Nebraska Defeats South Dakota, 6-5

Lincoln - A four-run fourth inning powered the Nebraska softball team to a 6-5 victory over South Dakota in game two of a Sunday doubleheader in front of nearly 600 fans at Bowlin Stadium.

Nebraska out-hit the Coyotes, 10-3, but South Dakota led early thanks to a four-run second inning in which USD did not record a hit.

Freshman Caitlin Bartsch earned the win, allowing one run on two hits in 2.2 innings. Freshman Kaylan Jablonski got the start and came back on in relief to earn the save. In 4.1 total innings, Jablonski allowed four runs (three earned) on just one hit. She walked seven batters and hit two more, while striking out two.

After being frustrated offensively while being held to one run in nine innings in game one, Nebraska plated one run in the bottom of the first in game two. Freshman Gina Metzler was hit by a one-out pitch to get the rally started. She moved to third on a single from sophomore MJ Knighten and scored on an RBI single from senior Kylee Muir.

South Dakota came back to take a 4-1 lead with a four-run second inning. The Coyotes did not record a hit in the inning, but benefitted from three walks, two hit batters, a Husker error and two wild pitches. USD loaded the bases on a walk and two hit batters. The Coyotes tied the game on a Husker error and took a 2-1 lead on an RBI ground out. Another wild pitch stretched the lead to 3-1. Two more walks re-loaded the bases and brought Bartsch into the game. Bartsch recorded the second out on Morgan Hancock sacrifice fly to right that stretched the Coyotes' lead to 4-1. Bartsch then prevented any further damage by coaxing a pop out to sophomore Kat Woolman at second base.

Nebraska got a run back in the bottom of the second. After the first two batters were retired, sophomore Lotte Sjulin singled to right before classmate Rachel Arthur drew a walk. Junior Kiki Stokes then lined an RBI double down the right field line that scored Sjulin. Arthur also attempted to score on the play but was thrown out at home.

The Huskers had a chance to pull closer in the bottom of the third following a one-out bunt single from Knighten which was followed by a walk to Muir. But Nebraska ended up stranding the runners at second and third.

Leading 4-2, South Dakota recorded its first hit when Shelby Keil led off the top of the fourth inning with a single. Keil was at second with two outs when she scored on a bloop RBI single off the bat of Hancock.

Trailing by three, Nebraska mounted a threat in the bottom of the fourth. Woolman walked to begin the inning before Jablonski hit a grounder to short. Keil, the South Dakota shortstop, looked to second before throwing late to first, allowing Jablonski to reach. On the play, Woolman alertly moved up to third base, which was uncovered. With runners on first and third with no outs, Sjulin produced her second hit of the game, an RBI single that scored Woolman and cut the lead to 5-3. Freshman pinch hitter Laura Barrow then walked to load the bases before Stokes tied the game with a two-run single through the right side.

Tied at 5-5, the Huskers still had runners at first and second with no outs. Metzler advanced both runners into scoring position with a ground out to first before Knighten gave NU a 6-5 lead with a sacrifice fly to right.

South Dakota threatened in the top of the fifth after Jablonski re-entered the game and walked three batters, but she coaxed a ground out to preserve the lead.

Nebraska then loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the sixth but was unable to score.

Jablonski then worked around a two-out walk to earn the save with a scoreless seventh inning.

Stokes led Nebraska's offensive effort with a 2-for-3 day that included a double and three RBIs. Knighten and Sjulin also produced multi-hit games, with Sjulin scoring twice.

Madison Frain took the loss for South Dakota, allowing six runs on 10 hits in a complete-game effort.

The Huskers return to action next weekend, when Nebraska hosts the Husker Fall Classic at Bowlin Stadium on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 4 and 5. Nebraska will be joined by UNO and Colorado State in the tournament, which features three games each day. Admission is free into all six games, with action beginning at 11 a.m. on both Saturday and Sunday.

 

Box Score

 

2014 Nebraska Softball South Dakota at Nebraska Sep 28, 2014 at Lincoln, Neb.

South Dakota 5

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Dinning, Katie cf........ 3 0 0 0 1 0 4 0 3 Hancock, Morgan lf....... 3 0 1 2 0 1 0 0 0 Minogue, Yvon 1b......... 3 0 1 0 1 0 5 1 2 Daly, Allie c............ 3 1 0 0 0 0 3 0 2 Curtis, Brooke dp........ 3 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 Steinfeldt, Taylor pr... 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Jones, Matley 3b......... 1 1 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 Hancock, Sydney dp....... 4 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 Keil, Shelby ss.......... 2 0 1 1 2 0 2 2 0 Winckler, Emily 2b....... 2 1 0 0 2 1 1 2 1 Warnock, Christy dp...... 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 0 Frain, Madison p......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Totals................... 24 5 3 4 9 2 18 8 10

Nebraska 6

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Stokes, Kiki lf.......... 4 0 2 3 0 0 2 0 3 Metzler, Gina cf......... 3 1 1 0 0 0 3 0 0 Knighten, MJ 3b.......... 3 0 2 1 0 0 1 3 0 Muir, Kylee rf........... 2 0 1 1 2 0 2 0 0 Pasquale, Steph c........ 4 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 3 Tyson, Dawna 1b.......... 2 0 0 0 1 0 6 0 4 Woolman, Kat 2b.......... 2 1 1 0 1 0 5 1 0 Jablonski, Kaylan p...... 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Otte, Taylor pr......... 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Sjulin, Lotte dp......... 3 2 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 Arthur, Rachel ss........ 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 3 0 Barrow, Laura ph........ 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 Bartsch, Caitlin p...... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Totals................... 27 6 10 6 6 1 21 8 11

Score by Innings R H E ----------------------------------------- South Dakota........ 040 100 0 - 5 3 1 Nebraska............ 110 400 X - 6 10 3 -----------------------------------------

E - Minogue; Stokes; Arthur 2. DP - Huskers 1. LOB - Coyotes 10; Huskers 11. 2B - Stokes. HBP - Daly; Jones; Metzler. SF - Hancock, M.; Knighten.

South Dakota IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Frain, Madison...... 6.0 10 6 6 6 1 27 35 112

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Jablonski, Kaylan... 4.1 1 4 3 7 2 15 24 101 Bartsch, Caitlin.... 2.2 2 1 1 2 0 9 12 40

Win - Bartsch. Loss - Frain. Save - Jablonski . WP - Jablonski 2. HBP - by Frain (Metzler); by Jablonski (Daly); by Jablonski (Jones). Pitches/strikes: Frain 112/60; Jablonski 101/45; Bartsch 40/23. Umpires - Start: 4:02 pm Time: 2:28 Attendance: 559 Game: livegame