Lizama's Homer Sends Nebraska to Regional Title Game

Ann Arbor, Mich. -- Nebraska's Jennifer Lizama ended a hitting slump and Florida Atlantic's dream season with a two-run eighth-inning home run to leftfield, giving the Huskers a 4-2 win and a trip to Sunday's NCAA Regional 6 title game vs. Arizona State. Lizama's homer put a quick end to the game, which was suspended by darkness after seven innings on Saturday and resumed this morning.

Lizama, Nebraska's leading hitter, was 0-for-11 at the regional before tagging the game-winning hit for the second-seeded Huskers (34-20). No. 4 seed Florida Atlantic (49-20) went down in order in the bottom of the eighth -- all on strikeouts by NU reliever Jenny Voss -- to end its season.

The Nebraska pitchers, starter Leigh Ann Walker and reliever Voss, stymied the Florida Atlantic offense. The two combined for 18 strikeouts (Walker 13, Voss five) while allowing eight FAU hits. Twice Florida Atlantic stranded runners at second base and, in the fifth inning, the Owls had leadoff hitter Suzanne Flege reach third before Walker struck out three to end the rally.

Florida Atlantic opened the game swinging, sending two singles to the outfield, including an RBI shot by pitcher Nicole Myers (24-10) that scored Flege for the game's first run. Nebraska capitalized on two FAU fielding errors to tie the game, 1-1, in the third. After Lizama reached and advanced to second on an outfield error, a second Florida Atlantic error -- this time in the infield -- sent Ginger Taylor to third and Lizama home for the score.

Brandie Marshall put Florida Atlantic back on top, 2-1, when she sent a solo home run to rightfield in the fourth inning.

Both teams had chances to take control in the late innings. Nebraska stranded two runners in the fifth and, after scoring the tying run in the sixth inning when pinch hitter Kelly Martin singled-in pinch runner Jill Baker, ended the sixth with the bases loaded. FAU put two runners on in the bottom of the seventh but ended its half of the inning when lead runner Kelly Nicosia was forced out at third base on a fielder's choice.