Walk-Off Homer Powers Huskers Past Shockers

NEBRASKA  6 4 wichita st.
Box Score

Inning-by-Inning
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7		R	H	E
Wichita State	2	1	1	0	0	0	0		4	5	0
Nebraska	1	0	0	1	2	0	2		6	11	1

Pitching
	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
W - Lockman (3-0)	3.0	3	3	3	2	2
L - Malone (2-4)	6.0	11	6	6	1	2
S - None	0.0	0	0	0	0	0

Individual Leaders
	AB	R	H	RBI	2B	HR
Mattie Fowler	3	1	1	1	0	1
MJ Knighten	3	2	2	4	0	2

Game Notes

Nebraska won its home opener for the 11th straight year...NU improved to 14-1 in home openers at Bowlin Stadium...the Huskers had a game decided in the seventh inning or later for the sixth time in nine games...MJ Knighten's walk-off homer was the first for a Husker since Taylor Edwards vs. Washington in 2014...Knighten hit her ninth and 10th home run2 in the 14th game of the season, two more than she had in 56 games last season...the multi-homer game was Knighten's second of the season and third of her career...Dawna Tyson started her first career game at second base...Mattie Fowler hit her first home run since the 2013 season...Fowler missed most of the 2014 season after undergoing a second knee surgery.

Lincoln, Neb. - MJ Knighten's second home run of the game - a two-run walk-off homer - capped another comeback by the Nebraska softball team on Saturday, as the Huskers defeated Wichita State, 6-4, in game one of a doubleheader at Bowlin Stadium.

Nebraska trailed 4-1 before scoring the final five runs of the game. Knighten tied the game with a two-run homer in the fifth inning, then ended the game with a walk-off two-run homer with no outs in the bottom of the seventh inning. Knighten finished with two hits and four RBIs, while hitting her ninth and 10th home runs of the season. The multi-homer game was Knighten's second in 14 games this season and the third of her career.

With the win, Nebraska improved to 11-3. Senior right-hander Emily Lockman (3-0) earned the win. She started and tossed the first two innings, before re-entering the game for a scoreless seventh inning. Lockman finished with three runs allowed in 3.0 innings, while junior right-hander Cassie McClure allowed one run on only two hits in 4.0 innings of work.

Katie Malone, a Crete, Neb., native, took the loss for Wichita State, which fell to 8-7 on the year. Malone (2-4) tossed a complete game, allowing six runs on 11 hits.

Wichita State jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Lockman hit the first batter of the game before allowing an RBI double followed by an RBI single. 

Nebraska got a run back in the bottom of the frame. Senior Kiki Stokes led off with a single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt from Knighten. Stokes then went to third on a passed ball and scored the Huskers' first run on an RBI ground out off the bat of senior Alicia Armstrong.

Wichita State answered back in the top of the second. A one-out walk, a stolen base and passed ball set up a two-out RBI single that put the Shockers on top, 3-1.

The Shockers plated another run in the top of the third to increase their lead to 4-1. McClure gave up a leadoff single to the first batter she faced before Liz Broyles lined an RBI double to the gap in right center.

Nebraska cut the lead to 4-2 in the bottom of the fourth on a solo home run from senior Mattie Fowler.

The Huskers then tied the game in the bottom of the fifth. Junior Kaylan Jablonski led off with a single and scored on a game-tying two-run homer from Knighten to center.

The game remained heading to the top of the seventh. McClure issued a leadoff walk before Lockman re-entered the game. A sacrifice bunt gave Wichita State the go-ahead run at second base before Lockman coaxed a pair of ground outs.

That set the stage for Knighten's walk-off homer in the bottom of the frame. Knighten's two-run shot to center scored Stokes, who led off the inning with a single. Stokes joined Knighten and Jablonski with two hits.

 

Box Score

 

2016 Nebraska Softball Wichita State at #23 Nebraska (Game 1) Mar 05, 2016 at Lincoln, Neb. (Bowlin Stadium)

Wichita State 4 (8-7)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Spring, Kelli ss......... 2 1 0 0 1 0 2 2 0 Wright, Mackenzie 3b..... 3 0 1 1 1 0 0 2 0 Fortner, Brittany lf..... 3 1 1 1 1 0 1 0 4 Luellen, Paige rf........ 3 1 2 1 1 0 0 0 1 Williams, Cacy 1b........ 2 0 0 0 0 0 4 1 0 Broyles, Liz 2b.......... 4 0 1 1 0 1 5 1 1 Jamele, Mauriana pr..... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Kelsheimer, Cassidy c.... 3 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 1 Hitz, Macklin dp......... 2 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 Johnson, Ashley cf....... 2 0 0 0 0 1 4 0 2 Malone, Katie p.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Totals................... 24 4 5 4 6 2 18 7 9

Nebraska 6 (11-3)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Stokes, Kiki cf.......... 4 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 Knighten, MJ 3b.......... 3 2 2 4 0 0 1 3 0 Armstrong, Alicia ss..... 3 0 0 1 0 1 2 3 1 McClure, Cassie dp/p..... 3 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 Tyson, Dawna 2b.......... 3 0 1 0 0 0 6 2 1 Sjulin, Lotte pr........ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Fowler, Mattie 1b........ 2 1 1 1 0 0 8 0 0 Urness, Austen rf........ 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Unzicker, Madi c......... 2 0 0 0 1 1 2 3 1 Metzler, Gina lf......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Jablonski, Kaylan dp.... 3 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 Lockman, Emily p......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Otte, Taylor lf/pr...... 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Totals................... 26 6 11 6 1 2 21 12 5

Score by Innings R H E ----------------------------------------- Wichita State....... 211 000 0 - 4 5 0 Nebraska............ 100 120 2 - 6 11 1 -----------------------------------------

E - McClure(1). DP - Shockers 1. LOB - Shockers 9; Huskers 5. 2B - Fortner, B.(4); Broyles, L.(2). HR - Knighten 2(10); Fowler(1). HBP - Spring, K.. SH - Williams, C. 2(4); Johnson, A.(2); Knighten(1); Fowler(1). SB - Hitz, M.(1).

Wichita State IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Malone, Katie....... 6.0 11 6 6 1 2 26 29 88

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Lockman, Emily...... 3.0 3 3 3 2 2 11 15 59 McClure, Cassie..... 4.0 2 1 1 4 0 13 19 78

Win - Lockman (3-0). Loss - Malone, K. (2-4). Save - None. WP - Lockman(2). HBP - by Lockman (Spring, K.). PB - Kelsheimer(3). Pitches/strikes: Malone, K. 88/59; Lockman 59/33; McClure 78/38. Umpires - HP: Matt Titkemeier 1B: James Mozel 3B: Tony Nelson Start: 1:04 pm Time: 2:15 Attendance: McClure faced 1 batter in the 7th. Malone, K. faced 2 batters in the 7th. Game: NEB14