Huskers Host Aggies in Conference Showdown

The 13th-ranked Nebraska softball team opens a pivotal two-game set with No. 23 Texas A&M at 5 p.m. on Saturday at Bowlin Stadium. NU (36-13, 12-1) finds itself a half-game behind the Aggies (31-16, 13-1) after suffering its first conference loss to Kansas on Wednesday. Both games will have local radio coverage, with Saturday’s game airing on KLIN and Sunday’s game on KKUL. Sunday's game will also be televised live in Lincoln on NETV2, and CSTV will replay the game nationally.

The Huskers will be seeking to avoid back-to-back losses for the first time since NU lost to No. 23 Arizona State on March 19 and fell to seventh-ranked Oklahoma on March 20. Nebraska will also be looking to avenge an earlier loss to Texas A&M. The Aggies knocked the Huskers out of the Florida State Invitational with a 3-2, eight-innings semifinal victory on March 14.

Nebraska has already played three games this week, sweeping a doubleheader from Northern Colorado on Tuesday, before dropping a 3-0 decision to Kansas on Wednesday. In the two games against Northern Colorado, NU outscored the Bears 17-3 while hitting .426 as a team.

The first four hitters in the Husker lineup led the way, finishing a combined 15-for-27 (.556) with nine runs scored and five RBIs. Sophomore Jessica Yoachim went 5-for-8 in the double dip, sophomore Trisha Tannahill went 4-for-7 with two runs scored and two RBIs, and senior Nicole Trimboli finished the two games 4-for-5 with a home run and two RBIs.

Redshirt freshman Carmen Kier had a career day in game one of the doubleheader, finishing 2-for-2 with her first career home run, two runs scored and two RBIs.

Freshman right-hander Ashley DeBuhr picked up the first home victory of her career with a complete-game, one-hitter in the first game. Sophomore Summer Tobias evened her record at 6-6 by picking up the win in the night cap.

Against Kansas, Nebraska struggled offensively. KU starter Kassie Humphreys held the Huskers to five hits in a complete-game shutout. Steffan and senior Liz Lawhorn each had two hits apiece and Yoachim added NU’s final hit. The loss was Nebraska’s first conference loss of the season and dropped NU out of first place in the Big 12 for the first time in 2004.

Senior right-hander Peaches James suffered her first loss in 15 games, allowing only one earned run and striking out 12 in a complete-game effort.

In order to rebound this weekend and prevent Texas A&M from clinching the Big 12 title, the Huskers will need to hit better against Aggie ace Jessica Kapchinski, who boasts the top ERA in the Big 12 (league games only). In 76.2 innings in conference play, Kapchinski has allowed only three earned runs (0.27 ERA), including nine shutouts.

Scouting the Aggies
#23 Texas A&M (31-16, 13-1)
Texas A&M has won 11 straight conference games since suffering its only conference loss to Baylor on March 31 and finished the month of April with a perfect 11-0 mark. The Aggies are led offensively by their freshman leadoff hitter Sharonda McDonald. McDonald is hitting a team-best .327 this year and has scored a team-high 41 runs. McDonald is tied with NU’s Anne Steffan for the conference lead in runs scored, but is alone in first place with 36 stolen bases. In Texas A&M’s 3-2 victory over Nebraska on March 14, McDonald was 1-for-3 and scored all three of the Aggies’ runs.

In the circle, Jessica Kapchinski has been dominant in league play. Kapchinski (16-5) is 12-1 in Big 12 games with a microscopic 0.27 ERA and nine shutouts. For the season, Kapchinski boasts an ERA of 1.05 and is limiting opposing hitters to a meager .151 average. In 126.1 innings, Kapchinski has struck out 139 while surrendering only 40 walks.

Last Time
Texas A&M used a one-out, eighth-inning single from Jana James to pull out a 3-2 extra-innings victory over Nebraska in the semifinals of the Florida State Invitational on March 14. James finished the game 2-for-4. A&M’s Sharonda McDonald wound up 1-for-3 and scored all three Aggie runs.

