Huskers Get 16 Hits and 16 Runs in Sweep of Bears

Lincoln - The Nebraska softball team found the offense it had been missing in Big 12 play Sunday, converting 16 hits into 16 runs for a doubleheader sweep of the Baylor Bears at the Husker Softball Complex. In front of 506 fans, Nebraska took game one 7-3 and game two 9-3 for its first sweep against a conference opponent this year. The Huskers improved to 22-13 with the win and 6-4 in the Big 12.

Nebraska scored in four of its six innings in the first game and got out of the gate quickly, scoring a pair of runs in the first inning. The first run came when Jennifer Lizama and Ginger Taylor were attempting a double steal. Baylor catcher Ryan Stukel overthrew the third baseman allowing Lizama to score the first run. A sacrifice fly by Ellen Middleton, brought in Taylor for the second run of the inning. Baylor took the lead as quickly as it lost it, however, by scoring three in the top of the second. The first came when NU's Leigh Suhr overthrew the first baseman with two runners in scoring position. The second came when Stukel hit a sacrifice fly to center and the third came on a wild pitch by starting pitcher Jenny Voss. Lizama tied it up again in the third with a solo homer to lead off the inning. The homer was her eighth of the season and 25th of her career, making her just the fifth Husker to ever collect 25 homers. Nebraska added two more runs in the fourth inning. Jenifer Williams sacrificed in the first run of the inning and a pinch hitting Heather Martin doubled in the other to make it 5-3 Huskers. Nebraska added a pair of security runs in the bottom of the fifth. Suhr collected a double to score Lisa Baker and later scored herself on an error by the third baseman. Voss shut Baylor down 1-2-3 in the sixth and seventh to notch her 13th win of the year. Suhr went 2-for-3 with two doubles and two runs scored.

Nebraska again struck early in the second game. The Huskers gave starting pitcher Leigh Ann Walker a nice cushion by scoring four in the bottom of the first inning. Middleton singled in the first run of the game and scored a batter later on Suhr's third double of the afternoon. The most important hit of the day might have come on the next at bat when the Huskers' lone senior, Kelly Pinkepank, slugged her first homer of the season on a day designated as senior day. The homer was the sixth of Pinkepank's career and made the game 4-0. Baylor got back in the game in the second, just as they did last game, by scoring a pair of runs when center fielder Jenifer Williams mishandled what would have been the third out of the inning. Nebraska pulled away in the third inning by adding four more runs. Williams drew a bases-loaded walk to bring around Baker. The next batter, Martin, also drew a walk. Lizama came up a few batters later with the bases still loaded and slapped a double off the top of the right field fence to score two. Suhr added the final Husker run of the game in the fourth by singling to center to score Jamie Fuente. Walker allowed two singles and a double in the top of the seventh to give Baylor one final run. But is wasn't enough and the Huskers took game two 9-3. Nebraska pounded out 10 hits including two hits apiece by Lizama, Suhr and Pinkepank. All three also collected two runs batted in. Walker improved to 7-5 with the win.

Prior to the first game, Nebraska retired former Husker Denise Day's #10 jersey and unveiled a permanent sign in left field. Day played at Nebraska from 1982-85 and ranks as one of the school's most proficient power hitters.

The Huskers will finish off their conference home season on Monday afternoon against Texas Tech. The doubleheader, which was originally scheduled for Saturday, will begin at noon.

QUOTING HEAD COACH RHONDA REVELLE:
--"It took a lot of pressure off of our defense to get some runs early."

--"The team is trying to commit to concentration. When something unfavorable happens, we are really trying to work to stay at a 10 mentally."

--"Heather (Martin) has been hitting the ball well all week and I just went with my gut feeling. Plus she makes a lot more contact with the ball, which is important in that situation."

--"With Leigh (Suhr) it's just a matter of time. She's a great athlete and it is just a matter of her getting comfortable here."

--"Kelly (Pinkepank) has days like this. It's just like Regionals last year against Oregon when she had those big hits. She'll have three-hit days once in a while. I'm just glad she was able to play so well on senior day."

QUOTING SENIOR KELLY PINKEPANK:
--"I've had a very frustrating season. I just haven't been performing the way I expected too. But I knew it would come if I would be patient."