3 0 0 0 0 3 7 0 1 Chrisman, Sam dp......... 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 DeLaCruz, Gessenia 3b.... 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 3 0 Espinosa, Kat p.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 Totals................... 21 2 3 2 3 10 21 9 5

Score by Innings R H E ----------------------------------------- Nebraska............ 000 000 0 - 0 0 1 Oklahoma State...... 002 000 X - 2 3 0 -----------------------------------------

E - Breault(4). LOB - Huskers 1; Cowgirls 5. 2B - DeLaCruz, G.. SH - Davis, S..

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Hagemann, Ashley.... 6.0 3 2 1 3 10 21 25 123

Oklahoma State IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Espinosa, Kat....... 7.0 0 0 0 1 7 21 22 105

Win - Espinosa, K. (6-3). Loss - Hagemann (6-10). Save - None. Pitches/strikes: Hagemann 123/80; Espinosa, K. 105/74. Umpires - HP: Rick Boyer 1B: Tracy Avra 3B: Larry Nagel Start: 7:29 pm Time: 1:53 Attendance: Game: NEB23