Junior Sheena Lawrick was the top Husker hitter in the game, finishing 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a double. Nebraska is now without Lawrick, who had season-ending surgery to repair a torn ACL. Junior Anne Steffan was 2-for-5 with a run scored against the Aggies.

Jessica Kapchinski started the game, but did not factor into the decision, allowing one earned run on two hits in four innings of work. Lindsey Wilhelmson picked up the win in relief, allowing one earned run on four hits in four innings.

Senior right-hander Peaches James took the loss, allowing one unearned run on one hit in three innings of relief.

Leading Off
Part of Nebraska’s offensive success in Big 12 games can be attributed to getting the leadoff hitter on base. In 83 innings in league games, NU’s leadoff hitter has reached base safely 35 times (42 percent).

Junior Anne Steffan, the Huskers' true leadoff hitter, has reached base to lead off the game in seven of the Huskers' 13 conference games.

Yoachim on a Roll
Sophomore third baseman Jessica Yoachim has been on a tear since the start of the Huskers’ Big 12 Conference schedule. Before Nebraska faced off against Texas A&M on March 14, Yoachim was just 8-for-30 at the plate (.267 average). Now, 25 games later, the Arkansas City, Kan., native is hitting .330 (30-for-91). Over that stretch, Yoachim is 22-for-61, good enough for a .361 average.

In Big 12 games only, Yoachim is the second-leading hitter in the league with a .438 average (14-for-32). She has already surpassed last season’s hit total of 26 in 10 fewer at bats. In the Huskers’ doubleheader against Northern Colorado on Tuesday, Yoachim went a combined 5-for-8 with four runs scored.

Since moving to the No. 2 spot in the lineup 10 games ago, Yoachim is 14-for-31 (.452) with nine runs scored. Yoachim has reached base safely in all 13 of Nebraska’s league games and has totaled four multi-hit games in league play.

James Looks for More Records
Senior right-hander Peaches James, already one of the most decorated athletes in school history, will be looking for a few more milestones this weekend. James’ next victory will be the 90th of her career, making her only the second pitcher in school history to win 90 games in a career.

James also has her eyes set on the all-time and single-season strikeout records. The Papillion, Neb., native needs only three strikeouts to break the school single season strikeout record. With her 286th strikeout of the season, James will pass Associate Head Coach and Pitching Coach Lori Sippel, who struck out 285 hitters in 1988.

James is also threatening the all-time strikeout record at Nebraska. With 834 strikeouts to date, James needs only five strikeouts to pass Sipple for second-place in school history. With an exceptional two games, she could break the school record of 858 strikeouts set by Leigh Ann Walker, who played from 1999-2002. James needs 24 strikeouts to tie the record and 25 punch-outs to break it.

Two is the Magic Number
For the 13th-ranked Nebraska softball team, two is the magic number when senior right-hander Peaches James is in the circle.

James (28-6) has not lost a game this season when her teammates have given her more than one run to work with. In her four losses as a starter, the Nebraska offense has produced only two runs. Twice this season, James has been on the losing end of a 1-0 decision. In contrast, James has led Nebraska to five 1-0 victories by tossing shutouts over Notre Dame on April 12, Houston (2/20), Virginia Tech (2/28), Kansas (3/7) and fourth-ranked Florida State (3/18).

Excelling With Runners on Base
Sophomore third baseman Jessica Yoachim, the second-leading hitter in the Big 12 Conference (league games only), has put up astounding numbers this season with runners on base.

The Arkansas City, Kan., native leads the team with a .485 average (16-for-33) with runners on base and reaches base at a .514 clip with runners on. Yoachim has also totaled a team-best five sacrifice hits with runners on base.

With runners on base and two outs, Yoachim has been even better. In 11 at bats, Yoachim has collected six hits to post a .545 average. With runners in scoring position and two outs, Yoachim is hitting a whopping .625 and has drove in four of her six RBIs this season with runners in scoring position and two outs.

Nebraska vs. Ranked Teams
Nebraska, 36-13 overall, is 8-5 against top-25 teams and has won four consecutive games against ranked foes. NU is 2-0 against top-five teams and 3-2 against top-10 teams in 2004.

