Box Score (PDF)
Lincoln, Neb. - Two of the hottest-hitting offenses in the country converged at Bowlin Stadium on Friday night, but in an uncharacteristic showdown, Nebraska and Illinois combined for just six total hits, none of which left the park. Only three batters reached base over the first three innings, but six walks and an error in the fourth allowed Nebraska to clinch a top-three finish in the Big Ten, improving to 31-19 (16-5 Big Ten), with an 8-0 run-rule victory over the Illini (25-25, 13-8 Big Ten).
"We had a great game going on heading into the fourth with quality pitching and defense on both sides in a great environment", said head coach Terri Sullivan. "We had a terrible half inning, really out of nowhere. There are no excuses for it. We know we can't allow a team to score runs without working hard for them. We expect to be better the entire game tomorrow as we know Nebraska will also be."
After being retired in order the first time through the lineup, the Illini attacked Emily Lockman for leadoff hits in the fourth and the fifth, but that was it for the Illinois offense, as the Orange and Blue took their first Big Ten shutout of the season. Allie Bauch singled in the fourth to extend her reached-base streak to 23 games, including eight in a row with a hit, and Carly Thomas extended her lead on Illinois' conference play doubles record with her 12th two-bagger in Big Ten play and 15th overall on the year.
Jade Vecvanags (18-11) surrendered just four hits in the game, but gave up five costly walks, leading to eight runs, three earned, over the first 3.2 innings. Kate Giddens faced the final two batters of the fourth, allowing a walk before securing the final out.
Emily Lockman (15-12) tossed the full five innings for Nebraska, allowing just two hits and a walk with one strikeout. Alicia Armstrong and Kat Woolman led the Huskers by driving in five of the team's eight runs on two of Nebraska's four hits.
The first three-and-a-half innings featured just one base hit for each team with no score, but Nebraska took advantage of the Illini defense for eight runs, only three of which were earned, to take a commanding 8-0 lead after four. The inning began with Alicia Armstrong getting hit by a pitch with one out. Steph Pasquale hit a fly ball to left center, but while Thomas tracked down the ball, it went in and out of her glove to allow the cleanup batter to reach safely. Three-straight walks followed, driving in the first two runs of the game, and a two-run single by Kat Woolman down the left-field line made it 4-0. A sacrifice fly sent the fifth runner of the inning across the plate, and Armstrong blooped a bases-clearing double to shallow center field to make it 8-0, giving Nebraska a shot at a run-rule win.
Thomas led off the top of the fifth by drilling a double to the warning track in left center, but she was stranded on third, as Nebraska sealed up the run-rule victory to become the first Big Ten opponent to shut out the Illini all season.
The win secures Nebraska a top-three seed for the Big Ten Tournament, while Illinois is still locked in a battle with Northwestern for the final first-round bye.
The Illini and Huskers return to Bowlin Stadium on Saturday for game two of the three-game series, with first pitch set for 1 p.m.
