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Phoenix, Ariz. -- The No. 13 Nebraska softball team opened its 2000 campaign and the Fiesta Bowl Tournament by splitting a pair of one-run games Friday at the Rose Mofford Sports Complex. The Huskers won their third straight season-opener, 5-4, in an early-morning victory over Wisconsin, with all of Nebraska's runs coming on home runs. Nebraska dropped its afternoon contest, 7-6, to UNLV, despite five Husker runs in the final two innings.
"Today was a disapointment," Nebraska head coach Rhonda Revelle said. "We should have had two victories after today. But the key in these early-season games is how quickly you can learn and not make the same mistake twice."
Senior All-American Jennifer Lizama, batting leadoff, slugged the 35th homer of her career on a 1-2 pitch to open the season. Two batters later, true freshman Amber Burgess also sent a 1-2 pitch over the fence. The homer for Burgess, the U.S. Junior National Team catcher, came in her first collegiate at bat and made the score 2-0. Burgess collected another hit in the third inning and advanced as far as third before getting stranded.
Wisconsin got on the board in the bottom half of the third. Jennifer Grill scored on an Anna Jones infield hit. Amanda Berg then singled to center to score Jade Gosse from third and tie up the game. Nebraska answered back in the top of the fourth. After Cindy Roethemeyer and Jennifer Lizama reached base on a single and error, respectively, sophomore Leigh Suhr hit a one-out homer to left center to seemingly put the game out of reach at 5-2. The homer was Suhr's second of her career following a grand slam at the same complex at last year's Fiesta Bowl Tournament. Wisconsin pulled within two of the Huskers with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fourth by Grill.
Wisconsin made a final run at Nebraska in the bottom of the seventh. After NU pitcher Penny Cope, who relieved starter Leigh Ann Walker in the fourth, put runners on first and second, All-American pitcher Jenny Voss came in to close out the game. A bunt by Jones loaded the bases with only one out. Voss then walked Berg to put UW within one at 5-4. Voss then came within one ball of walking in the tying run, but got the final strike on Lindy Barth and a ground out by Nicki Starry to secure the 5-4 Husker win.
UNLV was the team to put the early runs on the board in the second contest of the day. The Rebels scored three in the top of the first on four hits and a wild pitch. The Huskers answered with a single run in the bottom half of the inning when Lizama went to third and then stole home on a Suhr bunt. UNLV increased their lead to 5-2 in the top of the third when Geney Orris singled in Charelle Ainslie and Courtney McCandless singled in Nicole Miller. Miller drew a walk in the top of the fourth to increase the Rebels lead to 6-1. The Huskers made a late run by adding four runs in the bottom of the sixth. True freshman Kim Ogee collected the first hit of her collegiate career by singling in Ginger Taylor. Lizama then added her second homer of the day, sending Ainslie's pitch over the center field fence to collect three runs batted in and pull the Huskers within two. In the bottom of the seventh, Burgess led off with a single to left. After a Jamie Fuente fielder's choice and a Jenifer Williams ground out, Nebraska was down to its final out. The Huskers then subbed Ginger Taylor back in and she collected an infield single to score Fuente. But NU's late run wouldn't continue as senior Alice Brewer grounded out to end the game. Voss started the game and lasted just over two innings before Walker came in and allowed just four hits during the last five innings.
"The first game we did a much better job of sticking to our offensive game plan," Head Coach Rhonda Revelle said. "The second game we got out of both our offensive and defensive game plans. We gave them too many runs with walks and we gave up too many free outs with strikeouts."
Lizama finished the day 3-for-6 with two homers and Burgess finished her first day as a Husker 5-for-8.
The 13th-ranked Huskers will play No. 3 Fresno State and No. 9 Arizona State on Saturday.