Huskers Fall to No. 23 Northwestern

Rosemont, Ill. - Nothing went right for the 18th-ranked Nebraska softball team in a 10-2, five-inning loss to No. 23 Northwestern on a cold and wet Friday morning in Rosemont, Ill.

Defensively, the Huskers committed a season-high four errors and had a handful of other miscues. In the circle, Nebraska walked six batters in only four innings and allowed six extra-base hits. Offensively, the Huskers were held to four hits and stranded seven runners.

With the loss, Nebraska fell to 21-11 on the season and dropped to 1-3 in Big Ten Conference play. Northwestern improved to 19-6 overall and 3-1 in the league.

Northwestern jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the second with some help from the Huskers. Nebraska committed one error in the frame, but twice missed chances to get an out on the infield, once on a bobbled ball that was ruled an infield single and another on a bobble that turned a probable double play into just a single out. The miscues extended the inning long enough for Emily Allard to wait on a changeup and rip a two-out, three-run triple to right center.

Nebraska got two of the runs back in the top of the third when senior Taylor Edwards drew a one-out walk before sophomore Hailey Decker blasted a towering two-run homer to left.

The Wildcats then put up three more runs in the bottom of the fourth, as two more Husker errors contributed to Northwestern's second straight big inning. Once again the Wildcats were able to take advantage of the miscues, this time on a timely three-run double from Andrea Filler.

Northwestern needed no help in the fourth, slugging two doubles and a home run in the four-run frame that gave the Wildcats a 10-2 lead.

Nebraska looked to extend the game in the top of the fifth when Edwards drew a leadoff walk and Decker doubled, but the Huskers were unable to score despite having runners at second and third with none out.

Decker finished 2-for-3 with a double, a homer and two RBIs. She now has nine extra-base hits in her last nine games. Taylor Edwards walked in two of her three plate appearances, while freshman MJ Knighten and sophomore Kiki Stokes contributed Nebraska's other two hits.

Nebraska and Northwestern return to action on Saturday at 4 p.m. at The Ballpark at Rosemont. The Huskers and Wildcats then conclude their series on Sunday at 1 p.m. at Sharon J. Drysdale Field on the Northwestern campus in Evanston, Ill.

Box Score

 

2014 Nebraska Softball #18 Nebraska at #23 Northwestern Mar 28, 2014 at Rosemont, Ill. (Ballpark at Rosemont)

Nebraska 2 (21-11,1-3 Big Ten)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Edwards, Taylor c........ 1 1 0 0 2 0 5 1 0 Decker, Hailey 2b........ 3 1 2 2 0 1 3 2 0 Edwards, Tatum p......... 3 0 0 0 0 3 1 2 0 Armstrong, Alicia ss..... 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 Knighten, MJ 3b.......... 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 1 Stokes, Kiki cf.......... 2 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 3 Muir, Kylee rf........... 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Woolman, Kat lf.......... 2 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 2 Tyson, Dawna 1b.......... 2 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 1 Lockman, Emily dp........ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals................... 19 2 4 2 3 7 12 7 7

Northwestern 10 (19-6,3-1 Big Ten)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Allard, Emily cf......... 4 0 2 3 0 0 2 0 0 Majam, Mari lf........... 4 0 0 0 0 3 1 0 6 Bast, Marisa 3b.......... 1 2 1 0 2 0 3 0 0 DiPrima, Andrea rf....... 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 Edwards, Anna ss......... 2 2 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 Filler, Andrea dp........ 3 1 3 5 0 0 0 0 0 LeBeau, Brianna 2b....... 3 2 1 2 0 0 1 0 0 Kuhn, Julia 1b........... 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 Tonz, Paige c............ 1 1 0 0 2 0 7 0 0 Williams, Krista pr..... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Wood, Kristen p.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals................... 22 10 8 10 6 4 15 1 7

Score by Innings R H E -------------------------------------- Nebraska............ 002 00 - 2 4 4 Northwestern........ 033 4X - 10 8 0 --------------------------------------

E - Armstrong 2(9); Knighten 2(10). DP - Huskers 1. LOB - Huskers 7; Wildcats 7. 2B - Decker(11); Bast, M.(5); Filler, A. 2(6). 3B - Allard, E.(2). HR - Decker(5); LeBeau, B.(5). HBP - Knighten; Stokes. SH - Kuhn, J.(4). SB - Williams, K.(6). CS - Allard, E.(1).

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Edwards, Tatum...... 2.1 5 6 2 4 2 13 18 78 Lockman, Emily...... 1.2 3 4 4 2 2 9 11 42

Northwestern IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Wood, Kristen....... 5.0 4 2 2 3 7 19 24 88

Win - Wood, K. (10-2). Loss - Edwards, Tat (12-6). Save - None. HBP - by Wood, K. (Stokes); by Wood, K. (Knighten). Pitches/strikes: Edwards, Tat 78/40; Lockman 42/24; Wood, K. 88/51. Umpires - HP: Ed Clark 1B: Chris Nabors 3B: Kevin Wallace Start: 11:33 am Time: 1:48 Attendance: 110 Game: livegame