Huskers Lose Big Ten Opener to No. 8 Minnesota

Nebraska  0 16 Minnesota
Box Score

Inning-by-Inning
Team	1	2	3	4	5		R	H	E
Minnesota	2	4	5	5	0		16	15	0
Nebraska	0	0	0	0	0		0	3	4

Pitching
	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
W - Groenewegen (0-0)	3.0	2	0	0	1	5
L - Jablonski (3-10)	2.0	5	6	3	4	0
S - None	0.0	0	0	0	0	0

Individual Leaders
	AB	R	H	RBI	2B	HR
MJ Knighten	3	0	1	0	0	0
Alyvia Simmons	3	0	2	0	0	0

Game Notes

The loss snapped NU's five-game home winning streak...Nebraska lost its Big Ten opener for just the second time in six tries...the Huskers suffered their 12th loss this season to a ranked opponent...Caitlin Bartsch allowed a run in the third inning, as she saw her streak of 9.1 consecutive innings without allowing an earned run snapped...Alyvia Simmons singled in the third inning, extending her streak to 12 consecutive games reaching base safely.

Lincoln - The Nebraska softball team committed a season-high four errors and allowed a season-high 16 runs Friday night, as the Huskers dropped their Big Ten Conference opener to No. 8 Minnesota, 16-0 in five innings.

Offensively, the Huskers were held to three hits and struck out seven times. Two-time All-American Sara Groenewegen (12-1) earned the win with three shutout innings, helping Minnesota improve to 26-2 on the season.

Minnesota jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning, despite recording only one hit - an infield single. A leadoff walk and a pair of Husker errors plated the game's first run before a sacrifice fly made it 2-0. Nebraska escaped any further damage by turning an inning-ending double play.

The Golden Gophers added four more runs in the top of the second. After the leadoff hitter was retired trying to stretch a single into a double on a nice throw by sophomore centerfielder Alyvia Simmons, Sara Groenewegen singled off the fence in center. Junior Kaylan Jablonski then coaxed a fly out before Minnesota mounted a two-out rally. The rally began with a walk before Sam Macken doubled home a pair of runs to make it 4-0. A Husker error allowed another run to score before a Kendyl Lindaman RBI single capped the inning and gave Minnesota a 6-0 lead.

Minnesota added five more runs in the top of third. The inning started with back-to-back walks followed by consecutive singles. Nebraska trailed 7-0 even after freshman right fielder Tristen Edwards threw out a runner at home before Danielle Parlich hit a three-run homer to right. Leading 10-0, the Gophers scored their final run of the inning on Nebraska's fourth error of the game.

Junior Laura Barrow gave the Huskers their first base runner with a two-out walk in the bottom of the third. Simmons followed with a single before senior MJ Knighten loaded the bases with a single of her own. But Nebraska was unable to score as a ground out to short ended the inning.

Minnesota kept its offense rolling in the fourth, scoring five more runs on four hits. The Gophers scored twice on wild pitches, while also adding an RBI single and a two-run single.

After holding Minnesota scoreless in the top of the fifth, Nebraska had runners on first and second with two outs in the bottom of the frame but could not avoid the shutout.

Junior right-hander Kaylan Jablonski (3-10) took the loss, allowing six runs (three earned) in 2.0 innings. Classmate Caitlin Bartsch allowed five runs (four earned) in 1.0 inning of work before Taylor Kadavy tossed the final 2.0 innings, allowing five runs. Kadavy tossed a scoreless fifth inning, the lone inning where Minnesota did not score.

Offensively, Simmons went 2-for-3 while Knighten was 1-for-2. The only other Huskers to reach base were Barrow and freshman Haley Donaldson, who each drew one walk.

Nebraska and Minnesota resume their series on Saturday at 1 p.m.

Box Score 2017 Nebraska Softball #8 Minnesota at Nebraska Mar 24, 2017 at Lincoln, Neb. (Bowlin Stadium)

Minnesota 16 (26-2,1-0 Big Ten)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Sam Macken rf/lf......... 2 4 2 3 2 0 2 0 0 Taylor Chell ph......... 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Danielle Parlich 3b...... 4 4 2 4 0 0 0 1 0 Katie Kemmetmueller ph.. 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Maddie Houlihan dp/rf.... 3 2 2 0 2 0 0 0 3 Kendyl Lindaman c........ 1 0 1 2 1 0 4 1 0 Erika Rozell ph/c....... 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 MaKenna Partain 2b....... 3 0 1 2 1 0 1 1 0 Sydney Dwyer 1b.......... 3 0 1 0 0 0 5 0 4 Ellie Cowger ph......... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Sara Groenewegen p/dp.... 2 2 2 0 1 0 1 0 0 Kaylen Krueger ph....... 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 Dani Wagner cf........... 2 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 Allie Arneson ss......... 3 2 1 0 1 1 0 3 0 Carlie Brandt lf/pr...... 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Amber Fiser p........... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals................... 28 16 15 11 9 2 15 6 8

Nebraska 0 (8-18,0-1 Big Ten)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Alyvia Simmons cf........ 3 0 2 0 0 1 0 1 0 MJ Knighten 3b........... 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 Tristen Edwards rf....... 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 3 Austen Urness lf/c....... 2 0 0 0 0 2 4 0 0 Cassie McClure dp........ 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Caitlin Bartsch p....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Alexis Perry 1b.......... 1 0 0 0 0 1 3 0 0 Lotte Sjulin 1b......... 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Kaylan Jablonski p/dp.... 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 Gina Metzler lf......... 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 Haley Donaldson ss....... 1 0 0 0 1 1 3 1 0 Laura Barrow 2b.......... 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 Bree Boruff pr.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Bri Cassidy c............ 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Taylor Kadavy p......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals................... 18 0 3 0 2 7 15 6 5

Score by Innings R H E -------------------------------------- Minnesota........... 245 50 - 16 15 0 Nebraska............ 000 00 - 0 3 4 --------------------------------------

E - Edwards(2); Perry 2(7); Donaldson(2). DP - Huskers 1. LOB - Gophers 8; Huskers 5. 2B - Macken(9). HR - Parlich(1). HBP - Wagner. SF - Lindaman(2).

Minnesota IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Sara Groenewegen.... 3.0 2 0 0 1 5 11 12 50 Amber Fiser......... 2.0 1 0 0 1 2 7 8 30

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Kaylan Jablonski.... 2.0 5 6 3 4 0 10 15 58 Caitlin Bartsch..... 1.0 4 5 4 3 0 6 9 30 Taylor Kadavy....... 2.0 6 5 5 2 2 12 15 71

Win - Groenewegen (12-1). Loss - Jablonski (3-10). Save - None. WP - Jablonski(6); Kadavy 3(3). HBP - by Kadavy (Wagner). Pitches/strikes: Groenewegen 50/34; Fiser 30/18; Jablonski 58/30; Bartsch 30/14; Kadavy 71/39. Umpires - HP: Erin Peterson 1B: Royce Eller 3B: Frederick Ewald Start: 5:32 pm Time: 1:53 Attendance: 489 Game: NEB26