Huskers Post Two Wins in Iowa

<?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Iowa City, Iowa ? The Nebraska softball team improved to 6-0 this fall with a pair of victories on Saturday at the Hawkeye Fall Classic in Iowa City, Iowa. The Huskers opened the day with a 2-0 victory over Western Illinois before defeating host Iowa, 2-1, in an eight-inning affair in game two.<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>

 

Pitching was the story of the day, as junior right-hander Alex Hupp tossed a four-hit shutout in the first game, before senior right-hander Molly Hill tossed a three-hitter in the nightcap. Offensively, senior Crystal Carwile produced the game-winning hit in both games.

 

“Our pitchers threw two masterful games and our offense kept battling,” Head Coach Rhonda Revelle said of the two victories. “We showed a lot of fight in the Iowa game. It was a great team win.”

 

In game one, Hupp was dominant, striking out nine while posting her second shutout in two fall starts. She received all of the run support she would need in the first inning when Carwile tripled home senior Meghan Mullin, who singled to lead off the frame. The Huskers added their second run one inning later when senior Haley Long’s two-out double scored Hupp, who reached earlier on a single.

 

Hill followed up Hupp’s performance by allowing just one run in a three-hit, nine-strikeout performance against the host Hawkeyes. Iowa’s lone run came courtesy of a hit batter with the bases loaded. Nebraska's first run came when junior Whitney Barrett ripped a two-out single up the middle to score Carwile.

 

With the scored tied at 1-1 in the eighth, Carwile reached on a bunt single that brought freshman Nikki Haget home with the winning run.

 

Nebraska wraps up its fall tournament schedule on Sunday, when the Huskers face both Western Illinois and Iowa again at Pearl Field.