Huskers Post Pair of Victories

The Nebraska softball team remained unbeaten and unscored upon this fall with a pair of victories Saturday at the Worth Fall Classic in South Bend, Ind. The Huskers opened play with a 3-0 win over host Notre Dame before posting a 4-0 victory over Illinois-Chicago in the nightcap.

Just as it did in a Wednesday doubleheader sweep of Nebraska-Omaha, the pitching combination of junior Molly Hill and sophomore Alex Hupp was dominant, as each pitcher picked up her second shutout in as many starts this fall. Hill tossed a three-hit shutout with five strikeouts against the Irish, while Hupp threw a five-hitter with five strikeouts against UIC.

In the first game, Nebraska took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the second when junior Haley Long reached on a one-out single and scored when fellow junior Crystal Carwile singled to center and the Notre Dame center fielder misplayed the ball.

The Huskers added to their lead in the fifth. Hupp led off the inning with a pinch-hit walk before junior Darcy Rutherford reached on a bunt single. A passed ball moved the runners up to second and third for freshman Julianne Brechtel, who promptly brought both runners home with an RBI single to left field. Brechtel's RBI single wrapped up the scoring in the game and gave NU the 3-0 victory.

Game two remained scoreless until Nebraska broke through in a big way in the bottom of the fifth. Back-to-back singles from Rutherford and junior Meghan Mullin put runners at first and second with only one out. Brechtel followed with a hard-hit ball that deflected off the pitcher for a base hit that brought Rutherford home.

With two runners on, UIC recorded the second out of the inning before Carwile ripped a three-run homer over the right-field fence to cap the Huskers' four-run inning.

A 4-0 lead is all Hupp would need, as she closed out the shutout in grand fashion by striking out the side in the top of the seventh.

Head Coach Rhonda Revelle was pleased with the play of her young team, especially with the progress the group showed from Wednesday's doubleheader sweep of UNO.

"I just thought it was a great day," Revelle said. "We were much better tonight than we were on Wednesday. We are working to get better every day and I felt like we did that today.

Nebraska, which is 4-0 this fall and has outscored its opponents 14-0, wraps up play at the Worth Classic tomorrow with a pair of games against Western Michigan and Michigan. The Huskers then close out the fall season with the Big Red Fall Classic next weekend.