The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Nebraska
No. 4 Softball earns second-ever win at Nebraska
04.02.2005 | Softball
LINCOLN, Neb. -- The fourth-ranked Texas softball team won just its second-ever game at Nebraska as the Longhorns topped the No. 22 Cornhuskers, 6-0, on Saturday afternoon at Bowlin Stadium. UT (27-5, 2-1 Big 12) entered the game with a 1-7 mark in Lincoln before Saturday's Big 12 Conference victory. Nebraska (21-12, 1-3 Big 12) suffered its third conference loss of the season after winning both the Big 12 regular-season and tournament titles in 2004.
Four Longhorns recorded at least two hits as UT had 10 hits in the game. Rachael Cook (Anna, Texas) went 2-for-4, Christina Gwyn (Keller, Texas) went 2-for-3, Melanie Jarrett (Odessa, Texas) went 2-for-2 with a walk and Amber Hall (Deer Park, Texas) went 2-for-4.
Cat Osterman (Houston, Texas) tossed her 10th complete-game shutout of the season, holding the Huskers to one hit in 7.0 innings, while striking out 14 and walking two. She moved to 14-3 on the season and 2-1 in conference action.
Texas saw two of the five players injured in last weekend's dugout accident return to action as Hall started at shortstop and Desiree Williams (Tucson, Ariz.) pinch hit in the sixth inning. Also returning from injury was Monica Askew (Houston, Texas), who had missed 21 games with a broken bone in her hand. She entered as a defensive replacement in right field in the sixth inning.
Texas jumped on the board with one run in the second inning when Jarrett's bases loaded single, driving in Lacy Robinson (Highlands, Texas) from third. Robinson was running for Jacqueline Williams (Arlington, Texas), who singled with out to start barrage of four-straight hits from the Longhorns.
The following inning in the third, Texas plated three more runs. With two outs, Cook singled to center field then came home when Williams' pop up to shallow center was misplayed by the Cornhuskers' second baseman, shortstop and centerfielder, allowing Williams to reach second unchallenged.
Gwyn, the next batter, made it 4-0 with one swing when she took a 0-1 pitch out of the park to straight-away center field. It was her first home run of the season and the second of her career.
The Longhorns added two more runs in the sixth to push the score to 6-0. With one out, Megan Willis (Chandler, Ariz.) was hit by a pitch and then was replaced on the base path by Lizi Sowers (Georgetown, Texas). Jarrett stepped in to rip a double down the left field line and then both runners came home when the throw to first on Hall's infield hit sailed past the NU first baseman.
Nebraska mounted it first threat in the game in the fourth inning when Jessica Yoakim reached first on a one-out bunt single, the took the next two bases with a stolen base and a wild pitch. However, Osterman struck out the next two batters to end the inning and keep the Huskers scoreless.
Nebraska's Ashley DeBuhr (12-10) had her shortest outing of the season, going 3.0 innings and surrendering four runs (one earned) on seven hits while striking out five and walking none. Jordan Keen entered to open the fourth and gave up two runs (one earned) on three hits while hitting one batter and striking out four in 4.0 innings.
The two teams return to action on Sunday in a noon game at Bowlin Stadium.
