Huskers Upset 16th-Ranked Ragin' Cajuns

<?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Columbus, Ga. ? Behind a stellar pitching performance from sophomore Alex Hupp, the Nebraska softball team handed 16th-ranked Louisiana-Lafayette its first loss of the season with a 3-1 victory Friday night at the NFCA Leadoff Classic.

 

In picking up her first victory of the season - and the first of her career against a ranked team - Hupp (1-3) pitched masterfully, allowing just one run in a complete-game effort. Hupp was in complete control from the beginning, striking out six while walking none and throwing 65 of her 87 pitches for strikes.

 

Behind Hupp, the junior outfield of Darcy Rutherford, Meghan Mullin and Haley Long paved the way offensively for Nebraska (3-6). Each player recorded a multi-hit game, with Rutherford and Mullin each scoring a run and Long adding an RBI.

 

Louisiana-Lafayette fell to 9-1 on the season with the loss, as Donna Bourgeois (3-1) also suffered her first setback. Bourgeois, who entered the game having not allowed an earned run in 14.0 innings this season, surrendered a run in the first and allowed three runs on six hits in four innings of work.

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Nebraska used its speed to take a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. With runners on second and third and only one out, freshman Ashley Guile sent a grounder to third and Louisiana-Lafayette recorded an out at home. Guile then rounded first and while the Cajuns were occupied with Guile, Mullin raced home from third for the game’s first run. The run was the first

 

ULL quickly tied the game in the bottom of the first when Holly Tankersley launched her sixth home run of the young season over the wall in right for a solo home run.

 

The Huskers regained the lead for good in the top of the fourth when junior Crystal Carwile ripped a one-out double and Long brought her home with a clutch two-out single. NU then added an insurance run in the top of the fifth when Rutherford led off with a single and scored on a double from Guile.

 

In the bottom of the seventh, a well-placed bunt single gave ULL a chance, but Hupp caught two batters looking and coaxed a deep fly out for the final out.

 

Head Coach Rhonda Revelle, who earned her 600th career victory in Friday’s earlier win over Tennessee Tech, was pleased with her team’s 2-0 performance on the day.

 

“The biggest difference in today was that we all battled through every at bat and every pitch,” Revelle said. “It was really a mindset that we were trying to establish more than anything else, and I felt like we made some strides there. It was awesome to have Molly (Hill) back today and it was great to see Alex come out and execute the game plan. She did a very good job of executing the game plan against an excellent team.”

 

Riding a two-game win streak, Nebraska opens day two of the Leadoff Classic at 12:30 p.m. (Central) on Saturday against 23rd-ranked North Carolina. The Huskers then face Syracuse at approximately 5:30 p.m.

Box Score Nebraska Softball Nebraska vs #16 Louisiana-Lafayette Feb 29, 2008 at Columbus, Ga. (South Commons Cmplx)

Nebraska 3 (3-6)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Rutherford, Darcy lf..... 3 1 2 0 1 0 1 0 0 Mullin, Meghan cf........ 4 1 2 0 0 2 3 0 0 Duran, Amanda dp......... 4 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 Guile, Ashley c.......... 3 0 1 1 0 1 5 0 0 Hughes, Abby pr......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Carwile, Crystal 1b...... 3 1 1 0 0 1 6 1 2 Brechtel, Julie 2b....... 3 0 0 0 0 1 2 2 0 Long, Haley rf........... 3 0 2 1 0 1 0 0 0 Hupp, Alex p............. 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 Foland, Heidi ss......... 1 0 0 0 0 1 3 1 1 Pascale, Brittany ph.... 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 Barrett, Whitney 3b...... 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 Totals................... 26 3 8 2 2 10 21 7 6

Louisiana-Lafayette 1 (9-1)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Verde, Melissa 3b........ 4 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 2 Tankersley, Holly rf..... 3 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 1 Gaspard, Vallie pr...... 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Soto, Vanessa 2b......... 3 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 Trahan, Courtney pr..... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Brodhead, Brooke ss...... 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 Bridges, Gabriele 1b..... 3 0 1 0 0 1 5 0 0 Sigur, Shari pr......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Dupont, Jessica dp....... 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 Bowers, Lana c........... 3 0 0 0 0 2 11 1 0 Hubbard, Karli cf........ 3 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 Smith, Katie lf.......... 3 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 Bourgeois, Donna p....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 Cuevas, Brittany p...... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals................... 28 1 6 1 0 6 21 7 6

Score by Innings R H E ----------------------------------------- Nebraska............ 100 110 0 - 3 8 1 Louisiana-Lafayette. 100 000 0 - 1 6 0 -----------------------------------------

E - Foland(2). DP - Huskers 1; Cajuns 1. LOB - Huskers 6; Cajuns 6. 2B - Guile(2); Carwile(1); Smith(1). HR - Tankersley(6). HBP - Hupp; Foland. SB - Rutherford(2); Mullin(6); Guile(1); Long(2). CS - Hupp(1).

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Hupp, Alex.......... 7.0 6 1 1 0 6 28 28 87

Louisiana-Lafayette IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Bourgeois, Donna.... 4.0 6 3 3 2 6 17 19 85 Cuevas, Brittany.... 3.0 2 0 0 0 4 9 11 58

Win - Hupp (1-3). Loss - Bourgeois (3-1). Save - None. WP - Hupp(2); Bourgeois 2(2). HBP - by Cuevas (Hupp); by Cuevas (Foland). Pitches/strikes: Hupp 87/65; Bourgeois 85/52; Cuevas 58/40. Umpires - HP: Keith Kearney 1B: Linda Hoover 3B: Chad Stears Start: 6:23 pm Time: 2:18 Attendance: 50 Game: livegame