NU Posts Fourth Straight Shutout in 6-0 Win

East Lansing, Mich. - Six extra-base hits and a fourth straight shutout powered the 19th-ranked Nebraska softball team to a 6-0 victory at Michigan State Saturday afternoon in East Lansing, Mich.

The win marked Nebraska's ninth straight victory, as the Huskers improved to 35-13 on the year. NU also moved to 13-4 in conference play by winning its 10th consecutive Big Ten game. The Huskers have posted a 10-game conference winning streak for the first time since 2004.

Sophomore right-hander Emily Lockman earned her seventh straight win to improve to 17-4 on the season. Lockman fired a two-hit shutout, notching her third straight shutout. The Corona, Calif., native added six strikeouts and retired the final 12 batters of the game. Lockman's sixth shutout of the season stretched Nebraska's streak to 29.0 consecutive scoreless innings. The Huskers have now posted four consecutive shutouts for the first time since 2008.

Offensively, six of Nebraska's seven hits went for extra bases. Sophomore Dawna Tyson hit her second home run of the season, while senior Tatum Edwards had two of the Huskers' four doubles. Junior Kylee Muir and sophomore Hailey Decker also doubled, while sophomore Alicia Armstrong recorded her third triple of the year. Tyson and Tatum Edwards each produced a multi-hit game.

Nebraska grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning. Armstrong worked an 11-pitch walk to begin the frame, before she moved to second on a sacrifice bunt from freshman MJ Knighten. Muir then brought Armstrong home with an RBI double that landed just fair down the left field line.

Michigan State mounted its only threat in the bottom of the fourth. A leadoff single was followed by a sacrifice bunt to put the tying run at second base with only one out. A fly out moved the runner to third before Lockman got out of the inning with her second strikeout of the game.

The Huskers added to their lead with a four-run sixth inning. Tyson led off the frame with a deep home run to left. Then with one out, back-to-back doubles from Decker and Tatum Edwards scored the second run of the inning, before Armstrong lined an RBI triple to center. Knighten then capped the inning with an RBI single to give Nebraska a 5-0 lead.

Nebraska added an insurance run in the top of the seventh. Stokes drew a leadoff walk before Tyson singled. Stokes moved to third on a fly out and scored on a two-out wild pitch.

The Huskers and Spartans wrap up their series on Sunday at 11 a.m. (Central).

Box Score

 

2014 Nebraska Softball #19 Nebraska at Michigan State Apr 26, 2014 at East Lansing, Mich. (Secchia Stadium)

Nebraska 6 (35-13,13-4 Big Ten)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Edwards, Taylor c........ 4 0 0 0 0 1 6 2 0 Decker, Hailey 2b........ 4 1 1 0 0 1 2 0 0 Edwards, Tatum lf........ 3 1 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 Armstrong, Alicia ss..... 3 2 1 1 1 0 1 4 2 Knighten, MJ 3b.......... 2 0 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 Muir, Kylee rf........... 3 0 1 1 0 0 2 0 0 Urness, Austen dp........ 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 Stokes, Kiki cf.......... 2 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 Tyson, Dawna 1b.......... 3 1 2 1 0 0 9 0 0 Sjulin, Lotte pr........ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Lockman, Emily p......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 Totals................... 27 6 8 5 3 4 21 9 4

Michigan State 0 (12-32,4-15 Big Ten)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Freimuth, McKinzie 1b.... 3 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 McBride, Alyssa cf....... 3 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 1 Gutknecht, Sarah 3b...... 3 0 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 Briggs, Dana pr......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Sanders, Stephanie rf.... 2 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 Kujawa, Kassidy lf....... 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 Thomas, Shanin ph....... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Bowling, Sarah dp........ 2 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 1 Luna, Destinee ss........ 2 0 0 0 0 1 2 1 1 Stoffer, Ellie c......... 2 0 0 0 0 0 5 1 0 Reiser, Jacquie 2b....... 2 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 Smith, Kelly p........... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals................... 22 0 2 0 1 6 21 4 3

Score by Innings R H E ----------------------------------------- Nebraska............ 010 004 1 - 6 8 0 Michigan State...... 000 000 0 - 0 2 0 -----------------------------------------

DP - Spartans 1. LOB - Huskers 4; Spartans 3. 2B - Decker(17); Edwards, Tat 2(8); Muir(7). 3B - Armstrong(3). HR - Tyson(2). SH - Knighten; Sanders, S..

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Lockman, Emily...... 7.0 2 0 0 1 6 22 24 96

Michigan State IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Smith, Kelly........ 7.0 8 6 6 3 4 27 31 139

Win - Lockman (17-4). Loss - Smith, K. (5-13). Save - None. WP - Smith, K.. Pitches/strikes: Lockman 96/59; Smith, K. 139/94. Umpires - HP: Joseph Squires 1B: Mark Sefcik 3B: Jim Connors Start: 11:00 am Time: 1:58 Attendance: Game: livegame