Huskers Fall to No. 23 Arizona State, 6-4

Nebraska  4 6 ArIzona state
Box Score

Inning-by-Inning
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7		R	H	E
Nebraska	0	0	0	0	0	0	0		4	3	3
ASU	1	0	4	0	0	1	X		6	6	1

Pitching
	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
W - B. Macha (1-0)	4.0	3	4	4	4	4
L - R. Mergele (0-1)	3.0	2	5	2	2	1
S - G. Juarez	3.0	0	0	0	0	2

Individual Leaders
	AB	R	H	RBI	2B	HR
B. Cassidy	3	1	1	3	0	1

Game Notes

Bri Cassidy's three-run homer in the fourth inning was the Huskers' first this season.  Pitcher Regan Mergele made her Division I debut against Arizona State. Despite snapping her 50-game winning streak, dating back to her junior college days, Mergele only gave up two hits and two earned runs in three innings pitched. Kaylan Jablonski has had a double in both of the Huskers' game this season. Freshman Sarah Yocom has pinch ran in both of Nebraska's games in 2018. Additionally, she's scored a run in both of them.

Tempe, Ariz. --- The Nebraska softball team had a chance to upset its second ranked opponent of the day Friday night, but three unearned runs cost the Huskers a 5-4 loss to No. 23 Arizona State at Farrington Stadium. 

The Huskers scored four runs in the fourth inning, including a three-run homer from Bri Cassidy. Jablonski and Edwards each had one hit on the night as well. 

In the circle, three Husker pitchers saw action tonight. Regan Mergele earned the start and pitched three innings. She gave up just two hits and two earned runs. Sydney McLeod pitched two innings of relief, giving up two hits and one earned run. Both Mergele and McLeod recorded a strikeout as well. Olivia Ferrell pitched one inning and gave up two hits and no earned runs. The freshman has seen action in her first two collegiate games after getting the start against BYU earlier today. 

The Sun Devils homered in the first inning to take an early 1-0 lead. In the bottom of the second, ASU had runners on first and second with one out. After an infield fly and a strikeout from Mergele, the Huskers got out of the inning without giving up a run.

The Huskers threatened in the top of the third. With one out, Taylor Otte was hit by a pitch and stole second to get in scoring position. Gina Metzler moved her to third, but was out on the play at first. The Sun Devils got out of the inning with a ground out to first base.

In the bottom of the third, ASU extended its lead to 5-0, with some help from two Husker errors and a pair of mental mistakes. The leadoff batter tripled to left center field. The next batter reached first and advanced to second on an error, while the runner at third scored. A fielder's choice, where Nebraska failed to get an out, put runners on the corners. The next batter reached first on another fielder's choice where Nebraska failed to get an out and an error on the play allowed a run to score. Up 3-0, ASU added two more runs on back-to-back sacrifice flies, when the inning would have been over were it not for the errors. 

The Husker offense got going in the fourth inning, scoring four runs. Madi Unzicker walked and Sarah Yocom pinch ran for Unzicker. Kaylan Jablonski doubled to center field and Simmons was walked to load the bases with no outs. Alexis Perry lifted a ball to deep center field, which was caught at the wall. Yocom tagged up and scored on the play and Jablonski attempted to advance to third, but she was ruled out on a close call at third. Barrow walked and Simmons advanced to second. Then, Bri Cassidy hammered one over the left field fence to give the Huskers three more runs and bring the score to 5-4 in the middle of the fourth.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Sun Devils looked to build their lead, but the Husker defense had other plans. ASU started the inning with two singles to put a runner in scoring position with no outs. Sydney McLeod struck out the next batter, but a wild pitch on the next batter moved both runners over. The Huskers got out of the inning without allowing another run after a foul fly ball to first base and a ground out to the shortstop. 

In the bottom of the sixth, ASU scored one run after a batter reached on a fielder's choice and a double brought her home, giving them a 6-4 lead.

The Huskers are back in action tomorrow as they face No. 14 Utah in the morning and San Diego State in the afternoon. 

Box Score 2018 Nebraska Softball Nebraska at #23 Arizona State Feb 09, 2018 at Tempe, Ariz. (Farrington Stadium)

Nebraska 4 (1-1)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB Avg. ------------------------------------------------------------ Taylor Otte cf........... 3 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 .286 Gina Metzler lf.......... 4 0 0 0 0 2 3 0 0 .250 Tristen Edwards ss....... 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 3 1 .375 Madi Unzicker 1b......... 2 0 0 0 1 1 6 0 1 .250 Sarah Yocom pr.......... 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 - Kaylan Jablonski dp...... 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .500 Alyvia Simmons rf........ 1 1 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 .250 Alexis Perry 3b.......... 2 0 0 1 0 0 3 1 0 - Laura Barrow 2b.......... 2 1 0 0 1 0 1 2 2 .000 Bri Cassidy c............ 3 1 1 3 0 1 4 0 0 .333 Regan Mergele p.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 - Sydney McLeod p......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 - Olivia Ferrell p........ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Totals................... 23 4 3 4 4 6 18 7 4

Arizona State 6 (2-1)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB Avg. ------------------------------------------------------------ T. Becerra 3b............ 4 1 2 0 0 0 2 0 0 - J.Gortarez ss............ 4 1 1 1 0 0 1 3 1 - M. Howe cf............... 3 2 2 1 0 0 2 1 0 - F. Leilua dp............. 3 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 - Stankiewicz 2b........... 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 - M. Hackbarth c........... 2 0 0 1 0 0 7 0 2 - D. Gibson 1b............. 1 0 0 0 2 0 6 0 0 - A. Moss pr.............. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 - K. Hackbarth rf.......... 2 1 0 0 1 0 2 0 0 - S. McCarty lf............ 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 - N. Chilson ph........... 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 - B. Macha p............... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 - G. Juarez p............. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 - Totals................... 23 6 6 5 4 2 21 6 5

Score by Innings R H E ----------------------------------------- Nebraska............ 000 400 0 - 4 3 3 Arizona State....... 104 001 X - 6 6 1 -----------------------------------------

E - Edwards(1); Perry 2; J.Gortarez. DP - Sun Devils 1. LOB - Huskers 4; Sun Devils 5. 2B - Jablonski(2); N. Chilson. 3B - T. Becerra. HR - Cassidy(1); M. Howe. HBP - Otte. SF - Perry; Stankiewicz; M. Hackbarth. SB - Otte(1).

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP ERA -------------------------------------------------------- Regan Mergele....... 3.0 2 5 2 2 1 12 16 77 - Sydney McLeod....... 2.0 2 1 1 2 1 7 9 33 - Olivia Ferrell...... 1.0 2 0 0 0 0 4 4 18 3.00

Arizona State IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP ERA -------------------------------------------------------- B. Macha............ 4.0 3 4 4 4 4 13 19 79 - G. Juarez........... 3.0 0 0 0 0 2 10 10 35 -

Win - B. Macha (1-0). Loss - Mergele (0-1). Save - G. Juarez (1). WP - McLeod. HBP - by B. Macha (Otte). Pitches/strikes: Mergele 77/50; McLeod 33/17; Ferrell 18/16; B. Macha 79/46; G. Juarez 35/26. Umpires - HP: Rick Cowen 1B: Eddy Cooper 3B: Sue Sawyer Start: 8:44 CT Time: 2:36 Attendance: 859 Weather: clear McLeod faced 1 batter in the 6th. Game: NEB2