Huskers fall in softball title game
OKLAHOMA CITY – Somewhere, a bubble team is breathing easier.
After a stirring run to the championship game of the Big 12 softball tournament, Nebraska – the No. 10 seed among 10 teams entering the weekend – fell 5-0 to regular-season conference champion Texas A&M on Sunday at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium.
The Huskers (25-28) needed a win to extend their string of consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances to 14, a result that would have bumped a hopeful at-large qualifier but would have added a storybook ending to what has been a trying NU season.
But even in defeat, Nebraska can carry momentum into the offseason after winning its first three games in Oklahoma City after posting a 3-2 mark in the final week of the regular season.
The Huskers defeated a top-10 opponent in No. 7 Oklahoma, something they were unable to do either of the last two seasons. This year’s NU team is without a senior.
The young Huskers were unable to threaten the fifth-ranked Aggies and 33-game winner Megan Gibson in Sunday’s nationally-televised final. After Meghan Mullin led off the game with a single, extending her hitting streak to 10 games, only six Huskers reached base the rest of the way.
Julie Brechtel singled in the second, and in the fourth, Haley Long reached on a dropped third strike and Brechtel walked. Ashley Guile singled in the sixth, but Nebraska was not able to keep Gibson from her 16th shutout.
The Texas A&M senior, who coincidently is the Big 12’s all-time leader in home runs, improved to 33-1.
The Aggies (49-7) scored twice in the second, using four well-placed singles to take the lead. Jamie Hinshaw opened the inning, reaching on an infield single when Brechtel was unable to backhand the ball in the hole near second.
Holly Ridley followed with a single to right and Erin Glasco stepped up with a single up the middle – pitcher Molly Hill nearly gloved it at her shoe top – to put the Aggies in front. Texas A&M’s second run was controversial as shortstop Whitney Barrett appeared to bump into baserunner Jami Lobpries attempting to track down Macie Morrow’s one-out bloop single.
The Aggies added three more runs after opening the fourth inning with singles from its Nos. 7, 8 and 9 hitters.
Starting her eighth straight game, Hill pitched into the sixth before giving way to Alex Hupp. Hill threw 443 pitches in a 45-hour span in Oklahoma City. Nebraska scored 16 runs in its first three tournament games.
All-tournament selections from Nebraska included Hill, Long, Mullin and Crystal Carwile.
Reach Todd Henrichs at 473-7320 or thenrichs@journalstar.com.
After a stirring run to the championship game of the Big 12 softball tournament, Nebraska – the No. 10 seed among 10 teams entering the weekend – fell 5-0 to regular-season conference champion Texas A&M on Sunday at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium.
The Huskers (25-28) needed a win to extend their string of consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances to 14, a result that would have bumped a hopeful at-large qualifier but would have added a storybook ending to what has been a trying NU season.
But even in defeat, Nebraska can carry momentum into the offseason after winning its first three games in Oklahoma City after posting a 3-2 mark in the final week of the regular season.
The Huskers defeated a top-10 opponent in No. 7 Oklahoma, something they were unable to do either of the last two seasons. This year’s NU team is without a senior.
The young Huskers were unable to threaten the fifth-ranked Aggies and 33-game winner Megan Gibson in Sunday’s nationally-televised final. After Meghan Mullin led off the game with a single, extending her hitting streak to 10 games, only six Huskers reached base the rest of the way.
Julie Brechtel singled in the second, and in the fourth, Haley Long reached on a dropped third strike and Brechtel walked. Ashley Guile singled in the sixth, but Nebraska was not able to keep Gibson from her 16th shutout.
The Texas A&M senior, who coincidently is the Big 12’s all-time leader in home runs, improved to 33-1.
The Aggies (49-7) scored twice in the second, using four well-placed singles to take the lead. Jamie Hinshaw opened the inning, reaching on an infield single when Brechtel was unable to backhand the ball in the hole near second.
Holly Ridley followed with a single to right and Erin Glasco stepped up with a single up the middle – pitcher Molly Hill nearly gloved it at her shoe top – to put the Aggies in front. Texas A&M’s second run was controversial as shortstop Whitney Barrett appeared to bump into baserunner Jami Lobpries attempting to track down Macie Morrow’s one-out bloop single.
The Aggies added three more runs after opening the fourth inning with singles from its Nos. 7, 8 and 9 hitters.
Starting her eighth straight game, Hill pitched into the sixth before giving way to Alex Hupp. Hill threw 443 pitches in a 45-hour span in Oklahoma City. Nebraska scored 16 runs in its first three tournament games.
All-tournament selections from Nebraska included Hill, Long, Mullin and Crystal Carwile.
Reach Todd Henrichs at 473-7320 or thenrichs@journalstar.com.
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