Softball

Burgess Grand Slam Spurs NU to Win Over Wisconsin

Phoenix -- Amber Burgess smacked a grand slam home run high over the center field fence in the top of the fifth inning to lead the No. 12 Nebraska softball team to an 8-0 win over Wisconsin Saturday night at the Fiesta Bowl/ASU Tournament. Burgess, who was 0-for-5 Friday in two games at the Rose Mofford Compex, went 3-for-4 against the Badgers, also adding a double and five RBIs to help the Huskers improve to 3-1 on the season.

Leigh Ann Walker (2-0) was the winning pitcher for NU, going the distance and tossing a four-hit shutout, as Wisconsin fell to 2-2. The victory came after a 6-1 afternoon loss to second-ranked UCLA (7-0). The Huskers conclude tournament action Sunday at 9 a.m. when they face New Mexico State.

After driving in Nebraska’s first run of the game with an RBI single to center in the fourth inning, Burgess all but put secured the victory for the Huskers in the top of the fifth. Cindy Roethemeyer led off the inning with a single to left, and Kim Ogee followed with single. After Anne Steffan fouled out, Wisconsin pitcher Andrea Kirchberg hit Leigh Suhr with a pitch to load the bases for Nicole Trimboli, who responded with an RBI single. With the bases loaded once again, Burgess produced her first homer of the season to give NU a 6-0 advantage.

The Huskers scored two more runs in the top of the seventh. Sophomore Liz Lawhorn, a transfer from Nebraska-Kearney, sent a bases-loaded bloop single to center, plating Trimboli. Briana Bates, pinch running for Burgess, then scored on a sacrifice fly by Roethemeyer.

In the early game against UCLA, Peaches James took the loss, allowing 10 hits and six runs - three earned - in six innings of work. The Huskers’ only run of the game came in the top of the sixth, when Suhr smacked a two-out, RBI single to center and plated Ogee.

After threatening in the first and second innings, UCLA got on the board in the bottom of the third. Natasha Watley got things going with a one-out single, and Freed hit a chopper to short and reached on a fielder’s choice. James walked Stacey Nuveman to load the bases for the Bruins. Tairia Mims, the No. 4 hitter, smacked a 0-2 pitch to right field, scoring Watley. Suhr threw out Amanda Freed at the plate as she tried to score. With two outs, Claire Sua grounded out to second to end the inning.

UCLA carried its momentum into the fourth, scoring on a two-out, RBI single to right by Watley. The Bruins then went up 4-0 on a Nebraska error in the outfield, as Erin Rahn and Watley scored. Freed popped up to second to end the fourth for UCLA, but the Bruins didn’t let up in the fifth, taking a commanding 6-0 lead with a two-run inning.

Keira Goerl (4-0) was the winning pitcher for UCLA, allowing one run on three hits and striking out eight in seven innings of work.