Huskers Split With Big 12 Leader Oklahoma

Lincoln -- The No. 11 Oklahoma softball team snapped Nebraska's 19-game home-winning streak, but not before the Huskers could pick up one win against the Big 12 leader Saturday at the Husker Softball Complex. Nebraska won game one 4-2 behind All-American Jenny Voss' 75th-career win, and lost game two 10-1 in five innings. The split, in front of 653 fans, moved the Huskers to 3-3 in the Big 12 with all three wins and losses coming to ranked schools. Nebraska moved to 19-12 on the year overall.

All-American Jennifer Lizama led off the Huskers' half of the first inning in the game one with a solo homer on a full-count pitch. The homer was Lizama's seventh of the year and 25th of her career. After a Jill Baker walk and an OU error, Nebraska had runners on first and second with no out. Ellen Middleton then smacked a single to center field that was misplayed on the hop allowing both Huskers to score. A Cindy Roethemeyer double two batters later brought Middleton around to put the Huskers up 4-0. The four-run first inning was the biggest inning for the Huskers in 12 games. Oklahoma put its first run on the board in the top of the second when Treva Whitaker singled in Lynette Velazquez. Neither team would threaten again until the fifth when Oklahoma's Ashli Barrett singled with the bases loaded to score LaKisha Washington. Oklahoma threatened again in the seventh by loading the bases with one out. But Voss sat the next two batters down to seal the win. Lizama went 2-for-3 in the game. Voss surrendered nine hits in the complete-game win.

Nebraska sent freshman Leigh Ann Walker to the mound in game two. Walker sat the Sooners down in order in the first, but surrendered four hits in the second inning to give OU the 2-0 lead. Oklahoma added three more runs in the third off of five hits, including a two-run homer by Velazquez and an RBI single by Deborah Hargrave. In the fourth OU added their sixth run of the game when a Velazquez double scored Christy Ring. Nebraska finally got on the board in the bottom half of the fourth. Lizama began the inning with a walk and then stole second and third. Two batters later, Middleton singled down the right field line to score Lizama. Oklahoma put the game out of reach in the fifth when Lisa Carey stroked a grand slam to center to make it 10-1. Nebraska failed to score in the bottom half of the inning, ending the game with the eight-run rule. Middleton and Kelly Pinkepank collected the only two hits of the game for the Huskers off of OU pitcher Jennifer Stewart.

Nebraska will play Oklahoma State in a home doubleheader at noon and 2 p.m. on Sunday. Oklahoma State is winless in the Big 12, but played at Iowa State on Saturday.

QUOTING HEAD COACH RHONDA REVELLE:
"I told the team not to think about game two because we have got some big games tomorrow."

"Anytime you give up double-figure hits and you're at two, you're going to get beat bad."

QUOTING SECOND-BASEMAN JENNIFER LIZAMA:
"I always like to get on in the very first inning if possible, because usually it gives us a run. Sometimes it comes as a walk, or a base hit, but today it just came as a home run."