Big Inning Powers Huskers Past Wildcats

Nebraska  7 4 Northwestern
Box Score

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

Pitching
	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
W - McClure (10-7)	6.0	6	4	3	5	4
L - Newport (7-5)	0.1	3	6	6	1	0
S - Jablonski (3)	1.0	1	0	0	1	0

Individual Leaders
	AB	R	H	RBI	2B	HR
Kaylan Jablonski	3	1	2	3	1	0
Alexis Perry	3	1	1	2	0	0

Game Notes

Nebraska improved to 14-5 in April...Cassie McClure notched her 10th win of the season and her third straight victory...Kaylan Jablonski earned her third save of her career, all this season...Jablonski also tied her career high with three RBIs...MJ Knighten recorded her 250th career hit in the win...she is the fifth Husker to record 250 career hits and the first since Kim Ogee reached the mark in 2003.

Lincoln - A big first inning propelled the Nebraska softball team to a 7-4 victory over Northwestern on Saturday in the first game of a doubleheader at Bowlin Stadium.

Junior Kaylan Jablonski drove in a pair of runs in the six-run first inning and finished 2-for-3 with a double and three RBIs. Jablonski was the only Husker to produce multiple hits, while freshman Alexis Perry joined Jablonski with multiple RBIs, driving in a pair of runs.

The big inning was enough support for senior right-hander Cassie McClure, who improved to 10-7 on the season. McClure pitched into the seventh inning and was charged with four runs (three earned) on six hits in 6.0 innings. Jablonski recorded her third save of the season, recording the final three outs of the game.

With the win, Nebraska improved to 23-25 on the year and moved to 12-7 in Big Ten Conference play. Northwestern fell to 20-26 overall and dropped to 6-11 in league play. Morgan Newport (7-5) took the loss for the Wildcats, giving up six runs off three hits while recording only one out.

Northwestern threatened to grab an early lead in the top of the first. Leadoff hitter Sabrina Rabin reached on an error and advanced to second when Krista Williams singled to right field. The duo were at second and third with one out before McClure recorded a strikeout. A walk then loaded the bases before McClure recorded another clutch strikeout to escape the jam.

The Huskers then exploded for six runs in the bottom of the first. The rally started when freshman Tristen Edwards was hit by a one-out pitch. Senior MJ Knighten then doubled to put runners at second and third. Jablonski followed with a two-run single to left to put Nebraska on top 2-0. Junior Tayor Otte then doubled and McClure was hit by the pitch to load the bases. Junior Laura Barrow drew a walk to score Jablonski and prompt a Wildcat pitching change. Leading 3-0, Perry greeted Kenzie Ellis with a two-run single up the middle that scored senior Rachel Arthur and Otte. Sophomore Alyvia Simmons capped the inning with a two-out RBI single to make it 6-0.

Northwestern cracked the scoreboard in the top of the fourth inning. Morgan Nelson started the inning off with a double and eventually scored on an error, as the unearned run cut the Husker lead to 6-1. 

In the top of the fifth, a leadoff bunt single and a one-out walk put Wildcats on first and second. Following a strikeout, Nebraska appeared to get out of the inning when it looked as though sophomore catcher Bri Cassidy had picked off Marissa Panko at first base. But Panko was ruled safe and Morgan Nelson followed with an RBI single to center that trimmed the lead to 6-2.

The Huskers tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth when Simmons drew a leadoff walk and scored on a two-out double from Jablonski.

Northwestern made things interesting in the top of the seventh. The Wildcats used a leadoff walk, an infield single and another walk to load the bases with no outs. Jablonski then relieved McClure and gave up a sacrifice fly that cut the lead to 7-3. A bloop single plated another run and left runners at second and third while bringing the tying run to the plate. The next batter hit a grounder to short and the umpires ruled Arthur collided with the base runner, which resulted in a disputed automatic out. With the tying run at the plate, a foul out to Cassidy secured the win.

Nebraska aims to sweep the doubleheader and the three-game series in games two.

Box Score 2017 Nebraska Softball Northwestern at Nebraska (Game 1) Apr 29, 2017 at Lincoln, Neb. (Bowlin Stadium)

Northwestern 4 (20-26,6-11 Big Ten)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Sabrina Rabin cf......... 3 2 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 Krista Williams lf....... 4 1 2 0 0 1 4 0 0 Marissa Panko ss......... 1 0 0 0 3 0 1 2 0 Anna Petersen rf......... 3 0 0 1 0 2 2 0 0 Morgan Nelson 2b......... 3 1 3 2 1 0 3 0 0 Sammy Nettling c......... 4 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 5 Abbey Boyd pr........... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Kenzie Ellis dp/p........ 3 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 Eva Stees pr............ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Brooke Marquez 3b........ 4 0 0 0 0 0 2 3 3 Alcy Bush 1b............. 3 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 1 Morgan Newport p......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals................... 28 4 7 3 6 4 18 5 10

Nebraska 7 (23-25,12-7 Big Ten)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Alyvia Simmons cf........ 3 1 1 1 1 1 2 0 0 Tristen Edwards rf....... 2 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 MJ Knighten 3b........... 4 1 1 0 0 0 0 3 3 Kaylan Jablonski dp/p.... 3 1 2 3 1 0 0 0 0 Taylor Otte lf........... 4 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 Cassie McClure p/dp...... 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 3 1 Laura Barrow 2b.......... 2 0 1 1 1 0 2 2 0 Alexis Perry 1b.......... 3 1 1 2 0 0 7 0 2 Bri Cassidy c............ 3 0 0 0 0 0 5 1 0 Rachel Arthur ss/pr...... 0 1 0 0 0 0 4 1 0 Totals................... 26 7 8 7 4 1 21 10 7

Score by Innings R H E ----------------------------------------- Northwestern........ 000 110 2 - 4 7 1 Nebraska............ 600 001 X - 7 8 2 -----------------------------------------

E - S Rabin(1); Knighten 2(9). LOB - Wildcats 10; Huskers 7. 2B - M Nelson(7); Knighten(10); Jablonski(12); Otte(2). HBP - Edwards; McClure. SF - A Petersen(3). SB - S Rabin(21). CS - M Panko(3).

Northwestern IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Morgan Newport...... 0.1 3 6 6 1 0 4 7 26 Kenzie Ellis........ 5.2 5 1 1 3 1 22 25 93

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Cassie McClure...... 6.0 6 4 3 5 4 25 30 128 Kaylan Jablonski.... 1.0 1 0 0 1 0 3 5 17

Win - McClure (10-7). Loss - M Newport (7-5). Save - Jablonski (3). HBP - by M Newport (Edwards); by M Newport (McClure). Pitches/strikes: M Newport 26/13; K Ellis 93/56; McClure 128/77; Jablonski 17/10. Umpires - HP: Joe Havenhill 1B: Royce Eller 3B: Chad Spitler Start: 1:01 pm Time: 2:22 Attendance: McClure faced 3 batters in the 7th. Game: NEB48