NU Falls in Extra Innings to No. 7 ASU

Fullerton, Calif. - In a battle of All-America pitchers, an unearned run lifted No. 7 Arizona State to a 1-0 victory in eight innings over the 14th-ranked Nebraska softball team on Friday in Fullerton, Calif.

Nebraska got only one runner to second base in the first seven innings, while Arizona State never got a runner past first base in regulation. But with a runner placed on second in both the top and bottom of the eighth inning, the Sun Devils used a one-out, infield single to earn the win and spoil a terrific outing by senior right-hander Tatum Edwards.

Edwards (6-4) fired a five-hitter and the run she allowed was not charged to her since the runner was placed on second. In 7.1 innings, Edwards tied her season high with 10 strikeouts and issued just one walk in an outstanding effort. Each of the five hits she allowed were singles, including three infield singles.

In the circle for Arizona State (24-3) who was two-time All-American Dallas Escobedo, was coming off two strong starts this week, as she no-hit Longwood with 13 strikeouts on Tuesday, before firing a one-hit shutout with nine strikeouts against No. 4 Michigan on Thursday. Escobedo fired her second straight one-hit shutout against a top-15 opponent on Friday against the Huskers. She allowed only two base runners on a single and a hit-by-pitch and struck out 10, three below her season average.

The lone Husker to reach third base in the game was Tatum Edwards, who was place on second to begin the top of the eighth, moved to second on a perfectly-executed sacrifice bunt from sophomore Dawna Tyson, but was then stranded there following a pair of foul outs.

Nebraska had only two base runners through the first four innings and both were senior Taylor Edwards. Edwards was hit by a pitch in the first inning and stole second base before being stranded there. Then to lead off the fourth, Edwards blooped a single down the left field line to stretch her hitting streak to 22 games.

ASU also had only two base runners through the first four innings before a leadoff walk in the bottom of the fifth. But on a 3-2 pitch to the next batter, Tatum Edwards recorded a strikeout and Taylor Edwards threw out Cheyenne Coyle trying to steal for a double play. Tatum Edwards then worked around a two-out hit batter to keep the game scoreless.

The Sun Devils threatened again in the bottom of the sixth. An infield single began the inning, before a fielder's choice and a pair of strikeouts prevented Arizona State from getting a runner into scoring position.

After ASU was retired in order in the seventh, the game moved to the international tie breaker in the eighth inning, when both teams began the inning with a runner placed on second base. NU stranded Tatum Edwards in the top of the frame, before Bailey Wigness delivered her second infield single of the game to drive in the winning run with one out in the bottom of the eighth.

Nebraska (12-7) wraps up its first day of action at the Judi Garman Classic against San Jose State.

Box Score

 

2014 Nebraska Softball #14 Nebraska vs #7 Arizona State Mar 07, 2014 at Fullerton, Calif. (Anderson Field)

Nebraska 0 (12-7)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Stokes, Kiki cf.......... 3 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 Edwards, Taylor c........ 2 0 1 0 0 1 9 2 0 Sjulin, Lotte pr........ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Decker, Hailey 2b........ 3 0 0 0 0 2 4 3 0 Urness, Austen lf........ 3 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 Edwards, Tatum p......... 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 Tyson, Dawna 1b.......... 2 0 0 0 0 1 8 1 0 Knighten, MJ 3b.......... 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 4 0 Armstrong, Alicia ss..... 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 Woolman, Kat rf.......... 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Lockman, Emily dp........ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals................... 24 0 1 0 0 10 22 12 3

Arizona State 1 (24-3)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Johnson, Alix cf......... 3 0 0 0 0 3 1 0 0 Gonzales, Chelsea dp..... 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Freeman, Amber c......... 3 0 0 0 0 3 10 0 1 Steele, Haley 3b......... 3 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 1 Coyle, Cheyenne ss....... 2 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 Caporuscio,Elizabeth lf.. 3 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 Kemp, Bethany 1b......... 2 0 0 0 0 2 6 0 0 Girard, Nikki 2b......... 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 Rodriguez, Sierra ph.... 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Wigness, Bailey rf....... 3 0 2 1 0 1 1 0 0 Escobedo, Dallas p....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 Totals................... 25 1 5 1 1 10 24 4 3

Score by Innings R H E ------------------------------------------ Nebraska............ 000 000 00 - 0 1 0 Arizona State....... 000 000 01 - 1 5 0 ------------------------------------------

DP - Huskers 2. LOB - Huskers 3; Sun Devils 3. HBP - Edwards, Tay; Kemp, B.. SH - Tyson(2). SB - Edwards, Tay(1); Rodriguez,S.. CS - Coyle, C..

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Edwards, Tatum...... 7.1 5 1 0 1 10 25 27 102

Arizona State IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Escobedo, Dallas.... 8.0 1 0 0 0 10 24 26 87

Win - Escobedo, D. (11-2). Loss - Edwards, Tat (6-4). Save - None. HBP - by Escobedo, D. (Edwards, Tay); by Edwards, Tat (Kemp, B.). Pitches/strikes: Edwards, Tat 102/65; Escobedo, D. 87/63. Umpires - HP: Megan Rabin 1B: John Bennett 3B: Laura Head Start: 2:47 pm Time: 2:03 Attendance: Game: livegame