Huskers Win 16th Straight Home Game

Lincoln - Freshman Mattie Fowler broke open a scoreless game with a three-run homer in the bottom of the fourth inning to give sophomore right-hander Tatum Edwards all the support she would need in Nebraska's 3-0 victory over Michigan State in game two of Saturday's doubleheader.

The win in the nightcap completed a doubleheader sweep for Nebraska, which improved to 31-18 on the season and moved to 12-5 in Big Ten play. The Huskers also won for the 16th straight time at Bowlin Stadium and improved to 13-0 at home this season.

Edwards was dominant in the circle, firing a five-hit shutout. She added six strikeouts, while walking only one. The shutout was her third of the season and fifth of her career, but her first against a conference opponent.

Cassee Layne (5-13) threw well in a losing effort for Michigan State, which fell to 11-36 on the season and 0-17 in league play. Layne tossed a three-hitter in a complete-game effort.

Neither team could mount much offense until the bottom of the fourth. Senior Ashley Guile drew a leadoff walk and junior Courtney Breault was hit by a one-out pitch. Fowler then launched the very next pitch over the fence in center for a three-run homer.

Michigan State got a runner to third base with two outs in both the third and sixth innings to represent its best scoring chances before the seventh. In the seventh, an error and a single put Spartans on first and second with none out. The runners moved to second and third with one out, but a pair of ground outs preserved the shutout.

Nebraska and Michigan State wrap up their three-game series on Sunday at 1 p.m. in a nationally-televised game on BTN.

Box Score

2012 Nebraska Softball Michigan State at Nebraska (Game 2) Apr 28, 2012 at Lincoln, Neb. (Bowlin Stadium)

Michigan State 0 (11-36,0-17 Big Ten)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Hopkins, Kylene cf....... 3 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 Padilla, Lori lf......... 3 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 1 Bensema, Melanie ph..... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 Grant, Ali 2b............ 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 Bowling, Sarah dp........ 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Sanders, Stephanie rf.... 3 0 2 0 0 1 1 0 0 O'Bryant, Jayme 3b....... 3 0 0 0 0 1 3 1 0 Freimuth, McKinzie 1b.... 3 0 1 0 0 0 7 0 4 Williams, Brett c........ 3 0 0 0 0 1 4 0 0 McBride, Alyssa ss....... 2 0 0 0 0 1 1 2 0 Stoffer, Ellie ph....... 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Layne, Cassee p.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Totals................... 28 0 5 0 1 6 18 4 9

Nebraska 3 (31-18,12-5 Big Ten)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Haget, Nikki cf.......... 3 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 Banda, Gabby 3b.......... 3 0 1 0 0 0 1 3 0 Edwards, Taylor c........ 2 0 0 0 0 0 6 1 0 Thomason, Brooke rf...... 2 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 2 Guile, Ashley 1b......... 1 0 0 0 1 1 7 0 1 Bettiol, Jordan pr...... 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Edwards, Tatum p......... 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 Breault, Courtney 2b..... 1 1 0 0 0 0 4 1 0 Southworth, Megan ph.... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Fowler, Mattie ss........ 3 1 1 3 0 0 2 6 2 Drake, Madison lf........ 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 Hagemann, Ashley dp...... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals................... 20 3 3 3 3 4 21 12 5

Score by Innings R H E ----------------------------------------- Michigan State...... 000 000 0 - 0 5 1 Nebraska............ 000 300 X - 3 3 1 -----------------------------------------

E - Williams, B.(5); Breault(7). LOB - Spartans 9; Huskers 5. HR - Fowler(5). HBP - Bowling, S.; Edwards, Tay; Breault. SH - Guile(2). SB - Edwards, Tay(1).

Michigan State IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Layne, Cassee....... 6.0 3 3 3 3 4 20 26 87

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Edwards, Tatum...... 7.0 5 0 0 1 6 28 30 99

Win - Edwards, Tat (8-4). Loss - Layne, C. (5-13). Save - None. HBP - by Layne, C. (Breault); by Layne, C. (Edwards, Tay); by Edwards, Tat (Bowling, S.). Pitches/strikes: Layne, C. 87/54; Edwards, Tat 99/64. Umpires - HP: Renee Williams 1B: Kevin Killingsworth 3B: Scott Mair Start: 3:48 pm Time: 1:44 Attendance: 1024 Game: NEB49