Huskers Fall to No. 24 Pitt

Nebraska  1 9 Pitt
Box Score

Inning-by-Inning
Team	1	2	3	4	5		R	H	E
Nebraska	0	0	0	0	1		1	5	1
Pittsburgh	1	1	6	0	1		9	10	1

Pitching
	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
W - Harris (3-0)	5.0	5	1	0	3	1
L - McClure (0-2)	2.1	5	6	6	1	3
S - None	0.0	0	0	0	0	0

Individual Leaders
	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	HR
Haley Donaldson	2	0	2	0	0	0
MJ Knighten	2	0	1	0	1	0

Game Notes
Nebraska has started a season 0-5 for only the second time in program history and for the first time since 1992 (0-7)...Haley Donaldson finished 2-for-2, marking her first career multi-hit game...Tristen Edwards singled in the top of the second inning to mark her first career hit...the Huskers were run-ruled for the second time this season.

Tallahassee, Fla. - The Nebraska softball team lost to a ranked opponent for the fourth straight game Friday, as the Huskers fell to No. 24 Pittsburgh, 9-1 in five innings, in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge at Florida State's JoAnne Graf Field.

Pittsburgh improved to 6-0 with the win, while Nebraska dropped to 0-5. All five Husker losses are to teams currently ranked in the top 25. Senior right-hander Cassie McClure (0-2) took the loss for the Big Red, allowing six runs in 2.1 innings. Junior right-hander Kaylan Jablonski also saw action in the circle, giving up three runs (two earned) in 2.0 innings of work. Kayla Harris (3-0) earned the win for Pitt, allowing only one unearned run in a complete-game effort.

Offensively, freshman Haley Donaldson had two of Nebraska's five hits to produce her first multi-hit game as a Husker. Classmate Tristen Edwards, junior Austen Urness and senior MJ Knighten all added one hits, while junior Gina Metzler scored Nebraska's lone run.

Despite the 9-1 margin, Nebraska actually had more at bats with runners on base (15) than Pittsburgh (13), but the Panthers were 8-for-13 with runners on base and 6-for-9 with runners in scoring position.

In the top of the first, Nebraska was retired in order before Pittsburgh used a two-out hit-by-pitch and an RBI double to grab a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the frame. 

The Huskers then left the bases loaded in the top of the second. McClure began the inning with a walk before back-to-back singles from Edwards and Donaldson. With the bases loaded and one out, a pair of fly outs to left field ended the threat.

Pittsburgh then produced a run with less of a threat in the bottom of the second. The Panthers had a runner on second base with two outs for Alexis Solak, who hit a ground ball that just got past Donaldson at second base for an RBI single that pushed the Pitt lead to 2-0.

Nebraska had another scoring chance in the top of the third. Knighten led off with an infield single and stole second base. Knighten was at second with no outs, but she was unable to score following a line out and a pair of fly outs.

Pitt then broke the game open with a six-run third inning. The inning started with a walk and hit batter, and the Panthers had the bases loaded with one out following an infield single. A two-run single from Kaitlin Manuel gave Pittsburgh a 4-0 lead. Olivia Gray then greeted Jablonski with an RBI single on Jablonski's first pitch, before Connor McGaffic capped the big inning with a three-run home run.

Jablonski rebounded to keep Pitt off the scoreboard in the bottom of the fifth. The Huskers then temporarily avoided the run rule by plating a run in the top of the fifth. Knighten drew a leadoff walk and was replaced on the base paths by junior Gina Metzler, who reached on a fielder's choice. Metzler was on first with one out when junior Austen Urness blooped a single to shallow right field. The ball then got past McGaffic, allowing Metzler to score and extend the game with the Panthers leading 8-1.

But an unearned run allowed Pitt to claim the run-rule victory in the bottom of the eighth on an RBI double from Solak.

Nebraska gets a chance to avenge the loss when it faces No. 24 Pittsburgh again on Saturday at 10 a.m. before taking on No. 3 Florida State at 3 p.m.

Box Score 2017 Nebraska Softball Nebraska vs #24 Pitt Feb 17, 2017 at Tallahassee, Fla. (JoAnne Graf Field)

Nebraska 1 (0-5)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ MJ Knighten 3b........... 2 0 1 0 1 0 1 2 0 Gina Metzler cf.......... 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Kaylan Jablonski dp...... 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Austen Urness lf......... 3 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 Cassie McClure p......... 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 Alyvia Simmons dp....... 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 Tristen Edwards rf....... 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Haley Donaldson 2b....... 2 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 Rindy Bryant ss.......... 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 Laura Barrow 1b.......... 2 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 5 Bri Cassidy c............ 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 0 0 Totals................... 20 1 5 0 3 1 13 3 7

Pitt 9 (6-0)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Hannah Edwards lf........ 3 0 0 0 0 1 3 0 1 Erin Hershman cf......... 2 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 McKayla Taylor ss........ 1 2 0 0 0 0 1 5 0 Giorgiana Zeremenko c.... 3 0 2 1 0 0 1 0 0 Kaitlyn Kruger pr....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Alexee Haynes dp......... 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 Taylor Myers pr......... 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Kaitlin Manuel 1b........ 3 1 1 2 0 1 6 0 0 Olivia Gray 3b........... 3 3 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 Connor McGaffic rf....... 3 1 2 3 0 1 2 0 0 Alexis Solak 2b.......... 3 0 2 2 0 1 1 0 0 Kayla Harris p........... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 Totals................... 24 9 11 9 1 5 15 7 3

Score by Innings R H E -------------------------------------- Nebraska............ 000 01 - 1 5 0 Pitt................ 116 01 - 9 11 1 --------------------------------------

E - C. McGaffic(1). LOB - Huskers 7; Panthers 3. 2B - G. Zeremenko 2(3); O. Gray(4); A. Solak(1). HR - C. McGaffic(1). HBP - M. Taylor 2. SB - Knighten(1); O. Gray(2).

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Cassie McClure...... 2.1 5 6 6 1 3 12 15 65 Kaylan Jablonski.... 2.0 6 3 2 0 2 12 12 36

Pitt IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Kayla Harris........ 5.0 5 1 0 3 1 20 23 85

Win - K. Harris (3-0). Loss - McClure (0-2). Save - None. HBP - by McClure (M. Taylor); by McClure (M. Taylor). Pitches/strikes: McClure 65/39; Jablonski 36/24; K. Harris 85/52. Umpires - HP: Craig Hyde 1B: Rickie Sexton 3B: Steve Gould Start: 3:02 pm Time: 1:43 Attendance: Game: livegame