Early Runs Propel Huskers Past South Dakota State

NEBRASKA  3 2 so. dakota st.
Box Score

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

Pitching
	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
W - McClure (12-5)	7.0	5	2	2	0	10
L - Bender (5-12)	6.0	8	3	3	1	1
S - None	0.0	0	0	0	0	0

Individual Leaders
	AB	R	H	RBI	2B	HR
Madi Unzicker	3	1	1	1	0	1
Mattie Fowler	3	0	1	1	1	0

Game Notes

Nebraska improved to 16-0 all-time vs. South Dakota State...the 16-game winning streak against the Jackrabbits is the longest winning streak against a single opponent in Husker history...NU used a different starting lineup and batting order for the 31st time in 31 games...Mattie Fowler had an RBI double in the first inning to extend her career-long hitting streak to 10 games...Cassie McClure finished with 10 strikeouts, tying her career high.

Lincoln - The Nebraska softball team jumped out to a 3-0 lead then held on for a 3-2 victory over South Dakota State on Tuesday at Bowlin Stadium.

Junior right-hander Cassie McClure (12-5) tied a career high with 10 strikeouts and tossed a complete game to help the Huskers snap a two-game losing streak. With the win, Nebraska notched its 20th victory of the season, improving to 20-11.

McClure also added an RBI at the plate on a day when seven of Nebraska's nine hitters produced a hit. Senior Alicia Armstrong was the lone Husker to finish with multiple hits (2), while classmate Mattie Fowler was 1-for-3 with an RBI double to extend her career-long hitting streak to 10 games. Sophomore Madi Unzicker added her fourth home run of the season.

Nebraska started fast, racing to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Junior MJ Knighten and sophomore Kaylan Jablonski recorded back-to-back one-out singles. Knighten then scored the game's first run on a sacrifice fly from McClure, before Jablonski came home on a two-out, RBI double from Fowler.

The Huskers took a 3-0 lead when Unzicker led off the bottom of the second inning with a towering home run down the left field line. Nebraska then loaded the bases on consecutive singles from sophomore Laura Barrow and senior Kiki Stokes and a four-pitch walk to Knighten, but the Huskers failed to add to their lead. 

South Dakota State got a run back in the top of the fourth when Devan Larsen led off with a solo homer. The Jacks then pulled to within 3-2 on a two-out, RBI double from Lyndsey Crist.

In the top of the fifth, SDSU had runners at first and second with two outs when Lauren Chirnside hit a blooper to shallow right field, where sophomore Taylor Otte made a nice sliding grab to prevent the tying run from scoring.

That proved to be the Jackrabbits' final threat, as McClure retired the final eight hitters, ending the game on her 10th strikeout.

Ashlyn Bender (5-12) took the loss for South Dakota State (11-20). Bender allowed three runs on eight hits in a complete-game effort.

Nebraska returns to conference play this weekend when the Huskers travel to College Park, Md., for a three-game series with the Maryland Terrapins.

 

Box Score

 

2016 Nebraska Softball South Dakota State at Nebraska Mar 29, 2016 at Lincoln, Neb. (Bowlin Stadium)

South Dakota State 2 (11-20)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Christian McKone cf...... 3 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 Devan Larsen 3b.......... 2 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 Lauren Chirnside dp...... 3 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 2 Ali Herdliska 1b......... 3 0 0 0 0 1 8 0 1 Abbey Murphy 2b.......... 3 1 1 0 0 1 4 5 0 Lyndsey Crist lf......... 3 0 1 1 0 1 2 0 0 Jordyn Sturgeon c........ 3 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 1 Julia Andersen rf........ 3 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 Yanney Ponce ss.......... 2 0 0 0 0 2 0 2 0 Danielle Steffo ph...... 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 Ashlyn Bender p.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals................... 26 2 5 2 0 10 18 8 4

Nebraska 3 (20-11)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Stokes, Kiki cf.......... 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Knighten, MJ 3b.......... 2 1 1 0 1 0 1 3 0 Jablonski, Kaylan dp..... 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 McClure, Cassie p........ 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 3 Fowler, Mattie 1b........ 3 0 1 1 0 1 6 0 0 Armstrong, Alicia ss..... 3 0 2 0 0 0 0 1 1 Arthur, Rachel pr....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Unzicker, Madi c......... 3 1 1 1 0 0 10 0 0 Metzler, Gina lf......... 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 Urness, Austen ph....... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Barrow, Laura 2b......... 2 0 1 0 0 0 1 2 0 Otte, Taylor rf.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Totals................... 24 3 8 3 1 1 21 6 5

Score by Innings R H E ----------------------------------------- South Dakota State.. 000 200 0 - 2 5 0 Nebraska............ 210 000 X - 3 8 1 -----------------------------------------

E - McClure(3). DP - Jackrabbits 1. LOB - Jackrabbits 4; Huskers 5. 2B - Crist(3); Fowler(3). HR - Larsen(5); Unzicker(4). SH - Larsen(2). SF - McClure(1). SB - Knighten(2).

South Dakota State IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Ashlyn Bender....... 6.0 8 3 3 1 1 24 26 98

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- McClure, Cassie..... 7.0 5 2 2 0 10 26 27 103

Win - McClure (12-5). Loss - Bender (5-12). Save - None. Pitches/strikes: Bender 98/56; McClure 103/71. Umpires - HP: Anita Wilson 1B: Matt Titkemeier 3B: Brad Eberhardt Start: 6:03 pm Time: 1:52 Attendance: 825 Game: livegame