Huskers Hit Four Homers in Tournament Wins

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Salt Lake City, Utah -- Nebraska used the long ball in posting a pair of wins at the Utah Tournament in Salt Lake City. Center fielder Nicole Trimboli and Peaches James hit two-run homers to aid the Huskers in defeating Utah, 8-3, in the Huskers' first game of the day. In the nightcap, Kira Boerkircher slugged a two-run home run along with a solo homer by Sheena Lawrick in a 6-1 win over Utah State, 6-1.  Nebraska improves their fall record to 6-3 with the pair of wins.

 

'The team played with a lot energy today from the pitch of first game to last pitch of last game, and because of it -- execution, run production, pitching and defense -- benefited from it,' stated Head Coach Rhonda Revelle after NU's victory over Utah State.

 

Freshman Jamie Waldecker hit a two-run double in the first inning scoring Trimiboli, who reached on a single to right-center field, and Jessica Yoachim, who advanced on a walk.  James wrapped up the scoring in the first by hitting a homer to center field, spotting the Huskers a 4-0 lead.

 

Trimboli hit .750 (3-for-4) against Utah, including a two-run homer, a double RBI and a single to right center.  Trimoboli's home run in the second inning drove in junior second baseman Anne Steffan, who hit a bunt single and then stole second putting the Huskers ahead, 5-0.  In the seventh the Huskers' senior center fielder doubled to left center to drive in freshman Devin Porter, who doubled to center field in the prior play.

 

The Utes went scoreless until the third when Ivette Hernandez hit a solo home run off of Husker starter Ashley DeBuhr who threw for 5.1 innings to take the win.

 

Utah would score twice more during the game.  The Utes run in the fourth came off a sacrifice fly to left field while the third run was scored on a wild pitch by NU reliever James, who pitched 1.2 innings and struck out three for the save, in the sixth inning.

 

In all, three Utes would make an appearance in the pitching circle.  Utah's starter Brianna Gourdin took the loss after pitching just 1.1 innings.  Melissa Oaks and Sam Schroeder combined for 5.2 innings of relief on four hits and two runs.

 

The Huskers started quickly against Utah State, as Jessica Yoachim reached on a bunt single before coming around on a first-inning homer by Sheena Lawrick, giving the Huskers a 2-0 lead.

 

In the third, Lawrick, who finished the game with four RBIs hit a two-run triple to drive in Trimboli, who advanced on a walk, and Yoachim, who hit a single, to give the Huskers a 4-0 lead.

 

Finishing off the scoring for NU was Boerkircher in the sixth when she smacked a two-run homer, her first, to right field in the sixth, driving in pinch runner Trisha Tannahill.

 

A pitching dual between Chaparral High School teammates occurred during the Huskers second game of the day as they defeated Utah State.  Nebraska's starter Summer Tobias pitched seven innings, striking out six Aggies and allowing only one run on one hit.  Tobias' high school teammate, Jessica Garnett, pitched six innings for Utah State, allowing six runs on six hits, to take the loss.

 

Tobias, who threw a scoreless game until the seventh inning when Candiace Hatch hit a home run to left center, would take the win for Nebraska. 

 

Nebraska will play their last game in the Utah Tournament against Washington on Sunday, Sept. 21 at 9 a.m.  Next week the Huskers will travel to Sioux Falls, S.D. to participate in the Augustana Tournament, Sept. 27-28.