Nebraska Run-Rules Ramblers

Stillwater, Okla. - The Nebraska softball team run-ruled Loyola-Chicago, 8-0 in five innings in the first of two games against the Ramblers on Saturday at the Mizuno Classic.

Nebraska produced nine hits in the five-inning victory, scoring five times in the second inning and producing a run in three of its five at bats. The win evened the Huskers' record at 12-12 on the year and gave Nebraska the No. 2 seed for bracket play. NU will face Loyola-Chicago again at approximately 3 p.m. for a spot in Sunday's championship game.

Junior Brooke Thomason led Nebraska's nine-hit attack with a 3-for-3 day that included a pair of RBIs, two runs scored and a stolen base. Senior Madison Drake was 2-for-3 with a double, an RBI and two runs scored. Junior Gabby Banda homered and drove in a pair as part of a 2-for-4 day, while sophomore Taylor Edwards produced a three-run double in her only official at bat and she also walked twice.

Senior right-hander Ashley Hagemann (7-10) earned the win to snap a personal five-game losing streak. In tossing her second shutout of the season, Hagemann scattered five hits and one walk and struck out five.

Brittany Gardner (1-3) took the loss for the Ramblers, who fell to 3-7 on the year. Gardner allowed four runs on three hits in 1.0 inning of work.

The Huskers jumped out to an early 1-0 lead when Banda blasted her third home run of the season two batters into the bottom of the first.

After escaping a bases-loaded jam in the top of the second, the Huskers added to their lead in the bottom of the frame. Junior Courtney Breault began the inning with a walk before freshman Mattie Fowler doubled to put runners at first and third. Thomason then hit a hard ground ball to second that got past Jessica Balzano and into right field for a two-run single.

Leading 3-0, Drake singled and classmate Nikki Haget reached on an error to load the bases with none out. Taylor Edwards then cleared the bases two batter later, ripping a three-run double to the wall in left center to push the lead to 6-0.

The Huskers were then held scoreless over the next two innings before wrapping up the run-rule win with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth. Thomason reached on a one-out single, before Drake brought her home with an RBI double. Then with two outs, Drake scored the game-ending run on an RBI single from Banda.

Box Score 2012 Nebraska Softball Loyola-Chicago vs Nebraska (Game 1) Mar 10, 2012 at Stillwater, Okla. (Cowgirl Stadium)

Loyola-Chicago 0 (3-7)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ ARCENEAUX, Lauren ss..... 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 4 BALZANO, Jessica 2b...... 3 0 1 0 0 0 3 0 0 MOORE, Lauren 3b......... 2 0 1 0 1 0 2 2 0 ANDRESEN, Brooke cf...... 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 SHAFFER, Tarran c........ 2 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 ZAWORSKI, Lauren 1b...... 2 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 2 KORTH, Annie rf.......... 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 CIRAN, Amanda dp......... 2 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 BELL, Olivia lf.......... 2 0 2 0 0 0 3 0 0 GARDNER, Brittany p...... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 STILLSON, Seana p....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 Totals................... 21 0 5 0 1 5 14 5 7

Nebraska 8 (12-12)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Haget, Nikki cf.......... 3 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 Banda, Gabby 3b.......... 4 1 2 2 0 0 1 1 0 Edwards, Taylor c/dp..... 1 0 1 3 2 0 4 0 0 Guile, Ashley 1b......... 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 Edwards, Tatum dp........ 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 Wright, Kirby c......... 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 0 Breault, Courtney 2b..... 1 1 0 0 2 0 0 1 2 Fowler, Mattie ss........ 3 1 1 0 0 0 2 1 0 Thomason, Brooke rf...... 3 2 3 2 0 0 1 0 0 Drake, Madison lf........ 3 2 2 1 0 0 2 0 0 Hagemann, Ashley p....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals................... 23 8 9 8 5 1 15 3 7

Score by Innings R H E -------------------------------------- Loyola-Chicago...... 000 00 - 0 5 1 Nebraska............ 150 02 - 8 9 1 --------------------------------------

Note: 2 outs, 1 runner LOB when the game ended.

E - ARCENEAUX; Fowler(6). LOB - Ramblers 7; Huskers 7. 2B - MOORE; Edwards, Tay(9); Fowler(4); Drake(6). HR - Banda(3). SH - Haget(2). SB - Fowler(2); Thomason(3).

Loyola-Chicago IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- GARDNER, Brittany... 1.0 3 4 4 2 1 6 8 37 STILLSON, Seana..... 3.2 6 4 3 3 0 17 21 80

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Hagemann, Ashley.... 5.0 5 0 0 1 5 21 22 88

Win - Hagemann (7-10). Loss - GARDNER (1-3). Save - None. Pitches/strikes: GARDNER 37/18; STILLSON 80/42; Hagemann 88/55. Umpires - HP: John O'Meilia 1B: Larry Nagel 3B: Terry Holt Start: 9:56 am Time: 1:48 Attendance: GARDNER faced 3 batters in the 2nd. Game: NEB24