March 9, 2008

Box Score

LINCOLN, Neb. - Eight was not great for Northern Colorado's softball team.

The Bears, winners of three of their last four, came into Nebraska's Bowlin Stadium on Saturday, March 8, looking to continue a recent run of success. That search didn't last long, however, as Northern Colorado fell twice Saturday by 8-0 counts. The Bears then fell Sunday, March 9, 4-0 in game one of a doubleheader before finishing the series with a third 8-0 defeat.

Pitching was a problem for Northern Colorado on Saturday, but Hillarie Van Otterloo and Jamie Juelfs, Sunday's starters, deserved a better fate. Offense, obviously, was at a premium both days - Northern Colorado collected six hits in the four games - but defense hurt the Bears most Sunday.

Northern Colorado had seven miscues in the series' final two games, leading to only three of the days' 12 runs to be earned.

Juelfs (3-7) and Van Otterloo both pitched complete games in the two defeats. Juelfs surrendered seven hits in her six innings, while giving up four runs (three earned) and striking out three. She only walked one. Van Otterloo, in four innings, gave up six hits and eight runs - none were earned, though.

Nebraska (8-8) went up 2-0 in the second inning of the first game, thanks to a pair of Northern Colorado (6-20) errors. The Cornhuskers next two runs came in the fifth, aided, again, by an error.

Van Otterloo kept the Bears from a second-straight no-hitter with her double to center field in the fourth, and center fielder Jessie Schoepflin got Northern Colorado's second hit in the sixth when she singled to the shortstop.

Schoepflin then got the Bears' only hit in the second game when she led off with a single to third.

Alex Hupp, who held Northern Colorado hitless in game two Saturday, started in the circle for Nebraska in the second game Sunday and continued her dominance. She struck out seven in five innings, and surrendered just the one hit to Schoepflin.

Northern Colorado will next play Friday, March 14, against California-Polytechnic and California in the Capital Classic tournament in Sacramento, Calif.