Huskers Lose Heartbreaker in WCWS Opener

Oklahoma City - The 14th-seeded Nebraska softball team dropped a heartbreaker to No. 11 Washington in the opening game of the 2013 Women's College World Series, falling 4-3 in eight innings.

The Huskers led twice in the game, including a 3-2 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh. But a one-out triple and a squeeze bunt sent the game into extra innings, and Kimberlee Souza lifted the Huskies to the win when she sent the first pitch of the bottom of the eighth inning over the fence in left center for a a walk-off home run.

With the loss, Nebraska fell to 45-15 on the season. The Huskers will play the loser of the Florida-Tennessee game in an elimination matchup on Saturday at 11 a.m. on ESPN. Washington improved to 44-15 and will face the Florida-Tennessee winner on Friday.

Freshman right-hander Emily Lockman (15-5) took the loss for the Huskers, despite pitching well in relief. Lockman allowed two runs on just two hits in 3.0 innings. Junior right-hander Tatum Edwards allowed only one hit but walked seven and gave up two runs over the first 4.0-plus innings. Nebraska out-hit Washington 5-3, but two of the Huskies' three hits were home runs, while the third was a triple.

First-team All-American Kaitlin Inglesby (23-7) earned the win in relief for Washington, allowing one run on four hits in 5.0 innings.

Nebraska jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first without the aid of a hit. Senior Gabby Banda and junior Taylor Edwards were hit by back-to-back one-out pitches. A wild pitch then moved both runners into scoring position, before senior Brooke Thomason produced the game's first run with a sacrifice fly to left.

The Huskies answered in the bottom of the frame, taking a 2-1 lead on a leadoff walk and a two-run homer from Inglesby.

In the bottom of third, three consecutive walks loaded the bases with Huskies. But a home-to-first double play and a fly out to right prevented any runs from scoring.

Nebraska then tied the game in the top of the fourth. Taylor Edwards led off the inning with a single, before Thomason worked a seven-pitch walk to put Huskers on first and second with no outs. Inglesby then came on to pitch for Washington, and senior Courtney Breault promptly advanced both base runners with a sacrifice bunt. A fly out to right wasn't deep enough to score Taylor Edwards, but a throwing error on a ground ball off the bat of freshman Alicia Armstrong allowed the Huskers to tie the game. On the error, Thomason attempted to score from second but was thrown out.

The Huskers grabbed their second lead of the game at 3-2 in the top of the fifth. Sophomore Jordan Bettiol drew a one-out walk and was replaced on the basepaths by Tatum Edwards, who grounded into a fielder's choice. Banda followed with a single and moved up to second on the throw, putting Huskers on second and third. Tatum Edwards then scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch.

Two more walks to begin the top of the fifth put runners on first and second for Washington and marked the end of Tatum Edwards' day in the circle. Lockman came on and coaxed a ground out for the first out, freeing up first base for the Huskers to intentionally walk Inglesby to load the bases for the second time in the game. Lockman then struck out the next two hitters to escape the jam with the Huskers still in the lead.

The Huskers had three hits in the top of the seventh but were unable to add any insurance runs. That loomed large in the bottom of the seventh. A one-out triple that eluded a diving Thomason in right field gave Washington the tying runner at third. A squeeze bunt was then popped up but it still fell safely on the infield, allowing the tying run to score.

Nebraska went 1-2-3 in the top of the third inning before Souza's walk-off homer sent the Huskers to their second extra-inning loss of the NCAA Tournament.

Box Score

 

2013 Nebraska Softball #16 Nebraska vs #9 Washington May 30, 2013 at Oklahoma City, Okla. (Hall of Fame Stadium)

Nebraska 3 (45-15)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Edwards, Tatum p/lf...... 4 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 Banda, Gabby 3b.......... 3 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 2 Edwards, Taylor c........ 3 1 1 0 0 0 8 1 1 Thomason, Brooke rf...... 2 0 0 1 1 1 2 0 0 Breault, Courtney dp..... 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 Decker, Hailey 2b........ 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 Armstrong, Alicia ss..... 3 0 1 0 0 1 2 1 2 Fowler, Mattie 1b........ 3 0 1 0 0 0 8 0 0 Bettiol, Jordan cf....... 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 Muir, Kylee ph.......... 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Stokes, Kiki lf.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Lockman, Emily p........ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Totals................... 26 3 5 1 2 4 21 8 5

Washington 4 (44-15)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Hayward, Victoria rf..... 1 2 1 0 3 0 1 0 0 Fagaly, Hooch 1b......... 2 0 0 1 1 0 10 1 0 Wetmore, Mercedes pr.... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Inglesby, Kaitlin dp/p... 2 1 1 2 2 0 0 2 0 Creger-Zier, Marki pr/cf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Lahners, Kylee cf........ 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 Braun, Dani ph/dp....... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Souza, Kimberlee 3b...... 4 1 1 1 0 2 0 3 5 Wright, Shawna c......... 3 0 0 0 0 1 4 2 0 Jones, Whitney lf........ 2 0 0 0 1 1 3 0 0 McNeill, Jennie ss....... 3 0 0 0 0 2 3 3 0 Suguro, Kelli 2b......... 2 0 0 0 1 0 2 3 1 Walker, Bryana p......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals................... 23 4 3 4 8 7 24 14 7

Score by Innings R H E ------------------------------------------ Nebraska............ 100 110 00 - 3 5 1 Washington.......... 200 000 11 - 4 3 1 ------------------------------------------

E - Edwards, Tay(4); Suguro, K.. DP - Huskers 1. LOB - Huskers 5; Huskies 7. 3B - Hayward, V.. HR - Inglesby, K.; Souza, K.. HBP - Banda; Edwards, Tay. SH - Breault(3); Fagaly, H.. SF - Thomason(3). SB - Hayward, V.; Suguro, K.. CS - Armstrong(5).

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Edwards, Tatum...... 4.0 1 2 2 7 3 12 19 74 Lockman, Emily...... 3.0 2 2 2 1 4 11 13 46

Washington IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Walker, Bryana...... 3.0 1 2 1 1 2 9 13 55 Inglesby, Kaitlin... 5.0 4 1 1 1 2 17 19 61

Win - Inglesby, K. (23-7). Loss - Lockman (15-6). Save - None. WP - Inglesby, K.; Walker, B.. HBP - by Walker, B. (Banda); by Walker, B. (Edwards, Tay). Pitches/strikes: Edwards, Tat 74/33; Lockman 46/31; Walker, B. 55/33; Inglesby, K. 61/42. Umpires - HP: Mike Bartling 1B: Scott Thomas 3B: Christie Cornwell Start: 11:05 am Time: 2:27 Attendance: Walker, B. faced 2 batters in the 4th. Edwards, Tat faced 2 batters in the 5th. Lockman faced 1 batter in the 8th. Game: NEB60