Huskers Lose Series Opener to No. 25 Illinois, 1-0

Nebraska  0 1 Illinois
Box Score

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

Pitching
	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
W - Wonderly (16-9)	7.0	3	0	0	2	2
L - Jablonski (10-13)	7.0	6	1	1	2	2
S - None	0.0	0	0	0	0	0

Individual Leaders
	AB	R	H	RBI	2B	HR
Kaylan Jablonski	3	0	1	0	1	0
Tristen Edwards	3	0	1	0	1	0

Game Notes
Nebraska saw its three-game winning streak against ranked team snapped...the Huskers had also won nine consecutive Big Ten Conference weekend games...the one run allowed tied Nebraska's season low for runs allowed...MJ Knighten walked in the third inning, marking her 11th consecutive game reaching base safely...Kaylan Jablonski tossed her seventh complete game of the season.

Lincoln, Neb. - One timely hit was the difference for the Huskers on Friday night, as the Nebraska softball team dropped a 1-0 pitcher's duel to No. 25 Illinois at Bowlin Stadium.

Fighting Illini ace Breanna Wonderly tossed a three-hit shutout to improve to 16-9 on the season. Two of the three hits she allowed were doubles, but she allowed only one Husker to reach third base in the win. For Nebraska, junior right-hander Kaylan Jablonski continued her string of strong performances, firing a six-hitter and allowing only one run in her seventh complete game of the season. She fell to 10-13 on the season with the loss.

Illinois improved to 33-10 overall with the win and moved to 11-2 in Big Ten Conference play. Nebraska (19-24) remained in fifth place in the conference standings after falling to 9-6 in league play.

Both teams stranded a runner in the first inning before a leadoff walk, a check-swing single and a fielder's choice where no out was recorded gave Illinois the bases loaded with no outs in the top of the second. But Jablonski escaped the jam without any damage by retiring the next three hitters.

Jablonski then doubled to lead off the bottom of the second, but the Huskers were unable to take advantage of a leadoff hit for the second straight inning. Jablonski moved to third with one out on a sacrifice bunt from junior Taylor Otte before a strikeout and a ground out ended the threat.

Illinois then scored the game's only run in the top of the third inning on a two-out RBI single from Ruby Rivera. 

That proved to be the final great scoring chance for either team. The Fighting Illini had only three base runners over the final four innings, as Jablonski retired 11 of the final 14 batters. Nebraska put a runner on second base with two outs in both the fourth and sixth innings but failed to score, as NU was 0-for-9 with runners on base in the game and 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position.

The Huskers had one final chance in the bottom of the seventh. Jablonski led off with a fly out to deep left center before Otte walked to put the tying run on base. But the comeback effort fell short as a ground out and a pop out ended the game.

Nebraska and Illinois continue their series on Saturday at 3 p.m. Admission into the game is free, and there will be a free tailgate beginning at Noon that includes a free hot dog, bag of chips and Pepsi product to the first 2,000 fans.

Box Score 2017 Nebraska Softball Illinois at Nebraska Apr 21, 2017 at Lincoln, Neb. (Bowlin Stadium)

Illinois 1 (33-10,11-2 Big Ten)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Kiana Sherlund cf........ 4 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 3 Alyssa Gunther 1b........ 4 0 1 0 0 0 3 0 0 Annie Fleming 3b......... 4 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 Nicole Evans lf.......... 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 Stephanie Abello c....... 2 0 1 0 1 0 2 1 0 Jill Nicklas pr......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Ruby Rivera ss........... 3 0 2 1 0 0 5 1 2 Sam Acosta dp............ 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 Leigh Farina 2b.......... 3 0 1 0 0 0 4 2 0 Maddi Doane rf........... 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 Breanna Wonderly p....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Totals................... 27 1 6 1 2 2 21 5 8

Nebraska 0 (19-24,9-6 Big Ten)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Alyvia Simmons cf........ 3 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 MJ Knighten 3b........... 2 0 0 0 1 1 1 3 0 Tristen Edwards rf....... 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Austen Urness dp......... 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 Kaylan Jablonski p....... 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 Taylor Otte lf........... 1 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 1 Laura Barrow 2b.......... 3 0 0 0 0 1 2 2 0 Bree Boruff pr.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Alexis Perry 1b.......... 3 0 0 0 0 0 11 0 2 Bri Cassidy c............ 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 Rachel Arthur ss......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 3 0 Totals................... 23 0 3 0 2 2 21 10 5

Score by Innings R H E ----------------------------------------- Illinois............ 001 000 0 - 1 6 1 Nebraska............ 000 000 0 - 0 3 0 -----------------------------------------

E - R Rivera(8). LOB - Illini 8; Huskers 5. 2B - Edwards(5); Jablonski(11). HBP - N Evans. SH - Otte(3). SB - Simmons(6). CS - Knighten(3).

Illinois IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Breanna Wonderly.... 7.0 3 0 0 2 2 23 26 97

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Kaylan Jablonski.... 7.0 6 1 1 2 2 27 30 97

Win - B Wonderly (16-9). Loss - Jablonski (10-13). Save - None. HBP - by Jablonski (N Evans). Pitches/strikes: B Wonderly 97/61; Jablonski 97/61. Umpires - HP: Laura Head 1B: Scott Greger 3B: Rick Boyer Start: 5:34 pm Time: 1:34 Attendance: 597 Game: NEB43