Northwestern Rallies Past Nebraska

<?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Tempe, Ariz. ? A series of bad breaks and a strong Northwestern offense proved too much for the Nebraska softball team to overcome, as the sixth-ranked Wildcats scored four runs in the decisive sixth inning to erase a two-run deficit and rally for an 8-6 victory over the Huskers in the final game of the Kajikawa Classic.

 

A pair of questionable calls gave Northwestern three runs in the bottom of the third inning and the Wildcats led 4-2 heading to the sixth inning despite not scoring an earned run. The Husker offense then came alive as juniors Crystal Carwile and Haley Long belted two-run homers in the span of four batters to power Nebraska to a 6-4 lead.

 

The lead would not hold up, however, as timely situational hitting fueled Northwestern's four-run sixth inning that provided the final 8-6 margin. The undefeated Wildcats improved to 4-0 on the season, including victories over No. 1 Arizona and No. 3 Texas A&M.

 

Freshman Tori Tyson (1-2) suffered the loss in just her third career start and her second straight against a top-10 foe. Despite being responsible for seven of the eight runs, Tyson allowed just three earned runs while working around five hits and seven walks in five innings of work. Entering the game, Northwestern had scored 30 runs through its first three games, including eight each against Arizona and Texas A&M, who both started All-Americans in the circle.

 

Sophomore Alex Hupp came on in relief with Nebraska clinging to a 6-4 lead and Northwestern batting with the bases loaded and no outs. She ran into tough luck, allowing one run on two hits in an inning of work, despite just one ball leaving the infield.

 

Lauren Delaney (3-0) earned the win for Northwestern, allowing six runs in a complete-game effort. Delaney struggled with her control as well, walking eight to go along with seven strikeouts.

 

Despite the loss, Head Coach Rhonda Revelle, who remained on career win No. 599, was pleased with her team's performance following a disappointing Saturday.

 

"I thought our team competed well today and really fought hard against one of the best teams in the country," Revelle said. "We did some nice things and we saw some flashes of how good we can be."

 

After falling behind early in each of its three losses, Nebraska (1-4) tried to jump out to an early lead against the Wildcats. Junior Meghan Mullin reached on a leadoff walk and advanced to second on a sacrifice slap from fellow junior Darcy Rutherford. Mullin was still on second with two outs before freshman Ashley Guile ripped a single through the right side. Mullin attempted to score on the play, but the ball was hit too hard and she was thrown out at the plate.<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>

 

In what turned out to be a crucial third inning, a pair of calls went against the Huskers. With the bases loaded for Northwestern, Tyson then coaxed a ground ball and threw home for the force out, but her throw pulled junior catcher Amanda Duran off home plate. The home plate umpire originally ruled the runner safe, then ruled her out after Duran got her foot back on home plate, before settling on his original decision of safe to give Northwestern a 1-0 lead. The reversal call proved huge, as the next batter struck out for what could have been the end of a scoreless inning.

 

With the bases still loaded and two outs, the Wildcats went on top 2-0 when Tyson walked in a run. Tyson then appeared to get the final out of the inning on a ground out, but a delayed illegal pitch was called, erasing the out and allowing a runner to score from third on the call.

 

Trailing 3-0 after the series of bad breaks, Nebraska drew three straight four-pitch walks to load the bases with no outs in the top of the fourth. Duran then brought freshman pinch runner Abby Hughes home with a clutch, RBI single through the left side. Carwile then ripped a single to center to score freshman pinch runner Sammi Liegl and cut the lead to 3-2.

 

Down by one, the Huskers still had the bases loaded with nobody out before Northwestern escaped the inning by recording a force out at home, a fly out and a ground out.

 

Northwestern was the recipient of a costly Husker error that put the Wildcats in front 4-2 after five innings of play. With a runner on first and two down, Kelly Dyer hit a chopper to Guile at third, but Guile’s throw to first was wild and allowed the runner, who was going with the pitch, to score from second.

