Huskers Cruise to Sixth Straight Win

Tucson, Ariz. - An early-morning start did nothing to slow the Husker offense, as a five-run first inning powered the Nebraska softball team to a 7-0 victory over Southern Utah in the first of two games on Friday in Tucson, Ariz.

The win moved Nebraska to 6-0 on the year, as NU has opened a season with six straight wins for the first time since 2003. The Huskers will put that streak on the line at 5 p.m. (Central) against 16th-ranked Arizona.

Against the Thunderbirds, Nebraska excelled in all phases of the game. In the circle, freshman right-hander Emily Lockman tossed her first career shutout and Nebraska's second straight as a team. Lockman (1-0) tossed a four-hitter - all singles - and retired 19 of the game's final 21 batters. She struck out three and did not walk a batter.

Offensively, freshman Hailey Decker hit a two-run homer, and classmate Kiki Stokes finished 3-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored. Junior Taylor Edwards went 1-for-2 with a double, a sacrifice fly, two RBIs, a walk and a run scored. Senior Brooke Thomason and junior Kylee Muir added Nebraska's other two RBIs. Freshman Dawna Tyson reached base in each of her three plate appearances, singling and being hit by a pair of pitches.

After Nebraska turned an inning-ending double play to escape a two-on, one-out jam in the top of the first, the Huskers plated five runs in the bottom of the frame. Stokes led off with a single and advanced to second on an illegal pitch, before senior Gabby Banda was hit by a pitch. Taylor Edwards then ripped an RBI double off the wall in center, before Thomason brought Banda home with an RBI ground out.

Muir made it 3-0 with a sharp RBI single to right field before Decker blasted the first pitch she saw for a two-run homer to center. The Huskers went on to load the bases with two outs on a pair of walks and a hit batter, but had to settle for a five-run inning as a fly out ended the frame.

The Huskers extended the lead to 7-0 in the bottom of the third.  Tyson began the frame with a hit-by-pitch, before Stokes joined her on the basepaths with a one-out, infield single. Banda then scored Tyson with an RBI single, before Taylor Edwards brought Stokes home with a sacrifice fly.

Nebraska's offense was shut down from that point by relief pitcher Ashley Ostler. But Lockman needed no more support, as the right-hander allowed only two base runners over the final 6.0 innings.

Southern Utah fell to 1-5 with the defeat. Danielle Axe (0-2) took the loss, allowing seven runs on seven hits in 3.0 innings.

Box Score

2013 Nebraska Softball Southern Utah vs Nebraska Feb 15, 2013 at Tucson, Ariz. (Hillenbrand Stadium)

Southern Utah 0 (1-5)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Wolf, Kylee cf........... 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Olinger, Katie c......... 3 0 1 0 0 0 3 0 0 Griffin, Mikkel rf....... 3 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 Bryant, Kelsey 1b........ 3 0 1 0 0 0 6 0 1 Henderson, Kadi 3b....... 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 Dyer, Terysa lf.......... 3 0 0 0 0 1 6 0 1 Resley, Madison dp....... 2 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 Nielson, Meagan 2b....... 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 Hales, Kelli ss.......... 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 0 Axe, Danielle p.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Ostler, Ashley p........ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals................... 24 0 4 0 0 3 18 6 3

Nebraska 7 (6-0)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Stokes, Kiki cf.......... 3 2 3 0 1 0 1 1 0 Banda, Gabby 3b.......... 3 1 1 1 0 0 4 2 4 Edwards, Taylor c........ 2 1 1 2 1 1 2 0 0 Thomason, Brooke rf...... 4 0 1 1 0 0 3 0 1 Muir, Kylee dp........... 3 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 Southworth, Megan lf.... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Decker, Hailey 2b........ 3 1 1 2 0 1 2 3 0 Armstrong, Alicia ss..... 3 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 2 Tyson, Dawna 1b.......... 1 1 1 0 0 0 6 0 0 Bettiol, Jordan lf....... 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 Noland, Sammi c......... 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Lockman, Emily p......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Totals................... 25 7 9 7 3 3 21 8 7

Score by Innings R H E ----------------------------------------- Southern Utah....... 000 000 0 - 0 4 2 Nebraska............ 502 000 X - 7 9 0 -----------------------------------------

E - Griffin; Ostler. DP - Thunderbirds 1; Huskers 1. LOB - Thunderbirds 3; Huskers 7. 2B - Edwards, Tay(3). HR - Decker(2). HBP - Banda; Tyson 2. SF - Edwards, Tay(1). SB - Banda(1).

Southern Utah IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Axe, Danielle....... 3.0 7 7 7 3 1 15 22 77 Ostler, Ashley...... 3.0 2 0 0 0 2 10 10 47

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Lockman, Emily...... 7.0 4 0 0 0 3 24 24 78

Win - Lockman (2-0). Loss - Axe (0-2). Save - None. WP - Axe. HBP - by Axe (Banda); by Axe (Tyson); by Axe (Tyson). BK - Axe. PB - Noland(1). Pitches/strikes: Axe 77/37; Ostler 47/29; Lockman 78/49. Umpires - Start: 10:05 am Time: 1:42 Attendance: Game: neb6