The Huskers opened the season with three games against ranked teams, falling to then top-ranked UCLA before posting back-to-back victories over then-No. 12 DePaul and then-No. 10 Michigan. Nebraska faced Michigan again at the NFCA Leadoff Classic, dropping a 5-1 extra-inning decision to the Wolverines, who were ranked seventh at the time. NU posted its biggest win of the season the following day, blanking No. 3 California, 3-0.

At the prestigious Kia Klassic, NU defeated then-No. 4 Florida State, 1-0, but fell to then-No. 7 Oklahoma (1-0) and then-No. 23 Arizona State (6-3).

In Big 12 Conference play, the Huskers swept then-No. 19 Baylor on April 3-4 and swept then-No. 17 Oklahoma on April 17-18.

At the plate, junior second baseman Anne Steffan and sophomore third baseman Jessica Yoachim have excelled against ranked teams. In the Huskers’ 13 games against ranked teams, Steffan is hitting .364 (16-for-44) with nine runs scored, one RBI and four stolen bases. Against then-No. 4 Florida State on March 18, Steffan was 3-for-3 and scored the only run of the game.

Yoachim has been nearly as good against top-25 teams, going 9-for-27 (.333) with two runs scored and an RBI.

Single-Season Records Watch
Junior Anne Steffan
Steffan, who is currently hitting .365, will finish with the 10th-best single-season average if she can maintain her current pace.

Steffan also has 167 at bats and is projected to finish the season with approximately 200 at bats, just five shy of ninth place on the single-season chart.

Steffan is also challenging to put her name on the single-season hit list. The Mankato, Minn., native has 61 hits this season and at that pace would finish with 71 hits, including two-game stints at the Big 12 Championship and NCAA Regionals. Seventy-one hits would put her in a tie for sixth place on the chart.

Finally, one of the fastest players in school history, Steffan is in sixth place on the single-season list with 24 steals. At her current pace, Steffan would finish with 28 stolen bases, three shy of the school record.

Junior Sheena Lawrick
Although Lawrick's season is over, she did enough in her time to leave her mark on the record books. In only 36 games, Lawrick drew 28 walks, which is ninth on the single-season charts.

Senior Nicole Trimboli
Trimboli, who has driven in the second-most runs in school history, has 40 RBIs in 2004 and is projected to finish with 47 RBIs, which would put her in eighth place on the single-season chart.

Senior Peaches James
James, who is enjoying one of the best seasons in school history, has set a new school record in shutouts and is challenging for the top spot in single-season strikeouts.

James has already struck out 283 batters this season, leaving her just three strikeouts away from the single-season record. James has also tossed 15 shutouts this season, which is a new school record.
James' 28 victories so far in 2004 have her tied for second place on the single-season chart. She has also logged 212.1 innings, placing her ninth on the chart . James is also challenging in complete games. Having already thrown 29 complete games, James is in a tie for third place on the single-season chart.

Big Innings
Nebraska has been prone to big innings this season. NU has scored in 98 innings this year and has scored more than one run in 57 of those 9 innings (58 percent).

On 25 different occasions, the Huskers have scored three or more runs in a single inning. On March 27 at Oklahoma State, Nebraska exploded for its biggest inning of the year, a 10-run fourth. NU has also produced two nine-run innings.

Fast Starts
Nebraska has gotten off to some fast starts this season, as the Huskers have scored a run in the first inning in 23 of 49 games (47 percent). NU is 22-1 on the season when it scores a run in the first inning.

In the Huskers' three games this week, Nebraska scored in the first inning in one game, a two-run frame in the second game of Tuesday's doubleheader with Northern Colorado..

The 55 first-inning runs that Nebraska has scored are the most runs of any single inning. In the first frame, NU has outscored its opponents by an overwhelming margin of 55-13. Twenty-five percent of the Huskers' total runs have come across the plate in the first inning (55/223).

Included in these numbers are a pair of nine run, first-inning outbursts. NU scored nine runs in the first inning against Manhattan College on Feb. 21, and duplicated that feat March 7 against Utah in a 12-0 win.

