Huskers Split Pair In Vegas

Las Vegas, Nev. -- The No. 13 Nebraska softball team split a pair of games Saturday at the UNLV 2000 Classic with a win over No. 11 Oregon State and a second loss against host school UNLV. The Huskers used a late-game triple from Jennifer Lizama to beat the Beavers, 2-1, and fell to the Runnin' Rebels, 1-0. Nebraska now stands at 4-6 on the season and 3-1 in the tournament.

In Nebraska's lowest-scoring game of the year, the Oregon State Beavers got on the scoreboard first. After retiring the side in the first, NU starting pitcher Leigh Ann Walker gave up a leadoff homer to Tarrah Beyster in the top of the second. Walker almost surrendered another homer a batter later, but Husker left fielder Jill Baker reached over the fence and snagged the second run away from the Beavers. Walker settled down from there as Oregon State's only base runners until the top of the sixth were on three walks. Nebraska got as far as third in the bottom of the fourth after Lizama singled, advanced to second on a Jamie Fuente single, and moved to third on a wild pitch. But Lizama and Fuente were both left stranded, ending the Husker rally. Nebraska got it started again in the bottom of the fifth. Kim Ogee led off with her fourth consecutive hit and reached base for the seventh consecutive time. Ginger Taylor then replaced Heather Martin at the designated player spot and safely bunted herself to first and Ogee to second. Two batters later Alice Brewer sacrificed Ogee and Taylor to third and second, respectively, to bring up Lizama. Lizama ripped a line drive to left center scoring both Ogee and Taylor and wound up with a stand up triple. The triple was the fourth in three games for the Huskers, who only posted five triples in all of 1999, and put the Huskers up 2-1. UNLV threatened in the sixth with a leadoff single. NU hurler Penny Cope came in with one out in the sixth to face Beyster who hit the homer in the second. Beyster singled to left putting runners on first and second. But Cope and the Husker defense shut down the final two Beaver batters to keep the 2-1 lead intact. Cope sat down Oregon State in order in the top of the seventh to collect the first save of her Husker career. Walker moved to 2-1 with the two hit, six strikeout performance.

Nebraska again trailed early in game two. UNLV's Erika Vollweiler led off with a bunt single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Linda Garza. Two batters later, with two down, Rachel Goodpaster stroked a double to left center than brought Vollweiler around from second to put the Runnin' Rebels up 1-0. Nebraska was retired in order in the first and second innings by UNLV starter Genie Orris. In the bottom of the third, Nebraska threatened after Taylor reached on an error and Martin singled to left. But the final three Huskers all struck out to end the rally. NU got a runner as far as second again in the fifth, when Taylor singled and advanced to second on a Jill Baker fielder's choice. But Lizama grounded out to the shortstop to end the fifth. Nebraska made one final try in the bottom of the seventh when Taylor got a one-out infield hit. But Baker and Brewer struckout against Orris to give the Huskers their second loss of the season against UNLV. Taylor finished the game 2-for-3. Voss went the distance, allowing just four hits and striking out six, but took the loss to fall to 1-4 on the year.

The 13th-ranked Huskers will close out the UNLV 2000 Classic with a 12:30 p.m. contest against Oregon on Sunday.