NU holds its ground against Texas A&M
It looked like another long day for the Nebraska softball team after No. 5 Texas A&M scored four runs in the top of the first inning.
But the Huskers came back and made the Aggies work hard for a 6-3 win Sunday at Bowlin Stadium.
“If there is such thing as a good loss, today would be it,” first baseman Crystal Carwile said. “We didn’t keep them down on runs the first inning, but I think we beat them the other six innings.”
The first three Aggies reached base against Nebraska pitcher Molly Hill. Right fielder Holly Ridley then hit a two-run single to give the Aggies a 2-0 lead, and A&M added two more runs later in the inning off bloop singles.
Nebraska’s offense responded against All-American pitcher Megan Gipson in the bottom of the first. Gipson dominated the Huskers on Saturday and gave up only three hits while striking out 13. It only took the Huskers two at bats to score Sunday as Darcy Rutherford scored on Meghan Mullin’s triple down the right-field line. Mullin later scored from third on a passed ball.
“Going out there and attacking and letting her know it was going to be a dogfight today, it was great,” Carwile said. “Even though we didn’t get the ‘W’ today, we fought and sent a message to any other team we are going to play.”
After getting roughed up in the first, Hill struck out the side in the second. She was taken out in the third after Ridley hit a two-run homer to give the Aggies a 6-2 lead.
The Aggies did little offensively after Ridley’s homer. Sophomore Alex Hupp pitched five innings of scoreless relief for the Huskers and surrendered only three hits.
The Huskers added another run in the third. Mullin started the rally with a one-out single. Carwile followed with a hard-hit fly ball to center that would have found its way out of the park if not for the wind. Mullin advanced to second on Carwile’s pop-up and scored on catcher Ashley Guile’s single.
Nebraska again threatened in the fifth when Carwile hit a double down the right-field line. Carwile advanced to third, but the Huskers were unable to bring her home.
The Huskers made things interesting in the bottom of the seventh. Mullin and Carwile hit back-to-back singles and the tying run came to the plate twice, but neither could even the game.
Head coach Rhonda Revelle said the 19-25 Huskers really did a lot of things right Sunday.
“This is as well as we’ve played in a long time,” Revelle said. “I mean that in many regards. Emotionally, we were fighting. Mentally, we were tough. I thought we had great poise and battled an All-American pitcher that dominated us yesterday.”
Reach Tommy Dahlk at 473-7431 or tdahlk@journalstar.com.
But the Huskers came back and made the Aggies work hard for a 6-3 win Sunday at Bowlin Stadium.
“If there is such thing as a good loss, today would be it,” first baseman Crystal Carwile said. “We didn’t keep them down on runs the first inning, but I think we beat them the other six innings.”
The first three Aggies reached base against Nebraska pitcher Molly Hill. Right fielder Holly Ridley then hit a two-run single to give the Aggies a 2-0 lead, and A&M added two more runs later in the inning off bloop singles.
Nebraska’s offense responded against All-American pitcher Megan Gipson in the bottom of the first. Gipson dominated the Huskers on Saturday and gave up only three hits while striking out 13. It only took the Huskers two at bats to score Sunday as Darcy Rutherford scored on Meghan Mullin’s triple down the right-field line. Mullin later scored from third on a passed ball.
“Going out there and attacking and letting her know it was going to be a dogfight today, it was great,” Carwile said. “Even though we didn’t get the ‘W’ today, we fought and sent a message to any other team we are going to play.”
After getting roughed up in the first, Hill struck out the side in the second. She was taken out in the third after Ridley hit a two-run homer to give the Aggies a 6-2 lead.
The Aggies did little offensively after Ridley’s homer. Sophomore Alex Hupp pitched five innings of scoreless relief for the Huskers and surrendered only three hits.
The Huskers added another run in the third. Mullin started the rally with a one-out single. Carwile followed with a hard-hit fly ball to center that would have found its way out of the park if not for the wind. Mullin advanced to second on Carwile’s pop-up and scored on catcher Ashley Guile’s single.
Nebraska again threatened in the fifth when Carwile hit a double down the right-field line. Carwile advanced to third, but the Huskers were unable to bring her home.
The Huskers made things interesting in the bottom of the seventh. Mullin and Carwile hit back-to-back singles and the tying run came to the plate twice, but neither could even the game.
Head coach Rhonda Revelle said the 19-25 Huskers really did a lot of things right Sunday.
“This is as well as we’ve played in a long time,” Revelle said. “I mean that in many regards. Emotionally, we were fighting. Mentally, we were tough. I thought we had great poise and battled an All-American pitcher that dominated us yesterday.”
Reach Tommy Dahlk at 473-7431 or tdahlk@journalstar.com.
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