 

The Huskers rebounded from the error on the strength of their first two home runs of the season in the top of the sixth. Carwile belted a 3-1 offering from Delaney over the wall in right center for a game-tying, two-run home run that also brought freshman Julie Brechtel home. After Delaney issued her seventh walk of the game to freshman Heidi Foland, Long then ripped a 2-1 pitch over the wall in left center for her first career home run to give Nebraska its first lead at 6-4.

 

That set the stage for Northwestern's rally in the bottom of the sixth. The Wildcats loaded the bases on a pair of walks and a long single off the bat of All-American Tammy Williams. Williams lofted a high fly ball and centerfielder Meghan Mullin drifted back on the ball and was in position to make the catch, but had the ball bounce off her glove as the collapsable outfield fence gave way and fell to the ground. Nicole Pauly then hit a weak pop up that landed on the right-field foul line on the edge of the dirt for an RBI single that cut the Huskers' lead to 6-5. An RBI ground out then tied the game at 6-all, before another RBI ground out and a two-out single gave Northwestern a two-run cushion that Nebraska could not overcome.

 

Carwile led Nebraska's best offensive effort with a 2-for-3 day that included three RBIs. Long was 1-for-3 with a pair of RBIs, while Duran also added an RBI.

 

Nebraska looks for better fortunes next weekend, when a hopefully healthier Husker squad travels to Louisville, Ky., for the Cardinal Classic Feb. 22-24.

Nebraska Softball Nebraska vs #6 Northwestern Feb 17, 2008 at Tempe, Ariz. (Tempe Sports Complex)

Nebraska 6 (1-4)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Mullin, Meghan cf........ 2 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 3 Rutherford, Darcy lf..... 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 1 Pascale, Brittany dp..... 3 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 Hughes, Abby pr......... 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Guile, Ashley 3b......... 2 0 1 0 2 1 0 0 0 Liegl, Sammi pr......... 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Brechtel, Julie 2b....... 2 1 0 0 2 2 1 3 0 Duran, Amanda c.......... 4 0 1 1 0 0 3 1 1 Carwile, Crystal 1b...... 3 1 2 3 0 1 6 0 0 Foland, Heidi ss......... 1 1 0 0 1 1 4 1 0 Linke, Kelli ph......... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Long, Haley rf........... 3 1 1 2 0 0 1 0 0 Tyson, Tori p............ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Hupp, Alex p............ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals................... 24 6 5 6 8 7 18 5 6

Northwestern 8 (4-0)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Sengewald, Darcy 3b...... 3 1 0 0 1 1 2 1 0 Williams, Tammy ss....... 4 2 3 0 0 0 2 0 0 Pauly, Nicole 2b......... 3 2 2 1 1 0 1 0 0 Batts, Michelle dp....... 3 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 Rigas, Jessica 1b........ 3 0 0 2 1 0 4 1 2 Thompson, Robin pr...... 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Dyer, Erin c............. 4 0 2 1 0 1 9 0 0 Euler, Aly pr........... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Dyer, Kelly cf........... 3 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 1 Lafever, Ashley lf....... 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 Quinn, Kelly ph......... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Wheeler, Jordan rf....... 2 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 4 Delaney, Lauren p........ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 Totals................... 26 8 7 6 7 3 21 6 8

Score by Innings R H E ----------------------------------------- Nebraska............ 000 204 0 - 6 5 2 Northwestern........ 003 014 X - 8 7 0 -----------------------------------------

E - Guile(1); Tyson(1). LOB - Huskers 6; Wildcats 8. HR - Carwile(1); Long(1). HBP - Batts. SH - Rutherford(2). SB - Mullin(4); Foland(1); Williams. CS - Euler.

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Tyson, Tori......... 5.0 5 7 3 7 3 21 29 95 Hupp, Alex.......... 1.0 2 1 1 0 0 5 5 17

Northwestern IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Delaney, Lauren..... 7.0 5 6 6 8 7 24 33 135

Win - Delaney (3-0). Loss - Tyson (1-2). Save - None. HBP - by Tyson (Batts). BK - Tyson 2(2). PB - Dyer, Erin.

Pitches/strikes: Tyson 95/49; Hupp 17/13; Delaney 135/75. Umpires - Start: 9:11 am Time: 2:11 Attendance: 157 Game: livegame