Huskers Keep Regional Hopes Alive with 8-Inning Win

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Nebraska capitalized on a pair of Notre Dame eighth-inning errors and relied on a clutch save performance by a freshman to post a 4-3 win (8 innings) vs. the Irish in an elimination contest of the NCAA Regional 6 Softball Championship Saturday afternoon (May 22). Nebraska (33-20) advances to play Florida Atlantic in the regional losers' bracket final late Saturday afternoon (May 22). The winner faces Arizona State in the championship game, scheduled for 11 a.m. Sunday (May 23).

Husker Jenifer Williams began the eighth inning by reaching on a fielding error by Notre Dame second baseman Rebecca Eimen, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Cindy Roethemeyer, stole third base, and scored the game-winning run on a throwing error by Irish shortstop Melanie Alkire. Nebraska freshman hurler Leigh Ann Walker, in relief of starter Jenny Voss, pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the eighth to earn her first career save.

The Huskers took a 3-0 lead into the bottom of the sixth inning, scoring their first run in the fourth when Williams singled to left to send Leigh Suhr home from third base. Nebraska struck twice in the top of the sixth. Suhr came home on Roethemeyer's fielder's choice followed by Lisa Baker's score via a sacrifice bunt by Heather Martin.

Notre Dame refused to go away, using a pair of hits down both outfield lines to not only break up the shutout bid by Nebraska's Voss, but force the game into extra innings. With two outs in the sixth, Eimen singled down the leftfield line to score Jarrah Myers. Notre Dame tied the game in the seventh when Lizzy Lemire capped a 3-for-4 day with a double just inside the rightfield line, sending Jenny Kreich and Amy Laboe across the plate. Irish hitters tagged Voss for five hits before she was replaced by Walker in the eighth.

Voss (21-10) gave up nine hits and three walks while striking out five Notre Dame hitters. Jennifer Sharron, who relieved starter Angela Bessolo in the fifth inning, took the loss (20-10) for the Irish. Williams, who also doubled in the fifth, and Kelly Pinkepank tallied two hits each in the Huskers' seven-hit offense.