Huskers Fall 1-0 to No. 8 Cal

Cathedral City, Calif. - Freshman right-hander Emily Lockman fired a four-hitter against eighth-ranked Cal on Sunday, but the Golden Bears scored the game's only run to edge the Nebraska softball team, 1-0, in the final game at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic.

The loss dropped the Huskers to 11-4 on the year, with all four losses coming to top-20 opponents. Three of the four losses have been by two runs or less, including a pair of 1-0 setbacks.

Lockman (4-1) suffered the first loss of her career, despite an outstanding effort. In 6.0 innings, Lockman allowed only four hits and walked just one. She went toe-to-toe with Cal ace Jolene Henderson, a two-time NFCA All-American, who tossed a two-hit shutout, her fifth of the year. Junior Taylor Edwards collected Nebraska's second hit to lead off the top of the fourth inning, but Henderson then retired 12 of the final 13 batters she faced to preserve the shutout. With the win, Henderson improved to 9-2, while the Bears moved to 11-2.

Cal plated the only run Henderson would need in the bottom of the third. A leadoff bloop double that fell in front of sophomore Jordan Bettiol in left gave Cal its first scoring chance. The Bears converted two batters later on a sacrifice fly from Cheyenne Cordes, who hit a shallow fly ball to center that freshman Kiki Stokes caught with a diving effort.

The Bears threatened again in the bottom of the fifth, using a two-out walk and a pair of singles to load the bases. But Lockman escaped the jam by getting Britt Vonk to pop up to second.

Nebraska attempted a late rally in the top of the seventh. Senior Brooke Thomason began the inning with a walk, and she moved to second with one out on a sacrifice bunt from junior Tatum Edwards. Thomason stood at third with two outs after moving up a base on a ground out, but she was stranded there.

The Huskers are scheduled to return to action next weekend in Oklahoma, playing in Norman on Friday, in Oklahoma City on Saturday and in Stillwater on Sunday.

Box Score

2013 Nebraska Softball Nebraska vs #8 Cal Feb 24, 2013 at Cathedral City, CA (Big League Dreams)

Nebraska 0 (11-4)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Stokes, Kiki cf.......... 2 0 0 0 1 2 1 0 0 Banda, Gabby 3b.......... 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 2 Edwards, Taylor c........ 3 0 1 0 0 1 4 0 0 Thomason, Brooke rf...... 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 Edwards, Tatum dp........ 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Decker, Hailey 2b........ 3 0 0 0 0 0 2 3 1 Tyson, Dawna 1b.......... 2 0 0 0 0 0 8 0 0 Breault, Courtney ph.... 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 Bettiol, Jordan lf....... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Southworth, Megan lf.... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Armstrong, Alicia ss..... 2 0 1 0 0 0 2 3 0 Lockman, Emily p......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 Totals................... 21 0 2 0 2 5 18 9 4

Cal 1 (11-2)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Cordes, Cheyenne ss...... 2 0 2 1 0 0 2 2 0 Vonk, Britt 2b........... 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 3 Kostreba, Breana dp...... 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 Jones, Victoria 1b....... 3 0 0 0 0 1 9 0 1 Ziegenhirt, Lindsey c.... 3 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 Henderson, Danielle 3b... 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 3 0 Henderson, Jolene p...... 2 0 0 0 0 1 1 2 0 Alvarez, Vanessa rf...... 1 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 Taylor, Khala lf......... 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Mejia, Jasmin cf......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals................... 21 1 4 1 1 4 21 8 4

Score by Innings R H E ----------------------------------------- Nebraska............ 000 000 0 - 0 2 0 Cal................. 001 000 X - 1 4 0 -----------------------------------------

LOB - Huskers 4; Bears 4. 2B - Alvarez, V.. SH - Thomason(2); Edwards, Tat(1). SF - Cordes, C..

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Lockman, Emily...... 6.0 4 1 1 1 4 21 23 81

Cal IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Henderson, Jolene... 7.0 2 0 0 2 5 21 25 115

Win - Henderson, J (9-2). Loss - Lockman (4-1). Save - None. Pitches/strikes: Lockman 81/53; Henderson, J 115/69. Umpires - Start: 1:30 pm Time: 1:39 Attendance: Game: livegame