Nebraska has plated more than one run in 13 of the 21 games in which it has scored in the first inning. In two games this season, the Huskers' lone run of the game has come in the first, including March 18 against fourth-ranked Florida State. In all, 12 of the 30 game-winning RBIs have come in the first inning.

Lawrick Out for Year
The Nebraska softball team will be without junior first baseman Sheena Lawrick for the remainder of the season. Lawrick had surgery April 12 to repair a torn ACL.

The Huskers' No. 3 hitter in the lineup, Lawrick's offense and defense will be missed. Before her injury, Lawrick was second on the team with a .337 average, and led the team with seven doubles, a .596 slugging percentage, 28 walks, three hit by pitches and a .508 on-base percentage. At the time of her injury, she was also second in home runs (4), second in RBIs (24), second in total bases (6) and committed only three errors in 259 chances at first base (.989 fielding percentage). Lawrick also finished the season with 28 walks, which ranks ninth on the NU single-season chart.

Freshman Jamie Waldecker, junior Jocelyn Evans and senior Peaches James have each filled in at first in place of Lawrick. Waldecker has started seven games at first since Lawrick's injury, while James and Evans have each started three games at first base.

Trimboli Leaving Mark at NU
Senior Nicole Trimboli’s time at Nebraska may be drawing to a close, but her legacy will live on in the Husker record book. The former left fielder and current starter in center already ranks among the top 10 in nine career offensive categories and is poised to enter the top 10 in three other categories.
Trimboli is currently in second place for career RBIs with 165. The Colorado Springs, Colo., native has averaged almost 42 RBIs in her first three seasons and at that pace would finish with 167 RBIs. Currently, Trimboli is second in the Big 12 with 40 RBIs.

Capable of hitting for power, Trimboli is currently sixth on the all-time home run chart with 26 round trippers. She is also fifth on the all-time hit list with 223, is eighth with 119 runs scored, ranks fifth all-time in total bases with 344, is third in at bats with 731, seventh in doubles with 33 and is eighth in games played with 233.
Trimboli needs just three hit by pitches and two stolen bases to crack the top 10 in each category. She also ranks 13th all-time with a .305 career batting average.

Home Sweet Home
In 2004, Nebraska has drawn 8,793 fans through its first 10 home games, an average attendance of 879.

Against Oklahoma on April 17, NU drew a season-high 1,523 fans. The attendance was the largest regular-season crowd and the second largest crowd overall in the history of Bowlin Stadium.

The Husker softball team continued to receive tremendous fan support in 2003. Nebraska ranked seventh in the nation in Division I softball attendance with an average of 615 fans per game.

NU was one of only eight schools to total more than 10,000 fans for the entire season. Among these eight schools, Nebraska was the only school to total more than 10,000 fans in less than 20 home games. The Huskers totaled 11,074 fans in 18 home games.

Fourteen NCAA Bids and Counting
Nebraska softball is in an elite class when it comes to postseason play. The Huskers are one of nine teams to appear in the past nine NCAA Tournaments. Nebraska also has a strong history of earning high seeds int he tournament. For the past seven seasons, Nebraska has earned a two seed or higher in the opening NCAA Regional. The only other teams to accomplish that feat are Arizona, Michigan, Oklahoma and WAshington. Overall, NU has earned 14 NCAA Tournament bids, advancing to the Women's College World Series seven times.

Head of the Class
Nebraska leads all Division I softball programs with 22 CoSIDA Academic All-America awards won by 15 players.

NU is the only school with more than 20 academic All-America awards, and the only Big 12 school ranked in the top 10. The Huskers are followed by The College of New Jersey (18), DePaul (16), Northern Illinois (16), Illinois Wesleyan (15), Notre Dame (15), Fresno State (14), Ohio Northern (14), Millikin University (13), Missouri Southern State (13) and Southern Illinois (13).

James Breaks Vertical Jump Record
Senior pitcher Peaches James broke her own all-time, all-sport vertical jump record for the third time in her career with a leap of 31 inches during the Nebraska softball team's winter performance testing.

In 2002, James became the first female in athletic department history to record a jump of 30 inches, breaking the previous record of 29.5 inches. Last year, James improved her 30-inch leap with a jump of 30.5 inches.