March 12, 2010

Box Score

Tempe, Ariz. - Opening play at the Diamond Devil Invitational in Tempe, Ariz., the Pacific softball team suffered from costly mistakes in the field that resulted in five unearned runs as they fell 8-0 (5 inn.) to Nebraska on Friday, March 12. The loss dropped the Tigers to 6-10 overall while the Huskers improved to 12-10.

A pair of mistakes in the bottom of the first inning cost the Tigers against the Huskers as Nebraska posted three runs to kick off the game. After a leadoff walk put the first runner of the game on for Nebraska, the Tigers gave up a second free base this time in the form of an error on a sacrifice attempt. The mistake in the field would come back to haunt Pacific when junior Shaina Brock (Derby, Kan.) made a mistake with a 0-1 pitch, leaving it over the plate for Julie Brechtel. The No. 4 hitter for the Huskers made Brock pay for the mistake, depositing the pitch over the right field wall for a three-run home run.

The Huskers struck again in the second with the long ball when Heidi Foland took the first pitch of her at bat over the left field wall for a solo home run. In the third, a walk and a double set the Huskers up to score again, as Brock was replaced by sophomore Gabby McDaniel (Sacramento, Calif.) in the circle. With McDaniel in, the sophomore got the first batter to swing at three straight pitches, however, the third pitch was in the dirt leading to a throw down to first that was wild allowing the batter to reach first and the first run of the inning to score. The Tigers would get out of the inning without further damage.

In the fifth, the mistakes would end the Tigers' afternoon as a the Huskers put up three unearned runs on a four base throwing error in the infield that resulted in the eight run lead Nebraska needed to end the game.

Offensively, the Tigers threatened in each of the first two innings, but left a pair of runners stranded on base in both innings. In the second, the Tigers had runners at second and third, but were robbed of runs by Whitney Barrett, the Huskers' shortstop, who cutoff a ball hit up the middle by junior Lindsey Pierce (Camarillo, Calif.) that looked like it would find day light and score the first runs of the game for Pacific. The Tigers would not threaten again against Robin Mackin, the Husker starter, as they posted four infield hits in five innings. Freshman Megan Hom (Irvine, Calif.) led the Tigers with two of the four hits.

In the circle, Brock lasted just two innings as she gave up seven hits and five runs, three earned while walking two. In relief, McDaniel went 2.1 innings, giving up just two hits and three runs, all unearned. Mackin picked up the win for the Huskers as she struck out six and walked one in five innings while scattering four hits.