Huskers Shut Out Kansas, 1-0

Lawrence, Kan. - Senior right-hander Tatum Edwards finally found herself on the winning end of a 1-0 decision, as the 14th-ranked Nebraska softball team closed out a perfect weekend with a 1-0 victory over Kansas.

Edwards, who had suffered three 1-0 defeats on the season, improved to 8-5 with her third shutout of the year. Edwards fired a three-hitter and struck out five, allowing only three balls to leave the infield in the game.

Behind her effort, Nebraska capped a 3-0 weekend at the Jayhawk Invitational, improving to 18-8 on the season. The Huskers snapped KU's eight-game winning streak, as the Jayhawks fell to 19-8 with their first home loss of the year. Kelsey Kessler (11-6) took the loss, allowing one run on three hits.

Junior Kylee Muir produced the game's lone RBI, scoring sophomore Alicia Armstrong with a second-inning sacrifice fly. Senior Taylor Edwards was held without a hit for just the second time this year, although she was hit by three pitches to finish 0-for-1. The three hit-by-pitches tied Nebraska's single-game record, while Edwards has now been hit by 35 pitches to become the Huskers' all-time career leader in that category.

After Nebraska stranded a pair of runners in the top of the first, Armstrong and sophomore Kiki Stokes began the top of the second inning with back-to-back infield singles. Both runners moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt from sophomore Dawna Tyson. Muir then brought Armstrong home with a sacrifice fly to right field that snapped Kessler's scoreless innings streak at 24.2 innings. It also marked the first run Kansas had allowed in 34.2 innings, stretching over six games.

The Huskers stranded four base runners over the next three innings before Kansas got multiple base runners for the first time in the bottom of the fifth. A one-out single and a two-out hit batter put Jayhawks at first and second with two outs before a strikeout ended the threat.

KU threatened again in the bottom of the seventh. A one-out fly ball to deep left field turned into a double when freshman outfielder Austen Urness stumbled as she stepped onto the warning track, causing her to suffer an injury as the ball popped out of her glove. Following a lengthy delay as Urness left the field, Edwards coaxed a ground out and a strikeout to preserve the shutout.

After playing its first 26 games of the season on the road, the Huskers return home for four games next week. Nebraska will host its home opener on Wednesday against Iowa State at 5 p.m. at Bowlin Stadium.

Box Score

 

2014 Nebraska Softball #14 Nebraska at Kansas Mar 15, 2014 at Lawrence, Kan. (Arrocha Ballpark)

Nebraska 1 (18-8)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB Avg. ------------------------------------------------------------ Edwards, Tatum p......... 4 0 0 0 0 1 1 2 1 .211 Edwards, Taylor c........ 1 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 .463 Decker, Hailey 2b........ 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 3 0 .318 Urness, Austen lf........ 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .312 Knighten, MJ 3b.......... 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 3 5 .250 Armstrong, Alicia ss..... 3 1 1 0 0 0 1 3 0 .261 Stokes, Kiki cf.......... 3 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 .272 Tyson, Dawna 1b.......... 2 0 0 0 0 2 12 0 0 .164 Muir, Kylee rf........... 2 0 0 1 0 2 0 0 1 .170 Lockman, Emily dp........ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .500 Totals................... 22 1 3 1 0 7 21 11 7

Kansas 0 (19-8)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB Avg. ------------------------------------------------------------ Newman, Ashley 2b........ 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 2 - Jones, Alex cf........... 2 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 - Brickey, Chaley ss....... 2 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 - Stein, Maddie 1b......... 3 0 1 0 0 0 6 0 1 - Ridling, Harli c......... 3 0 0 0 0 0 7 1 1 - Hatfield, Taylor rf...... 3 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 - Naudin, Chanin 3b........ 3 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 - McGinley, Shannon pr.... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 - Bruce, Nikki dp.......... 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 - McElhaney, Taylor lf..... 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 - Kessler, Kelsey p........ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 - Totals................... 23 0 3 0 1 5 21 6 5

Score by Innings R H E ----------------------------------------- Nebraska............ 010 000 0 - 1 3 1 Kansas.............. 000 000 0 - 0 3 0 -----------------------------------------

E - Edwards, Tat(2). DP - Huskers 1. LOB - Huskers 7; Jayhawks 5. 2B - Stokes(2); Hatfield. HBP - Edwards, Tay 3; Urness 2; McElhaney. SH - Tyson(3); Jones. SF - Muir(1).

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP ERA -------------------------------------------------------- Edwards, Tatum...... 7.0 3 0 0 1 5 23 26 89 1.42

Kansas IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP ERA -------------------------------------------------------- Kessler, Kelsey..... 7.0 3 1 1 0 7 22 29 107 -

Win - Edwards, Tat (8-5). Loss - Kessler (11-6). Save - None. HBP - by Kessler (Edwards, Tay); by Kessler (Urness); by Kessler (Edwards, Tay); by Kessler (Edwards, Tay); by Kessler (Urness); by Edwards, Tat (McElhaney). Pitches/strikes: Edwards, Tat 89/61; Kessler 107/69. Umpires - HP: Mike See 1B: John Orlowski 3B: Brian Miller Start: 6:05 pm Time: 2:16 Attendance: Game: livegame