Huskers Complete Sweep of Ohio State

Lincoln - The 19th-ranked Nebraska softball team completed a three-game series sweep of Ohio State with an 8-0 five-inning victory in game two of a Saturday doubleheader in front of a school-record 2,204 fans at Bowlin Stadium.

The win marked Nebraska's seventh straight win overall and the Huskers' eighth consecutive Big Ten Conference victory. NU swept a series from a conference opponent for the second straight weekend. After outscoring Iowa 32-3 in a three-game series last weekend, Nebraska outscored Ohio State 30-1 this weekend, winning every game in six-or-fewer innings. The Buckeyes took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning in game one of the series, but were shut out over the final 14 innings and never got a runner to third base during that time.

With the win, Nebraska improved to 33-13 on the season and moved to 11-4 in Big Ten play. Ohio State fell to 20-23 overall and dropped to 6-9 in the league.

Offensively, the Huskers out-hit Ohio State, 8-3. Senior Taylor Edwards was 2-for-2 with a homer, a double and two driven in. She also walked and was hit by a pitch to reach base safely in each of her four plate appearances. Sophomore Kiki Stokes also produced a multi-hit game with a 2-for-3 effort, while freshman Austen Urness was 1-for-3 with a two-run double in her first game back in the starting lineup since suffering a concussion at Kansas on March 15.

In the circle, senior right-hander Tatum Edwards tossed a three-hit shutout with five strikeouts to improve to 17-9 on the year. Shelby Hursh (3-7) took the loss for Ohio State, allowing six runs on six hits in 4.0 innings.

Just as she did in game one, Taylor Edwards accounted for the game's first run with a solo home run. After leading off game one with a solo blast, Edwards' second homer of the day came with one out in the bottom of the third.

Ohio State threatened for the first time in the top of the fifth. Two of the first three Buckeyes singled to put runners at first and second with one out before a fly out and a ground out ended the frame.

Nebraska then broke open the tight game and closed out the victory with seven runs in the bottom of the frame. Taylor Edwards walked to begin the frame before sophomore Hailey Decker singled. Tatum Edwards followed with an RBI double before Urness produced a two-run double to give the Huskers a 4-0 lead. Urness then scored on an RBI single from classmate MJ Knighten. Knighten took second on the play and scored one batter later on an RBI single from sophomore Kiki Stokes.

With five runs already home in the inning, freshman Kat Woolman reached on an error that also allowed Stokes to score. Leading 7-0, sophomore Dawna Tyson then drew a four-pitch walk to put Huskers on first and second with one out. Needing only one run to end the game with a run-rule victory, Taylor Edwards produced a walk-off, RBI double to account for the final 8-0 score.

Following an eight-game homestand, the Huskers begin a six-game road trip on Wednesday at Creighton.

Box Score

 

2014 Nebraska Softball Ohio State at #19 Nebraska (Game 2) Apr 19, 2014 at Lincoln, Neb. (Bowlin Stadium)

Ohio State 0 (20-23,6-9 Big Ten)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Conrad, Caitlin rf....... 2 0 0 0 1 1 2 0 0 Watkins, Taylor cf....... 3 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 Prantl, Cammi c.......... 2 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 Carrillo, Evelyn 1b...... 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 3 Saibene, Jayla lf........ 2 0 0 0 0 1 3 0 2 Leonard, Erika dp........ 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 Machovina, Jesse pr..... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Saalfeld, Melaina 2b..... 1 0 0 0 1 0 4 1 0 Kirk, Anna 3b............ 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 Nester, Keelia ss........ 1 0 1 0 0 0 2 1 0 Gresham, Leesa ph....... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 Hursh, Shelby p.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Plant, Audrey p......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Totals................... 17 0 3 0 4 5 13 3 7

Nebraska 8 (33-13,11-4 Big Ten)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Edwards, Taylor c........ 2 2 2 2 1 0 5 1 0 Decker, Hailey 2b........ 2 1 1 0 1 1 3 2 0 Edwards, Tatum p......... 3 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 Urness, Austen dp........ 3 1 1 2 0 0 0 0 2 Knighten, MJ 3b.......... 3 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 Stokes, Kiki cf.......... 3 1 2 1 0 0 1 0 0 Muir, Kylee rf........... 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Woolman, Kat lf.......... 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 Tyson, Dawna 1b.......... 2 0 0 0 1 0 4 1 2 Sjulin, Lotte pr........ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Armstrong, Alicia ss..... 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 3 0 Totals................... 22 8 8 7 4 1 15 8 5

Score by Innings R H E -------------------------------------- Ohio State.......... 000 00 - 0 3 2 Nebraska............ 001 07 - 8 8 0 --------------------------------------

E - Saalfeld(12); Nester(9). LOB - Buckeyes 7; Huskers 5. 2B - Edwards, Tay(6); Edwards, Tat(6); Urness(5). HR - Edwards, Tay(15). HBP - Carrillo; Edwards, Tay. SH - Woolman(6). SB - Stokes 2(10). CS - Conrad(1).

Ohio State IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Hursh, Shelby....... 4.0 6 6 6 3 1 19 23 74 Plant, Audrey....... 0.1 2 2 1 1 0 3 5 16

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Edwards, Tatum...... 5.0 3 0 0 4 5 17 22 92

Win - Edwards, Tat (17-9). Loss - Hursh (3-7). Save - None. HBP - by Hursh (Edwards, Tay); by Edwards, Tat (Carrillo). PB - Edwards, Tay(7). Pitches/strikes: Hursh 74/37; Plant 16/7; Edwards, Tat 92/54. Umpires - HP: Raquel Bushman 1B: Richard Boyer 3B: Scott Brians Start: 3:44 pm Time: 1:43 Attendance: 2204 Game: livegame