Huskers Complete Doubleheader Sweep

Stillwater, Okla. - Tatum Edwards' fifth-inning grand slam broke open a close game, as the 15th-ranked Nebraska softball team completed a doubleheader sweep at Oklahoma State with an 8-4 victory in the nightcap at Cowgirl Stadium.

Nebraska (11-5) tied its season high with 12 hits in the win. Senior Taylor Edwards, sophomore Hailey Decker and freshman MJ Knighten each produced multiple hits for the Huskers. Edwards had a career-high four hits as part of a 4-for-5 effort that extend her hitting streak to 19 games, tying for the second-longest streak in school history. Decker finished 2-for-4 with her second home run of the season and a career-high three runs scored. Knighten produced a 3-for-4 performance with a double and an RBI, while Tatum Edwards produced four RBIs after entering the game with two RBIs in her first 13 games.

The Huskers hit two home run in game two and slugged five homers in the doubleheader, after producing eight homers in the first 14 games of the season.

In the circle, sophomore right-hander Emily Lockman snapped a two-game losing streak to improve to 5-3 on the season with a complete-game victory. Lockman allowed four runs on 11 hits, striking out two.

Whitney Whitehorn (2-3) took the loss for Oklahoma State, which fell to 10-7 with its third straight loss. Whitehorn allowed eight runs (six earned) in her first complete game of the season.

Just like they did in game one, the Huskers jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. Taylor Edwards reached on a one-out single to extend her hitting streak to 19 games. Decker replaced Edwards on the base paths by reaching on a fielder's choice, before consecutive errors brought Decker home with the game's first run.

Decker then doubled Nebraska's lead with a two-out solo home run in the top of the third.

The Huskers stretched their lead to 3-0 in the top of the fourth. Sophomore Alicia Armstrong reached on a one-out error and was replaced on the base paths by freshman Kat Woolman after Woolman reached on a fielder's choice. With two outs, Knighten lined a single to center field and was caught in a brief rundown between first and second before a throwing error allowed Woolman to score.

Oklahoma State answered the run in the bottom of the frame but missed a chance to pull even closer. Consecutive singles and an RBI double cut the lead to 3-1 and gave the Cowgirls runners on second and third with none out. But Lockman dug in and coaxed a ground out where the runners were unable to advance. A missed squeeze then resulted in the runner being picked off third base, before another ground out ended the threat.

The Huskers then took a commanding lead in the top of the fifth. Taylor Edwards and Decker began the frame with consecutive singles before freshman Austen Urness was hit by a pitch to load the bases. After a conference in the circle, Tatum Edwards lined the first pitch she saw over the wall in left center for a grand slam that stretched the Huskers lead to 7-1.

OSU came right back with a big inning of its own in the bottom of the frame. With the bases loaded and one out, consecutive singles brought a pair of runners home. Trailing 7-3, Oklahoma State added another run when Nebraska just missed turning an inning-ending double play and had to settle for one out. A run scored on the out to trim the lead to 7-4, before a ground out with runners on the corners ended the frame.

Oklahoma State threatened to pull even closer in the bottom of the sixth. Back-to-back one-out singles brought the tying run to the plate before Lockman got a fly out and a ground out to end the inning.

Nebraska added an insurance run in the top of the seventh. Armstrong lined a one-out single to center field and the ball skipped past the center fielder, as Armstrong wound up on third. Knighten then laced an RBI single off the wall in left, just a few feet short of her first career home run. Singles from sophomore Kiki Stokes and Taylor Edwards loaded the bases with two outs, but the Huskers were unable to further add to their lead.

Nebraska travels to Norman, Okla., on Saturday for a Noon doubleheader with the 13th-ranked Oklahoma Sooners.

Box Score

 

2014 Nebraska Softball #15 Nebraska at Oklahoma State (Game 2) Feb 28, 2014 at Stillwater, Okla. (Cowgirl Stadium)

Nebraska 8 (11-5)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Stokes, Kiki cf.......... 5 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 3 Edwards, Taylor c........ 5 1 4 0 0 0 2 1 0 Decker, Hailey 2b........ 5 3 2 1 0 0 3 2 3 Urness, Austen lf........ 2 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 Edwards, Tatum rf........ 4 1 1 4 0 1 1 0 2 Tyson, Dawna 1b.......... 4 0 0 0 0 0 10 0 2 Armstrong, Alicia ss..... 4 1 1 0 0 0 2 3 0 Woolman, Kat dp.......... 3 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 Knighten, MJ 3b.......... 4 0 3 1 0 0 2 3 0 Lockman, Emily p......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 Totals................... 36 8 12 6 2 3 21 13 10

Oklahoma State 4 (10-7)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Davis, Shelby cf......... 3 1 1 0 1 1 2 0 0 Morrison, Ari 2b......... 4 1 1 0 0 1 3 2 3 Ettinger, Tarah 1b....... 4 1 2 1 0 0 10 0 0 Mikkelson, Tiffany 3b.... 3 0 3 1 1 0 0 1 0 Riddle, Danielle dp...... 4 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 Patton, Michaela pr..... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Whitehorn, Whitney p..... 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 3 Hughes, Shianne rf....... 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 Long, Madisyn ph........ 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 DeLaCruz, Gessenia ss.... 3 1 2 0 0 0 1 8 0 Kaufman, Shannon lf...... 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Cavin, Miranda c......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 Totals................... 31 4 11 4 2 2 21 13 8

Score by Innings R H E ----------------------------------------- Nebraska............ 101 140 1 - 8 12 0 Oklahoma State...... 000 130 0 - 4 11 5 -----------------------------------------

E - Davis, S.; Mikkelson, T; Whitehorn, W; DeLaCruz, G. 2. LOB - Huskers 10; Cowgirls 8. 2B - Knighten(3); Davis, S.; Riddle, D.; DeLaCruz, G.. HR - Decker(2); Edwards, Tat(1). HBP - Urness.

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Lockman, Emily...... 7.0 11 4 4 2 2 31 33 118

Oklahoma State IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Whitehorn, Whitney.. 7.0 12 8 6 2 3 36 39 126

Win - Lockman (5-3). Loss - Whitehorn, W (2-3). Save - None. HBP - by Whitehorn, W (Urness). PB - Edwards, Tay(2). Pitches/strikes: Lockman 118/79; Whitehorn, W 126/79. Umpires - HP: Chad Spitler 1B: Scott Brians 3B: Larry Nagel Start: 6:34 pm Time: 2:12 Attendance: Game: livegame