Huskers Rally Past Wolfpack in Final At Bat

nebraSKa  6 1 NC State
Box Score

Inning-by-Inning
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7		R	H	E
Nebraska	0	0	0	0	0	0	6		6	14	1
NC State	0	0	0	1	0	0	0		1	4	0

Pitching
	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
W - McClure (3-0)	3.1	0	0	0	1	5
L - Mirabella (2-1)	7.0	14	6	6	0	6
S - None	0.0	0	0	0	0	0

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

Game Notes

Nebraska improved to 6-0...the Huskers have started a season 6-0 for the fourth time in school history and for the first time since 2013...NU has won twice when trailing after six innings this season after not winning once when trailing after six innings in 2015...MJ Knighten singled in the top of the first inning to extend her hitting streak to eight games, dating back to last season...Knighten finished with three hits, producing her fifth multi-hit effort of the first six games and fourth game with three hits...Alyvia Simmons doubled off the top of the wall in left center in the top of the second inning for her first career hit...Kiki Stokes reached on a bunt single in the top of the fourth to extend her hitting streak to nine games dating back to last season...Alicia Armstrong's three-run seventh-inning home run increased her career RBI total to 101...she became the 12th Husker to produce 100 career hits, runs and RBIs...Cassie McClure extended her season-opening scoreless streak to 15.1 innings.

Raleigh, N.C. - It was another game and another rally for the Nebraska softball team on Friday at Dail Stadium on the North Carolina State campus. Shut out through the first six innings, the Huskers sent 10 batters to the plate and scored six times in their final at bat to come from behind for a 6-1 win over the Wolfpack. 

Nebraska moved to 6-0 on the season, tying for the third-best start in school history. The Huskers have trailed after five innings in three of their six victories. Twice Nebraska has come back to win when trailing after six innings, something the Huskers never accomplished last season.

NU had plenty of early scoring chances but it appeared as though an unearned run might doom the Huskers. Nebraska had two on with one out in each of the first two innings and had the bases loaded with one out in the third but could not push a run across. 

After missing the early scoring chances, a two-out error allowed NC State to grab a 1-0 in the bottom of the fourth inning.

That run appeared to be enough for Wolfpack starter Courtney Mirabella, who settled in after the early jams. Mirabella (2-1) had retired seven in a row and 11 of 12 before the Huskers posted their biggest inning of the season in the top of the seventh. 

Sophomore Gina Metzler began the rally with a sharp single up the middle. Senior Kiki Stokes followed with a double to put runners at first and second. Sophomore Laura Barrow tied the game with an RBI fielder's choice, before junior MJ Knighten gave Nebraska the lead with an RBI single through the left side.

Leading 2-1, Nebraska wasn't finished. Senior Alicia Armstrong launched a towering three-run homer to left to push the lead to 5-1. Batting for the second time in the inning, Metzler capped the rally with a two-out RBI single.

The six-run seventh inning was more than enough support for a Nebraska pitching staff that did not allow an earned run on Friday. Junior Cassie McClure retired the side in order in the bottom of the seventh to earn the win. McClure (3-0) tossed 3.1 innings of scoreless, no-hit relief with five strikeouts. She has not allowed a run in 15.1 innings this season. Sophomore Kaylan Jablonski earned the start and did not allow an earned run in 3.2 innings.

Offensively, Knighten continued her torrid start to the season with a 3-for-4 day - her fourth three-hit effort in six games - that included the game-winning RBI. Armstrong had a pair of hits and three RBIs while slugging her second homer of the year. Stokes, Metzler and senior Mattie Fowler also had two hits for the Huskers.

Nebraska returns to action tomorrow with a pair of games. The Huskers will take on Louisville (5-1) at 11 a.m. (Central) before a rematch with NC State (3-3) at 4 p.m. Nebraska's game with NC State will air on ESPN3 and WatchESPN while a free radio broadcast of both games will be available on Huskers.com, courtesy of the IMG Husker Sports Network.

 

Box Score

 

2016 Nebraska Softball Nebraska at North Carolina State Feb 19, 2016 at Raleigh, N.C. (Dail Stadium)

Nebraska 6 (6-0)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Stokes, Kiki cf.......... 5 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 4 Barrow, Laura 2b......... 4 1 1 1 0 1 2 1 1 Knighten, MJ 3b.......... 4 1 3 1 0 1 1 3 0 Armstrong, Alicia ss..... 4 1 2 3 0 0 0 2 0 McClure, Cassie dp....... 4 0 0 0 0 3 0 1 2 Jablonski, Kaylan p...... 4 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 Fowler, Mattie 1b........ 4 0 2 0 0 1 7 0 3 Sjulin, Lotte pr........ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Simmons, Alyvia rf....... 4 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 Otte, Taylor rf......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Metzler, Gina lf......... 4 1 2 1 0 0 1 0 0 Cassidy, Bri c........... 0 0 0 0 0 0 8 0 0 Totals................... 37 6 14 6 0 6 21 7 10

North Carolina State 1 (3-3)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Lana Van Dyken ss........ 4 0 0 0 0 1 2 3 0 Tyler Ross lf............ 3 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 Molly Hutchison c........ 3 0 1 0 0 1 5 1 1 Maggie Hawkins 2b........ 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 2 1 Meredith Burroughs 1b.... 2 0 0 0 1 0 7 0 0 Natalie Jones pr........ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Hanna Sommer dp.......... 2 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 Brittany Nimmo 3b........ 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 Morgan Medford rf........ 3 0 0 1 0 2 1 0 1 Hannah Yeager cf......... 3 0 1 0 0 1 3 0 2 Courtney Mirabella p..... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals................... 26 1 4 1 2 7 21 6 6

Score by Innings R H E ----------------------------------------- Nebraska............ 000 000 6 - 6 14 1 North Carolina State 000 100 0 - 1 4 0 -----------------------------------------

E - Knighten(2). LOB - Huskers 10; Wolfpack 6. 2B - Stokes(2); Simmons(1); Hawkins M.. HR - Armstrong(2).

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Jablonski, Kaylan... 3.2 4 1 0 1 2 15 16 66 McClure, Cassie..... 3.1 0 0 0 1 5 11 12 54

North Carolina State IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Courtney Mirabella.. 7.0 14 6 6 0 6 37 37 129

Win - McClure (3-0). Loss - Mirabella (2-1). Save - None. Pitches/strikes: Jablonski 66/43; McClure 54/35; Mirabella 129/90. Umpires - HP: Philip Freels 1B: Leah Bowen 3B: Chris Tehonica Start: 4:31 pm Time: 2:13 Attendance: Game: livegame