Seventh-Inning Rally Pushes No. 8 Minnesota Past NU

Nebraska  4 5 Minnesota
Box Score

Inning-by-Inning
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7		R	H	E
Minnesota	0	0	1	0	1	0	3		5	8	4
Nebraska	2	0	2	0	0	0	0		4	10	0

Pitching
	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
W - Brandt (6-0)	5.0	6	0	0	0	1
L - McClure (5-6)	7.0	8	5	5	5	2
S - None	0.0	0	0	0	0	0

Individual Leaders
	AB	R	H	RBI	2B	HR
Alyvia Simmons	4	1	2	0	1	0
Cassie McClure	4	0	2	2	0	0

Game Notes

Nebraska has lost a Big Ten Conference home series for just the fourth time in six season...Cassie McClure had two hits and produced Nebraska's only two RBIs, while throwing a complete game in the circle...Alyvia Simmons doubled to lead off the bottom of the first, extending her streak to 13 consecutive games reaching base safely...Simmons finished with two hits, marking her sixth multi-hit effort in the past seven games.

Lincoln - The Nebraska softball team had No. 8 Minnesota down to its final out before the Golden Gophers scored three times to rally for a 5-4 win Saturday at Bowlin Stadium.

Minnesota trailed 4-2 in the top of the seventh before a double, a walk and back-to-back singles - all with two outs - powered the Gophers to the come-from-behind win. Minnesota was down to its final strike eight times before tying the game, but the comeback clinched a series win and moved the Gophers to 27-2 on the season and 2-0 in Big Ten Conference play. Nebraska (8-18, 0-2 Big Ten), which lost when leading after six innings for the first time this season, suffered its 13th loss to a ranked opponent this season.

Carlie Brandt (6-0) earned the win in relief, tossing 5.0 scoreless innings out of the bullpen while scattering six hits. Senior right-hander Cassie McClure (5-6) suffered a hard-fought loss for Nebraska, allowing five runs on eight hits in a complete-game effort.

McClure also paced the Huskers offensively, going 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs. Sophomore Alyvia Simmons and junior Gina Metzler also added two hits as Nebraska out-hit Minnesota, 10-8.

After Minnesota was held scoreless in the top of the first, Simmons led off the bottom of the frame with a double. Simmons moved to third on a wild pitch before freshman Tristen Edwards walked. Edwards then stole second base and on the catcher's throw to second base, the ball popped out of the shortstop's glove, allowing Simmons to score the game's first run. Two batters later, McClure helped herself with a two-out RBI single up the middle that plated Edwards and gave Nebraska a 2-0 lead.

In the top of the third, a bunt single and a walk gave Minnesota runners on first and second with no outs. A ground out put the tying runners in scoring position with one out before a Danielle Parlich sacrifice fly cut the Husker lead to 2-1. 

Nebraska answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning. Simmons began with frame with a single before senior MJ Knighten reached on an error and Edwards lined a sharp single to right. With the bases loaded and no outs, Minnesota brought on Carlie Brandt to pitch, and the freshman immediately coaxed a ground ball to third. The Gophers threw home for the first out and attempted to throw to first for a double play, but the ball popped out of the first baseman's glove, allowing Knighten to score on the error. McClure then produced her second straight RBI single, scoring Edwards to put the Huskers ahead 4-1.

Minnesota brought the tying run to the plate in the top of the fourth following a one-out walk and single before the Huskers turned an inning-ending double play. Nebraska then loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the frame on an error and a pair of singles but could not score.

The Golden Gophers took advantage of a leadoff walk in the top of the fifth, trimming the lead to 4-2 on a two-out RBI single from Parlich. The single was followed by a walk before a fly out to left ended the inning.

In the top of the seventh, Minnesota brought the tying run to the plate with one out. A ground out left the Gophers with a runner on second and two outs for Parlich, who sliced an RBI double just fair down the left field line. Down one, a walk put runners at first and second with two outs before Kendyl Lindaman grounded a game-tying RBI single up the middle. MaKenna Partain then singled to right to put Minnesota on top 5-4.

Brandt then retired the Huskers in order on just seven pitches in the bottom of the seventh.

Nebraska and Minnesota wrap up their series on Sunday at Noon.

Box Score 2017 Nebraska Softball #8 Minnesota at Nebraska Mar 25, 2017 at Lincoln, Neb. (Bowlin Stadium)

Minnesota 5 (27-2,2-0 Big Ten)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Sam Macken lf............ 4 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Danielle Parlich 3b...... 3 1 2 3 0 0 1 3 0 Maddie Houlihan rf....... 2 1 1 0 2 0 0 0 1 Kendyl Lindaman c........ 4 0 1 1 0 0 6 0 3 MaKenna Partain 2b....... 3 0 1 1 1 0 1 5 0 Sydney Dwyer 1b.......... 4 0 1 0 0 1 12 0 2 Sara Groenewegen dp...... 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 Dani Wagner cf........... 2 2 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 Allie Arneson ss......... 2 1 1 0 1 0 0 6 0 Tori Finucane p.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Carlie Brandt p......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Totals................... 27 5 8 5 5 2 21 15 7

Nebraska 4 (8-19,0-2 Big Ten)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Alyvia Simmons cf........ 4 1 2 0 0 0 3 0 0 MJ Knighten 3b........... 4 1 1 0 0 1 2 3 0 Tristen Edwards rf....... 3 2 2 0 1 0 1 0 0 Austen Urness dp......... 4 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 4 Cassie McClure p......... 4 0 2 2 0 1 0 3 0 Taylor Otte pr.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Alexis Perry 1b.......... 4 0 0 0 0 0 11 0 1 Haley Donaldson ss....... 4 0 1 0 0 1 0 2 2 Gina Metzler lf.......... 3 0 2 0 0 0 2 0 0 Laura Barrow 2b.......... 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 Bri Cassidy c............ 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 Totals................... 33 4 10 2 1 4 21 10 9

Score by Innings R H E ----------------------------------------- Minnesota........... 001 010 3 - 5 8 4 Nebraska............ 202 000 0 - 4 10 0 -----------------------------------------

E - Partain(7); Dwyer(3); Arneson(5); Brandt(2). DP - Huskers 1. LOB - Gophers 7; Huskers 9. 2B - Parlich(9); Simmons(4). SF - Parlich(2). SB - Edwards(2).

Minnesota IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Tori Finucane....... 2.0 4 4 2 1 3 11 12 61 Carlie Brandt....... 5.0 6 0 0 0 1 22 22 60

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Cassie McClure...... 7.0 8 5 5 5 2 27 33 125

Win - Brandt (6-0). Loss - McClure (5-6). Save - None. WP - Finucane(6). Pitches/strikes: Finucane 61/37; Brandt 60/45; McClure 125/73. Umpires - HP: Royce Eller 1B: Frederick Ewald 3B: Erin Peterson Start: 1:01 pm Time: 2:11 Attendance: 523 Finucane faced 3 batters in the 3rd. Game: NEB27