Huskers Upend No. 13 Oklahoma

Norman, Okla. - A season-high 15-hit attack powered the 15th-ranked Nebraska softball team to a 7-2 victory at No. 13 Oklahoma in game two of a Saturday doubleheader in Norman, Okla.

After losing a one-run lead in the seventh inning of game one, the Huskers bounced back to snap Oklahoma's 16-game home winning streak in game two. With the win, Nebraska improved to 12-6 on the year against a schedule that has seen the Huskers play eight of their first 18 games against top-15 opponents.

Sophomore right-hander Emily Lockman (6-3) picked up her first win against a ranked opponent this season. In a complete-game victory, Lockman allowed two runs on six hits and struck out five.

With Lockman in control in the circle, the NU offense produced a season high in hits, led by multi-hit efforts from five Huskers. Senior Taylor Edwards went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI to extend her hitting streak to 21 games, the second-longest streak in school history. Sophomore Kiki Stokes was 2-for-4 with a double, a triple and a pair of RBIs in the first game of her career with multiple extra-base hits. Classmate Hailey Decker tied her career high with three hits as part of a 3-for-4 effort that included a double. Rounding out the group of Huskers with multiple hits was freshman MJ Knighten, whose 2-for-4 performance included her first career home run.

Nebraska also tied its season high with five extra-base hits against the Sooners.

Georgia Casey (1-2) took the loss for Oklahoma, which fell to 13-6 on the season. Casey allowed three runs in 2.0-plus innings.

After Lockman worked out of a two-on, no-out jam in the bottom of the first, Nebraska threatened to take the lead in the top of the second. A leadoff walk, a sacrifice bunt and a single put Huskers on first and third with one out. Sophomore Alicia Armstrong, who singled, then took off for second base and was caught in a rundown. Senior Tatum Edwards took off for third and appeared to beat the throw home, but it was ruled she didn't touch home plate. A fly out then ended the inning.

Oklahoma threatened again in the bottom of the second. A single, an error and another single loaded the bases with Sooners with none out, before a double play and a strikeout prevented a run from scoring.

The Huskers then exploded for a big inning in the top of the third. Knighten began the frame with a single before Stokes lined an RBI triple to the gap in right center. Taylor Edwards then singled to the wall in left to score Stokes with a second run. Decker followed with a single to shallow center field. Freshman Austen Urness then laid down a sacrifice bunt with runners on first and second, but no one covered first base so Urness was safe at first. Pitcher Kelsey Stevens was unable to hold her throw to first and with no one covering the base, a throwing error allowed Taylor Edwards to score.

Leading 3-0, Tatum Edwards drew her second walk of the game to load the bases, still with none out. But just like in game one, Nebraska failed to take advantage of an additional scoring opportunity as a pop out, a foul out and a strikeout ended the inning.

Oklahoma then used a two-out rally to cut the lead to 3-1 in the bottom of the third. An infield single, a stolen base and a walk put Sooners at first and second with two outs before an RBI single put Oklahoma on the scoreboard. OU then got another single, but right fielder Tatum Edwards threw out a Sooner runner attempting to score from second to end the inning.

Nebraska got the run back in the top of the fourth when Knighten sent the first pitch of the inning over the wall in left for her first career home run.

After an Oklahoma home run pulled the Sooners back to within two in the bottom of the fifth, the Huskers quickly answered in the top of the sixth. Taylor Edwards reached on a one-out double and scored on a two-out single from Urness. Tatum Edwards then brought Urness home and gave the Huskers a 6-2 lead with an RBI double to left center.

Nebraska made it 7-2 with another two-out rally in the top of hte seventh. Junior pinch-hitter Kylee Muir led off with a single and Armstrong re-entered the game and moved up to second on a sacrifice bunt from Woolman. Then with two outs, Stokes lined an RBI double to the gap in left center to score Armstrong.

Lockman then worked around a two-out walk in the bottom of the seventh to wrap up her sixth victory of the season.

Nebraska is back in action next weekend, when the Huskers face a challenging five-game schedule at the Judi Garman Classic in Fullerton, Calif.

Box Score

 

2014 Nebraska Softball #15 Nebraska at #13 Oklahoma (Game 2) Mar 01, 2014 at Norman, Okla. (OU Softball Complex)

Nebraska 7 (12-6)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Stokes, Kiki cf.......... 4 1 2 2 0 1 0 0 0 Edwards, Taylor c........ 5 2 2 1 0 0 6 0 1 Decker, Hailey 2b........ 4 0 3 0 0 0 1 4 0 Urness, Austen lf........ 4 1 2 1 0 1 1 0 1 Edwards, Tatum rf........ 2 0 1 1 2 0 0 1 2 Tyson, Dawna 1b.......... 3 0 1 0 0 0 9 0 1 Sjulin, Lotte pr........ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Armstrong, Alicia ss..... 3 1 1 0 0 0 3 1 0 Muir, Kylee ph.......... 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Woolman, Kat dp.......... 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 4 Knighten, MJ 3b.......... 4 2 2 1 0 0 1 2 1 Lockman, Emily p......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals................... 33 7 15 6 2 3 21 8 10

Oklahoma 2 (13-6)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Miller, Erin lf.......... 3 0 0 0 1 1 2 0 2 Chamberlain, Lauren 1b... 2 0 0 0 2 0 6 1 0 Pendley, Shelby 3b....... 4 1 1 0 0 2 0 2 1 Casey, Georgia p/2b...... 3 1 1 1 0 0 2 1 0 Ellis, Whitney c......... 2 0 0 0 1 0 3 2 2 Martinez, Destinee cf.... 3 0 2 1 0 0 2 0 0 Parsons, Callie rf....... 3 0 1 0 0 1 3 0 0 Williams, Brittany dp.... 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Vest, Jessica ss......... 2 0 0 0 0 1 2 2 0 Townsend, Paris ph...... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Henson, Javen 2b......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Stevens, Kelsey p....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Miller, Leslie p........ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Dewbery, Taylor p....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Totals................... 26 2 6 2 4 5 21 9 7

Score by Innings R H E ----------------------------------------- Nebraska............ 003 102 1 - 7 15 1 Oklahoma............ 001 010 0 - 2 6 2 -----------------------------------------

E - Armstrong(4); Pendley, S.; Stevens, K.. DP - Huskers 1; Sooners 1. LOB - Huskers 10; Sooners 7. 2B - Stokes(1); Edwards, Tay(3); Decker(4); Edwards, Tat(1). 3B - Stokes(1). HR - Knighten(1); Casey, G.. HBP - Stokes. SH - Tyson(1); Woolman(2). SB - Miller, Erin; Chamberlain; Pendley, S.. CS - Edwards, Tat(1).

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Lockman, Emily...... 7.0 6 2 2 4 5 26 30 144

Oklahoma IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Casey, Georgia...... 2.0 5 3 3 1 2 9 11 39 Stevens, Kelsey..... 1.0 3 1 1 1 1 6 7 28 Miller, Leslie...... 2.2 5 2 2 0 0 13 14 45 Dewbery, Taylor..... 1.1 2 1 1 0 0 5 6 16

Win - Lockman (6-3). Loss - Casey, G. (1-2). Save - None. HBP - by Miller, L. (Stokes). Pitches/strikes: Lockman 144/88; Casey, G. 39/25; Stevens, K. 28/19; Miller, L. 45/34; Dewbery, T. 16/11. Umpires - HP: Tim Ellis 1B: Michael Parker 3B: Sally Keller Start: 2:59 pm Time: 2:25 Attendance: Casey, G. faced 3 batters in the 3rd. Stevens, K. faced 1 batter in the 4th. Game: NEB18