The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Nebraska
Softball downs Nebraska, 10-5 to advance to Big 12 semifinals
05.09.2009 | Softball
OKLAHOMA CITY -- The Texas Softball team notched an RBI with each of its first six hits and posted a UT Big 12 Championship record 10 runs as the Longhorns knocked off Nebraska, 10-5 in the championship quarterfinals. The Horns win improved UT to 38-17 on the year and dropped Nebraska to 34-17. Texas advances to play No. 9/10 Oklahoma in the tourney semifinals at 7:30 p.m. Central on Saturday, May 9.
Sophomore righthander Brittany Barnhill (24-12) picked up the win for Texas, tossing 4.0 innings, allowing three runs on six hits before giving way to junior reliever Erin Tresselt. Tresselt picked up her school record seventh career save after throwing the final three innings and allowing two runs on three hits. Nebraska starter Molly Hill (24-13) suffered the loss, surrendering eight runs on five hits and walking six in 4.0 innings of work.
Nebraska jumped out to an early edge in the first frame, using four hits to claim a 2-0 lead. Centerfielder Meghan Mullin led off the frame with a single advanced on a groundout and a wild pitch before coming home on Amanda Duran's RBI single. Duran moved to second on a Husker single and came around to score on Julie Brechtel's RBI single.
Texas answered promptly in the bottom of the first with four runs on three hits. Freshman rightfielder Courtney Craig and junior designated player Loryn Johnson started the rally with back-to-back walks and an RBI single by freshman shortstop Lexy Bennett plated Craig. A run-scoring single by freshman third baseman Nadia Taylor scored Johnson before a two-run double by Barnhill scored Bennett and Taylor to push the tally to 4-2.
The Huskers loaded the bases in the fourth courtesy of a single, an error on a fielder's choice and a walk before a bases-loaded Duran walk moved the score to 4-3.
In the Texas half of the fourth, sophomore catcher Amy Hooks hammered the first pitch she saw over the wall in straightaway centerfield for her eighth homer of the year, pushing the UT lead to 5-3.
The Horns added three more runs in the fifth, using walks by Craig and Johnson to lead off the frame. Bennett's RBI single scored Craig from second before a Taylor walk loaded the bases for UT. Junior leftfielder Brittany Chalk's sacrifice fly to right scored pinch runner Kori Cook and an RBI single by senior second baseman Kelly Melone pushed pinch runner Raygan Feight across to give Texas an 8-3 lead
Texas tacked on two insurance runs in the sixth when Taylor connected for a two-run double to left centerfield that moved the Texas advantage to 10-3.
Nebraska rallied for a pair of runs in the seventh on back-to-back homers by Brechtel and third baseman Heidi Foland, closing the score to 10-5.
Bennett and Taylor headlined the Texas offense with two hits each, while Bennett added two RBI and Taylor tallied three.
