Big First Inning Powers NU to 14-6 Win

Nebraska  14 6 michigan st.
Box Score

Inning-by-Inning
Team	1	2	3	4	5		R	H	E
Michigan St.	0	1	4	0	1		6	5	3
Nebraska	8	0	3	1	2		14	10	1

Pitching
	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
W - E. Lockman (7-7)	2.1	1	1	1	1	1
L - B. Rainey (1-4)	2.0	5	11	9	5	0
S - None	--	--	--	--	--	--

Individual Leaders
	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	HR
Kiki Stokes	1	2	1	5	3	1
MJ Knighten	4	1	4	2	0	0

Game Notes

Nebraska picked up its ninth run-rule victory of the year...the Huskers won their 13th straight home game and 12th consecutive Big Ten game at Bowlin Stadium...NU has now won six of its last seven games...Nebraska scored double-digit runs for the 12th time this season, the most in school history...Kiki Stokes hit her second grand slam of the season...the Huskers have hit a grand slam in each of their three home games this season....NU has scored 39 runs in its three home games this season....Steph Pasquale homered for the second consecutive game.

Lincoln - An eight-run first inning powered the Nebraska softball team to a 14-6 run-rule victory over Michigan State on a beautiful Saturday afternoon at Bowlin Stadium.

The Huskers, who recorded double-digit runs for the third consecutive home game and for the school-record 12th time this season, continued a pair of win streaks while securing a series victory over the Spartans. Nebraska (14-12 overall, 2-0 Big Ten) won its 13th straight home game and 12th consecutive conference game at Bowlin Stadium.

Junior right-hander Emily Lockman earned a win in relief for the second straight day to even her record at 7-7 on the season. Lockman allowed only one hit - a solo home run - in 2.1 innings. Freshman right-hander Kaylan Jablonski earned the start and allowed five runs (four earned) in 2.2 innings.

Offensively, the top two hitters in the Husker order - junior Kiki Stokes and sophomore MJ Knighten - fueled another impressive hitting performance. Stokes went 1-for-1 with three walks, a grand slam and a career-high five RBIs out of the leadoff spot. Batting second, Knighten produced her second career four-hit game, finishing 4-for-4 with a pair of RBIs.

The Huskers had four hits, drew two walks and were hit by two pitches while jumping out to the early 8-0 lead. Nebraska loaded the bases when Stokes walks, Knighten singled and junior Alicia Armstrong was hit by a pitch. Sophomore Cassie McClure then drove in the game's first run with a sacrifice fly to center. Senior Steph Pasquale was hit by a pitch to force in another run and give Nebraska a 2-0 lead. Senior Kylee Muir followed with an RBI single before sophomore Kat Woolman reached on an RBI fielder's choice.

Leading 4-0, freshman Laura Barrow drew a two-out walk to load the bases before Stokes lined a 3-2 pitch over the fence in right for a grand slam that doubled the Huskers' lead to 8-0.

Michigan State got one run back in the top of the second on an RBI single from Ellie Stoffer.

The Spartans then capitalized on a Husker error to pull within 8-5 in the top of the third. A two-out NU error extended the inning and loaded the bases before Kassidy Kujawa hit a pinch-hit grand slam.

The Huskers answered back in the bottom of the frame. A pair of walks and an error loaded the bases with no outs. Stokes then drew a bases-loaded walk to score Woolman and give Nebraska a 10-5 lead. Knighten followed with a single that scored freshman pinch runner Gina Metzler. Armstrong then reached on an error that pushed the Huskers' lead to 11-5.

Nebraska took a 12-5 lead with another run in the bottom of the fourth. Woolman and junior Mattie Fowler began the frame with consecutive singles. Following a double play, Stokes walked to load the bases before Knighten collected her fourth hit with an RBI single.

The Huskers then wrapped up the run-rule victory with two runs in the bottom of the fifth. Pasquale began the frame with her second home run in as many games before Muir and Woolman drew back-to-back walks. Fowler then ended the game with an RBI single that scored freshman pinch runner Taylor Otte.

Bridgette Rainey (1-4) took the loss for Michigan State, which fell to 15-14 on the year and 0-2 in conference play.

Nebraska and Michigan State wrap up their three-game series on Sunday at Noon.

Box Score

 

2015 Nebraska Softball Michigan State at Nebraska Mar 21, 2015 at Lincoln, Neb. (Bowlin Stadium)

Michigan State 6 (15-14,0-2 Big Ten)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Freimuth, McKinzie 1b.... 2 0 0 0 1 0 6 0 4 Foerster, Lea cf......... 2 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 Thomas, Shanin dp........ 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Reiser, Jacquie ss...... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Sanders, Stephanie rf.... 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Long, McKenzie 2b........ 2 3 2 1 1 0 1 3 0 Gutknecht, Sarah 3b...... 3 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 Luna, Destinee ss........ 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Kujawa, Kassidy ph/dp... 2 1 1 4 0 1 0 0 0 Stoffer, Ellie c......... 2 0 1 1 1 0 3 0 0 McBride, Alyssa lf....... 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 Rainey, Bridgette p...... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Kaff, Valerie p......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals................... 20 6 5 6 6 1 12 6 5

Nebraska 14 (14-12,2-0 Big Ten)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Stokes, Kiki cf.......... 1 2 1 5 3 0 1 0 0 Knighten, MJ 3b.......... 4 1 4 2 0 0 2 3 0 Armstrong, Alicia ss..... 2 1 0 0 1 0 1 4 1 McClure, Cassie dp....... 3 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 3 Pasquale, Steph c........ 3 1 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 Muir, Kylee rf........... 3 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 3 Otte, Taylor pr......... 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Woolman, Kat lf.......... 2 2 1 1 2 0 0 0 0 Fowler, Mattie 1b........ 4 2 2 1 0 0 8 0 0 Metzler, Gina pr........ 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Barrow, Laura 2b......... 1 2 0 1 2 0 2 0 0 Jablonski, Kaylan p...... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Lockman, Emily p........ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 Totals................... 23 14 10 13 9 1 15 9 9

Score by Innings R H E -------------------------------------- Michigan State...... 014 01 - 6 5 3 Nebraska............ 803 12 - 14 10 1 --------------------------------------

Note: None out, 2 runners LOB when the game ended.

E - Sanders, S.(1); Long, M. 2(12); Knighten(4). DP - Spartans 1; Huskers 1. LOB - Spartans 5; Huskers 9. HR - Long, M.(3); Kujawa, K.(2); Stokes(7); Pasquale(3). HBP - Armstrong; Pasquale. SF - McClure(2).

Michigan State IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Rainey, Bridgette... 2.0 5 11 9 5 0 12 20 86 Kaff, Valerie....... 2.0 5 3 3 4 1 11 15 55

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Jablonski, Kaylan... 2.2 4 5 1 5 0 12 17 57 Lockman, Emily...... 2.1 1 1 1 1 1 8 9 34

Win - Lockman (7-7). Loss - Rainey, B. (1-4). Save - None. HBP - by Rainey, B. (Armstrong); by Rainey, B. (Pasquale). Pitches/strikes: Rainey, B. 86/41; Kaff, V. 55/26; Jablonski 57/25; Lockman 34/17. Umpires - HP: Larry Nagel 1B: Matt Johnson 3B: James Colzie Start: 1:02 pm Time: 2:12 Attendance: 874 Rainey, B. faced 5 batters in the 3rd. Kaff, V. faced 4 batters in the 5th. Game: NEB26