Huskers Give Revelle 500th Victory

<?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Fullerton, Calif. ? After struggling offensively in a pair of losses on Friday, the 18th-ranked Nebraska softball team exploded for eight runs in an 8-0 victory over Cal-State Fullerton on Saturday to give Head Coach Rhonda Revelle her 500th career victory.<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>

 

Sophomore right-hander Ashley DeBuhr put together another terrific outing for the Huskers (19-7). DeBuhr (10-6) notched her second shutout of the year, allowing just three hits and striking out 11. She struck out at least 10 batters for the third straight start.

 

Candice Baker (4-4) took the loss for the Titans (9-10), allowing four runs in just two-thirds of an inning.  

 

NU showed patience at the plate, drawing a season-high eight walks and adding a hit by pitch. Three Huskers finished with a pair of walks and NU added eight hits as a team, led by multi-hit games from senior Anne Steffan (2-for-5) and juniors Jessica Yoachim (2-for-4) and Elizabeth Rock (2-for-3).

 

The Huskers sent 10 batters to the plate, drew five walks and scored four two-out runs to take an early 4-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Steffan led off with a single to extend her school-record hitting streak to 23 straight games. Yoachim followed with a four-pitch walk and Rock sacrificed Steffan to third and Yoachim to second with a bunt back to the pitcher.

 

Senior Sheena struck out looking before sophomore Jamie Waldecker drew another walk to load the bases. Junior Trisha Tannahill fell behind in the count 0-2, but fought back to draw an RBI walk, as Steffan scored on the play. Junior Katie Linke then singled to right field to score Yoachim and Waldecker also scored when the ball was misplayed by the right fielder.

 

Sophomore Devin Porter then fell behind in the count 0-2 before drawing another walk to load the bases again. Junior KoKo Tacha followed with another walk to score Tannahill with the fourth run before Steffan struck out swinging to end the inning.

 

NU added another run in the second inning. Yoachim led off with a single up the middle and Rock recorded her second sacrifice of the game to advance Yoachim to second. Lawrick was then hit by a pitch to put runners at first and second. Waldecker then hit a grounder to short that Baker was unable to handle. Yoachim came around to score on the error and Lawrick was thrown out at home on the play. Tannahill drew her second walk of the game before Linke struck out swinging to end the inning.

 

The Huskers increased their lead to 6-0 with one run in the third inning. Tacha drew a one-out walk after a ground out by Porter. Steffan then hit a ground ball up the middle and Fullerton’s second baseman threw the ball into right field attempting to force Tacha out at second. Each runner advanced an extra base on the error and Tacha scored when the second baseman was unable to handle a ground ball of the bat of Rock.

 

The Huskers were held scoreless in the fourth before adding another run in the fifth. Yoachim reached on a two-out, two-base error. Rock followed with an infield single and Yoachim came home after an errant throw by the second baseman to make the score 7-0.

 

Nebraska broke through for a final run in the seventh. Steffan, Yoachim and Rock reached on consecutive singles to start the inning. Yoachim then came home on a ground ball off the bat of Waldecker.

 

Also in the game, Linke recorded her first stolen base of her career.

 

With the win, Nebraska advances to the second round of the consolation bracket. The Huskers will face Syracuse, which defeated FloridaState 4-3 in eight innings, at 12:30 p.m. (CST) on Sunday.