Four-Run Eighth Lifts NU Past No. 18 Cal

<?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Las Vegas, Nev. ? Senior right-hander Ashley DeBuhr continued her mastery of ranked teams and the Husker offense erupted for four runs in the top of the eighth as the 23rd-ranked Nebraska softball team upset No. 18 Cal, 5-1, on Sunday in the final game of the UNLV Invitational.<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>

 

With the win, Nebraska finished the tournament with a 3-2 record after recording two victories on Sunday. The Huskers (10-7) are now 4-1 this season against ranked teams, with two of the victories and the lone loss all coming in extra innings.

 

DeBuhr (5-3) earned the victory, her third win against a ranked opponent this season. The Beatrice, Neb., native did not allow an earned run while striking out 12 in a complete-game, three-hit performance. DeBuhr became more dominant as the game progressed as she allowed just one hit after the second inning.

 

In four complete games against ranked foes this year DeBuhr is 3-1 with a 0.45 ERA. She has not allowed an earned run through the first seven innings in each of those starts. Overall, DeBuhr has surrendered only two earned runs in 31.1 innings versus top-25 opponents while allowing only 12 hits and posting 38 strikeouts.

 

Cal starter Lauren Frankiewicz (4-4) took the loss, surrendering five runs (three earned) on seven hits in 7.2 innings.

 

Frankiewicz pitched well for Cal (13-9) until the decisive eighth inning.

 

In the eighth, freshman Whitney Barrett was placed on second in accordance with the international tie breaker. After moving to third on a sacrifice, Barrett scored on a throwing error by the pitcher following an infield single from sophomore Meghan Mullin.

 

Mullin then scored to put the Huskers ahead 3-1 when senior Devin Porter ripped the first pitch she saw into the gap in left center for an RBI double. Sophomore Carwile followed with NU’s third consecutive hit, adding an RBI single to plate Porter and give Nebraska a 4-1 advantage.

 

Carwile then scored on an error by the Cal shortstop to cap the four-run inning.

 

The Golden Bears used a sacrifice fly to score their runner from second in the bottom of the eighth, but DeBuhr retired all three hitters in order to pick up the win.

 

“I thought Ashley threw masterfully," Head Coach Rhonda Revelle said. "I thought we played some very good defense behind her and then it was great to hang in there and finally put some back-to-back-to-back hits together in the eighth inning.

 

"It's a huge win for us over a top Pac-10 team."

 

Nebraska scored first for the third straight game, taking a 1-0 lead in the top of the second when sophomore Kimberly Fuller ripped a two-out double to the gap in left center that scored fellow sophomore Brittany Pascale.

 

Cal quickly tied the game in the bottom of the inning. Katie Vickers beat out a bang-bang play at first to leg out a leadoff infield single. Vickers then moved to second on a passed ball, which proved to be a key play when Taylor Kelly recorded a two-out RBI double.

 

Nebraska returns to action next weekend when it travels to Wichita, Kan., for the Shocker Invitational, which starts on Friday and runs through Sunday. 

Box Score The Automated ScoreBook #23 Nebraska vs #18 California Mar 04, 2007 at Las Vegas, Nev. (Eller Media Stadium)

Nebraska 5 (10-7)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Rutherford, Darcy lf..... 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Mullin, Meghan rf........ 3 1 2 0 1 0 1 0 0 Porter, Devin ss......... 3 1 1 1 0 0 0 3 1 Carwile, Crystal 1b...... 4 1 1 1 0 1 6 0 0 Pascale, Brittany c...... 2 1 0 0 2 0 12 0 0 Borg, Jaime pr.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Long, Haley cf........... 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 3 Gonzalez, Crystal cf.... 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 Fuller, Kimberly 2b...... 3 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 0 Kier, Carmen 3b.......... 4 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 3 Hupp, Alex dp............ 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 Barrett, Whitney dp..... 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 DeBuhr, Ashley p......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals................... 28 5 7 3 4 4 24 5 7

California 2 (13-9)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Siegel, Morgan rf........ 3 0 0 0 0 3 3 0 0 Leomiti, Gina ph........ 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 Racklin, Erika cf........ 3 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 Schallig, Christina 1b... 3 0 1 0 0 1 11 0 0 Masaniai, Bernice dp..... 3 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 Vickers, Katie 3b........ 2 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 0 Sutton, Alex lf.......... 3 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 Sevilla, Vernae 2b....... 3 0 0 0 0 1 2 2 1 Houston, Shannon pr..... 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Kelly, Taylor ss......... 3 0 1 1 0 0 0 5 0 Winger, Carly c.......... 2 0 0 1 0 1 4 0 1 Frankiewicz, Lauren p.... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 Drewrey, Marissa p...... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals................... 26 2 4 2 1 12 24 13 3

Score by Innings R H E ------------------------------------------ Nebraska............ 010 000 04 - 5 7 1 California.......... 010 000 01 - 2 4 2 ------------------------------------------

E - Fuller(2); Kelly; Frankiewicz. LOB - Cornhuskers 7; Bears 3. 2B - Porter(4); Fuller(3); Sutton; Kelly. SH - Rutherford(5); Porter(4); Long(2). SF - Winger.

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- DeBuhr, Ashley...... 8.0 4 2 0 1 12 26 28 117

California IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Frankiewicz, Lauren. 7.2 7 5 3 4 4 27 34 124 Drewrey, Marissa.... 0.1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 3

Win - DeBuhr (5-3). Loss - Frankiewicz (4-4). Save - None. WP - DeBuhr(4). PB - Pascale(3). Pitches/strikes: DeBuhr 117/83; Frankiewicz 124/75; Drewrey 3/1. Umpires - Start: 1:32 pm Time: 2:17 Attendance: Game: NU17