Husker Rally Comes Up Short in 12-10 Loss

Nebraska  10 12 Illinois
Box Score

Inning-by-Inning
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7		R	H	E
Illinois	0	2	8	0	0	0	2		12	12	2
Nebraska	0	0	4	0	2	3	1		10	15	3

Pitching
	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
W - Vecvanagas (19-11)	7.0	15	10	5	1	2
L - Jablonski (7-6)	4.0	5	5	4	5	0
S - None	0.0	0	0	0	0	0

Individual Leaders
	AB	R	H	RBI	2B	HR
Kylee Muir	3	2	3	6	0	2
Alicia Armstrong	5	2	3	0	1	0

Game Notes

Nebraska saw its season-high six-game winning streak snapped...For the third time this season, Nebraska lost despite scoring double-digit runs...Nebraska scored 10 runs in the game, setting new school records for runs in a season (367) and runs in a conference season (177)...Kylee Muir hit two home runs to produce her first career multi-homer game...Muir had a career-high three hits and a career-high six RBIs, while tying her career high with two runs scored.

Lincoln - The Nebraska softball team nearly mounted a remarkable comeback on Saturday afternoon, but the Huskers' rally fell just short in a 12-10 loss to Illinois in front of 990 fans at Bowlin Stadium.

Nebraska trailed 10-0 following the top of the third inning, but the Huskers fought back and had the tying and go-ahead runs on base in the bottom of the seventh.

Illinois scored twice in the top of the second inning, then hit three home runs in an eight-run third inning to take a commanding 10-0 lead.

The Huskers began chipping away at the lead with four two-out runs in the bottom of the frame. Sophomore MJ Knighten got the rally started with a two-out single. Junior Alicia Armstrong followed with another single before an error allowed Knighten to score and extended the inning. Nebraska took advantage of the extra out when senior Kylee Muir hit a three-run homer to left to cut the gap to 10-4.

Muir hit a second home run two innings later, a two-run shot that trimmed the Illinois lead to 10-6.

The Huskers continued to close the gap with three more runs in the bottom of the sixth. Junior Kiki Stokes and Knighten reached on one-out singles, and the Huskers had runners on first and third with two outs when senior Steph Pasquale ripped a two-run double to deep left. Muir then brought Pasquale home with an RBI single that cut the lead to 10-9.

After allowing nine straight runs, Illinois added two big insurance runs in the top of the seventh on a two-run homer from Allie Bauch.

The Fighting Illini's fourth home run proved big as Nebraska rallied in the bottom of the seventh. Sophomore Kat Woolman reached on a one-out single before Stokes singled with two outs to score Woolman. Knighten was then hit by a pitch and Armstrong reached on an infield single to load the bases. Trailing 12-10, Pasquale put a good swing on a ball but lined out to the center fielder to end the game.

Nebraska out-hit Illinois, 15-12, but the Huskers saw their season-high six-game win streak snapped. NU fell to 31-20 with the loss and dropped to 16-6 in conference play.

Muir paced the Husker offense with a 3-for-3 day that included two home runs, two runs scored and six RBIs. While producing her first career multi-homer game, Muir set career highs in hits and RBIs, while tying her career high for runs scored. Armstrong also produced three hits, finishing 3-for-5, while Stokes and Knighten produced two hits each.

Freshman right-hander Kaylan Jablonski (7-6) took the loss, allowing five runs (four earned) in 4.0 combined innings, as she earned the start and re-entered the game in relief. Junior right-hander Emily Lockman tossed the final 3.0 innings and allowed two runs. Freshman right-hander Caitlin Bartsch faced five batters in the third inning and did not record an out, allowing five runs (four earned) on three hits.

Jade Vecvanags (19-11) earned the win for Illinois, which remained in contention for a first-round bye at the Big Ten Tournament. The Fighting Illini improved to 26-25 with the win and moved to 14-8 in Big Ten play.

Nebraska wraps up the regular season on Sunday at Noon against Illinois.

Box Score

 

2015 Nebraska Softball Illinois at Nebraska May 02, 2015 at Lincoln, Neb. (Bowlin Stadium)

Illinois 12 (26-25,14-8 Big Ten)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Bauch, Allie 2b.......... 3 2 3 4 2 0 4 3 0 Gunther, Alyssa 1b....... 4 1 1 3 1 0 4 0 0 Perkins, Jess c.......... 4 0 1 0 0 0 3 0 2 Farina, Leigh pr........ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Evans, Nicole lf......... 5 1 1 1 0 0 4 0 1 Thomas, Carly cf......... 5 1 3 0 0 0 3 0 3 Rivera, Ruby ss.......... 3 2 1 2 1 0 2 2 1 Fleming, Annie 3b........ 1 1 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 Sanchez, Brittany rf..... 4 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 Trezzo, Danielle pr..... 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Johnson, Kylie dp........ 3 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Vecvanags, Jade p........ 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 Totals................... 33 12 12 11 7 0 21 5 8

Nebraska 10 (31-20,16-6 Big Ten)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Stokes, Kiki cf.......... 5 1 2 1 0 0 3 0 0 Knighten, MJ 3b.......... 4 1 2 0 0 0 1 2 2 Armstrong, Alicia ss..... 5 2 3 0 0 0 2 4 0 Pasquale, Steph c........ 5 2 1 2 0 0 1 1 4 Metzler, Gina pr........ 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Muir, Kylee rf........... 3 2 3 6 0 0 2 0 0 Tyson, Dawna dp.......... 4 0 1 0 0 0 6 0 1 Sjulin, Lotte pr........ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Jablonski, Kaylan p...... 3 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 Woolman, Kat lf.......... 4 1 1 0 0 2 1 0 2 Barrow, Laura 2b......... 4 0 1 0 0 0 3 4 0 Fowler, Mattie 1b........ 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 Bartsch, Caitlin p...... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Lockman, Emily p........ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Totals................... 37 10 15 9 1 2 21 12 9

Score by Innings R H E ----------------------------------------- Illinois............ 028 000 2 - 12 12 2 Nebraska............ 004 023 1 - 10 15 3 -----------------------------------------

E - A. Gunther(4); J. Vecvanags(2); Knighten(10); Armstrong(10); Barrow(9). DP - Illini 1; Huskers 1. LOB - Illini 8; Huskers 9. 2B - Armstrong(9); Pasquale(9). HR - A. Bauch(12); A. Gunther(1); N. Evans(18); R. Rivera(8); Muir 2(5). HBP - J. Perkins; Knighten; Muir. SB - K. Johnson(13). CS - A. Fleming(1).

Illinois IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Vecvanags, Jade..... 7.0 15 10 5 1 2 37 40 138

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Jablonski, Kaylan... 4.0 5 5 4 5 0 16 22 87 Bartsch, Caitlin.... 0.0 3 5 4 1 0 4 5 20 Lockman, Emily...... 3.0 4 2 2 1 0 13 14 36

Win - J. Vecvanags (19-11). Loss - Jablonski (7-6). Save - None. WP - J. Vecvanags(20). HBP - by Jablonski (J. Perkins); by J. Vecvanags (Muir); by J. Vecvanags (Knighten). Pitches/strikes: J. Vecvanags 138/95; Jablonski 87/47; Bartsch 20/11; Lockman 36/24. Umpires - HP: Gary Mitchell 1B: Joe Havenhill 3B: Cody Little Start: 1:06 pm Time: 2:48 Attendance: 990 Game: livegame