Armstrong Homer Powers NU to Sweep

Nebraska  7 5 michigan st.
Box Score

Inning-by-Inning
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7		R	H	E
Michigan St.	0	0	1	0	3	0	1		5	8	3
Nebraska	1	2	1	0	0	3	X		7	8	1

Pitching
	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
W - E. Lockman (8-7)	6.1	8	5	2	3	0
L - K. Zalewski (11-7)	6.0	8	7	5	2	2
S - C. McClure (3)	0.2	0	0	0	0	0

Individual Leaders
	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	HR
Alicia Armstrong	4	1	1	3	0	0
MJ Knighten	4	2	2	0	0	0

Game Notes
Nebraska won its 14th consecutive home game...the Huskers won their 12th consecutive home conference game...Nebraska improved to 10-0 all-time vs. Michigan State...NU scored 36 runs in the three-game series, marking the most runs the Huskers have ever scored in a conference series...each of Nebraska's first four hits in the game were extra-base hits (three doubles, one triple).

Lincoln - Alicia Armstrong broke a sixth-inning tie with a three-run home run, helping the Nebraska softball team complete a three-game sweep of Michigan State with a 7-5 victory in Sunday's series finale.

The game was tied 4-4 in the bottom of the sixth when Armstrong smacked her fifth home run of the season to secure the sweep. Nebraska improved to 15-12 overall and 3-0 in Big Ten Conference play with its 14th consecutive home victory and 13th straight home conference win.

Five of Nebraska's eight hits in the game went for extra-bases, and the Huskers also benefitted from three Michigan State errors. Senior Kylee Muir was the only Husker besides Armstrong to drive in a run, while sophomores MJ Knighten and Cassie McClure had two hits apiece, including a triple from Knighten and a pair of doubles by McClure.

Junior right-hander Emily Lockman (8-7) earned the win in the circle, allowing only two earned runs in 6.1 innings. McClure came on in the top of the seventh and recorded the final two outs to pick up her third save of the season.

Kristina Zalewski (11-7) took the loss for Michigan State, which fell to 15-15 on the season and 0-3 in conference play.

Nebraska jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Knighten tripled with one out and then scored the game's first run on a wild pitch.

A pair of errors then helped the Huskers take a 3-0 lead with two more runs in the bottom of the second. Muir drew a leadoff walk before junior Mattie Fowler was hit by a two-out pitch. Freshman Laura Barrow then reached on an error to load the bases with one out. With two outs, Knighten hit a ground ball to second, but a throwing error allowed Muir and Fowler to score.

Michigan State trimmed the lead to 3-1 in the top of the third. A leadoff walk and a fielder's choice where no out was recorded put Spartans at first and second with no outs. The next two batters were retired before McKenzie Long delivered an RBI single through the right side.

The Huskers got the run back in the bottom of the frame. McClure led off with her second double of the game. Then with one out, Muir doubled down the right field line to score freshman pinch runner Taylor Otte and give Nebraska a 4-1 lead.

Michigan State pulled even at 4-4 with three unearned runs in the top of the fifth. The ball never left the infield in the inning but an error, an infield single and a fielder's choice where no out was recorded set the stage for Long's game-tying two-out, two-run infield single.

In the decisive sixth inning, Barrow and Knighten singled in front of Armstrong's winning home run.

Kassidy Kujawa led off the top of the seventh with a home run and Long doubled with one out, but McClure retired the final two hitters to save the win.

Nebraska returns to action on Tuesday, when the Huskers travel to Iowa for a doubleheader with the Hawkeyes. First pitch is set for 4 p.m. and both games will be televised live on the Big Ten Network.

Box Score

 

2015 Nebraska Softball Michigan State at Nebraska Mar 22, 2015 at Lincoln, Neb. (Bowlin Stadium)

Michigan State 5 (15-15,0-3 Big Ten)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Freimuth, McKinzie 1b.... 3 1 2 0 1 0 6 0 0 Foerster, Lea cf......... 4 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 Thomas, Shanin dp........ 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Heath, Sydney ph........ 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 Sanders, Stephanie rf.... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Kujawa, Kassidy ph...... 3 1 1 2 0 0 1 1 0 Long, McKenzie 2b........ 4 0 2 3 0 0 0 2 0 Reiser, Jacquie pr...... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Gutknecht, Sarah 3b...... 3 0 2 0 1 0 2 3 0 Luna, Destinee ss........ 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 2 Stoffer, Ellie c......... 4 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 McBride, Alyssa lf....... 2 1 0 0 1 0 5 0 2 Zalewski, Kristina p..... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Totals................... 31 5 8 5 3 0 18 9 9

Nebraska 7 (15-12,3-0 Big Ten)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Stokes, Kiki cf.......... 4 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 Knighten, MJ 3b.......... 4 2 2 0 0 0 3 2 0 Armstrong, Alicia ss..... 4 1 1 3 0 0 0 3 3 McClure, Cassie dp....... 4 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 Otte, Taylor pr......... 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Pasquale, Steph c........ 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Metzler, Gina pr........ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Muir, Kylee rf........... 2 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 0 Woolman, Kat lf.......... 3 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 Fowler, Mattie 1b........ 2 1 0 0 0 1 14 1 3 Barrow, Laura 2b......... 2 1 1 0 1 0 2 3 0 Lockman, Emily p......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 Totals................... 28 7 8 4 2 2 21 15 7

Score by Innings R H E ----------------------------------------- Michigan State...... 001 030 1 - 5 8 3 Nebraska............ 121 003 X - 7 8 1 -----------------------------------------

E - Long, M.(13); Luna, D. 2(10); Barrow(4). LOB - Spartans 9; Huskers 7. 2B - Gutknecht, S(3); McClure 2(8); Muir(3). 3B - Knighten(3). HR - Kujawa, K.(3); Armstrong(5). HBP - Luna, D.; Pasquale; Fowler. SB - Freimuth, M.(6); Woolman(3).

Michigan State IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Zalewski, Kristina.. 6.0 8 7 5 2 2 28 32 117

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Lockman, Emily...... 6.1 8 5 2 3 0 29 33 86 McClure, Cassie..... 0.2 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 4

Win - Lockman (8-7). Loss - Zalewski, K. (11-7). Save - McClure (3). WP - Zalewski, K.(5). HBP - by Lockman (Luna, D.); by Zalewski, K. (Fowler); by Zalewski, K. (Pasquale). Pitches/strikes: Zalewski, K. 117/72; Lockman 86/50; McClure 4/4. Umpires - HP: Matt Johnson 1B: James Colzie 3B: Larry Nagel Start: 12:02 pm Time: 2:09 Attendance: 574 Game: livegame