Huskers Win 8-0 Behind Tobias' No-Hitter

Tallahassee, Fla. - The Nebraska softball team improved to 3-0 in pool play and 14-8 overall with an 8-0, five-inning decision over Florida A&M at the Florida State Invitational in Tallahassee, Fla. Sophomore right-hander Summer Tobias (4-4) earned the win for NU, tossing her second no-hitter of the season.<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>

 

Tobias has now thrown two no-hitters in her last three starts. Tobias no-hit Utah last Sunday in a 12-0 Husker win. Danielle Brown (10-7) took the loss for Florida A&M (16-16, 2-1 in pool play).

 

"Summer threw a great game," NU Head Coach Rhonda Revelle said. "She did a really good job of keeping the hitters off balance."

 

Offensively, junior Anne Steffan (2-for-3) and sophomore Trisha Tannahill (2-for-3) each had multi-hit games for the Big Red. Six different Huskers drove in runs, including senior Nicole Trimboli and freshman Devin Porter, who each had two RBIs apiece.

 

Porter’s two-run double in the bottom of the fifth put Nebraska up 8-0 and ended the game due to the mercy rule.

 

Nebraska continued its first inning success, scoring two runs in the bottom of the first on against a Rattlers’ pitching staff that hadn’t allowed a run through the first two games of the tournament.

 

The Huskers were helped by a Florida A&M error that allowed Trimboli to reach first. Trimboli stole second and junior Sheena Lawrick joined her on the bases after drawing a walk. That brought up Tannahill, who fell behind in the count 0-2 before lacing an opposite field double to left to score Trimboli. Senior Liz Lawhorn made the score 2-0 when she reached on a fielder’s choice to score Lawrick with two outs.

 

Nebraska added to its lead in the fourth inning, scoring two runs. Lawhorn led off the inning with a walk and advanced to second on freshman Carmen Kier’s sacrifice bunt. After Porter grounded out for the second out, Steffan beat out an infield single and stole second to put runners on second and third with two outs. That brought up Trimboli, who singled home Kier and Steffan to make the score 4-0.

 

The Huskers closed out the game by plating four runs in the fifth. Tannahill led off with a single and advanced to second on freshman Jamie Waldecker’s ground out. She scored on junior Jocelyn Evans’ RBI single and Evan advanced to second on an error by the left fielder. Sophomore Jessica Yoachim ran for Evans and stole third. Lawhorn followed with a walk before Kier recorded her first career hit, an RBI single that scored Yoachim and put NU up 6-0. Porter promptly ended the game by bringing home Lawhorn and Yoachim with a double to the gap in right-center.

 

"We kind of got off to a slow start offensively," Revelle said. "But we kept patient and were able to break it open late."

 

NU plays its final pool game today at approximately 11:30. Nebraska will take on North Carolina before beginning bracket play later this evening.