Nebraska Splits Doubleheader with No. 24 Texas A&M

Lincoln, Neb. -- Nicole Trimboli went 3-for-4 with two doubles, and Peaches James tossed a three-hit shutout to lead the fourth-ranked Nebraska softball team to a 6-0 win over No. 24 Texas A&M before 529 fans in game two of a doubleheader Sunday at Bowlin Stadium. The Huskers, who dropped game one, 2-0, are now 39-9 overall and 8-4 in the Big 12 Conference.

“From the first pitch of the second game, you knew that Peaches was on,” NU Coach Rhonda Revelle said. “She was very commanding. When she pitches like that, everyone just relaxes. She set the tone for what we did offensively.

“The first game was quite disappointing, but I have to hand it to the team for turning things around in 15 minutes and coming back the way that they did.”

The Huskers took control of the game with a six-run inning in the bottom of the third. Freshman utility player Anne Steffan got things going with leadoff single. After Kim Ogee struck out, Suhr drew a walk and Trimboli doubled to right-center to put runners on second and third and score Steffan for the 1-0 lead. Both scored when Peaches James ripped an RBI single to left-center.

Texas A&M made a pitching change, bringing in Lindsey Rippee to face Amber Burgess, but the switch proved ineffective. Burgess advanced James to third with a double, and James scored on a sacrifice fly by Amanda Buchholz. Wangler smacked an RBI single to right, plating Burgess for the 6-0 lead.

Jessica Slataper took the loss for Texas A&M, allowing four runs on five hits in 2.1 innings. Jessica Rippee entered the game in relief in the third and gave up two runs on four hits in 3.2 innings of work.

Texas A&M 2, Nebraska 0
Lindsey Wilhelmson (10-4) was the winning pitcher in game one, holding the Huskers scoreless on three hits for her sixth shutout victory of the season. Leigh Ann Walker (21-4) took the loss in game one, allowing two runs on seven hits while yielding one walk and striking out two in 7.0 innings of work.

Texas A&M took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, as Adrian Gregory scored on a sacrifice fly by Kelly Ferguson. The Aggies added another run in the top of the sixth, as catcher Selena Collins led off the inning with a solo homer, her 12th of the season.

Nebraska had opportunities to score in the fourth and fifth innings, but couldn’t capitalize. Wilhelmson held the Huskers hitless through the first three innings. NU finally broke through in the bottom of the fourth and loaded the bases as Suhr walked, Trimboli singled to left and Amber Burgess walked. But Buchholz grounded to third, and Jennifer Davis stepped on the bag to end the inning.

In the fifth, the Huskers stranded two runners. With two outs, Briana Bates walked and stole second, and Ogee drew a walk. But Suhr grounded out to second to end the inning.