Nebraska Splits Doubleheader With Kansas

Lincoln, Neb. - The fourth-ranked Nebraska softball team split a doubleheader with Kansas Wednesday night in the final regular-season home series at Bowlin Stadium. After a Senior Night ceremony to honor Cindy Roethemeyer, Leigh Suhr and Leigh Ann Walker, the Huskers defeated KU, 9-4, before falling to the Jayhawks, 3-2, before a crowd of 827. Nebraska is now 40-11 overall and 9-5 in the Big 12.

Junior shortstop Amanda Buchholz led the Huskers in game one, going 2-for-4 with a double and two runs scored, while senior third baseman Cindy Roethemeyer also went 2-for-4 with a triple and a stolen base.

Walker (22-4) was the winning pitcher for NU in game one, allowing three earned runs on nine hits while striking out five Jayhawks. The senior righthander needs just more strikeouts to tie the Nebraska career record. Kirsten Milhoan (6-5) took the loss for KU (30-22 and 5-11), allowing three runs on six hits while striking out four Huskers.

Junior catcher Amber Burgess led Nebraska in game two, going 1-for-2 with a double and a run scored.

James (18-7) took the loss for the Huskers, allowing three runs - two earned - on nine hits while striking out nine Jayhawks in 7.0 innings of work. Serena Settlemeier was the winning pitcher, allowing two earned runs on four hits while striking out seven Huskers.

Game One: Nebraska 9, Kansas 4
Nebraska took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second. Kim Ogee led off with double to left-centerfield and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Lisa Wangler. Buchholz bunted, and Kansas attempted to throw Ogee out at home, but she slid under the tag to make it 1-0, NU. Nicole Trimboli reached on a two-out single and later scored when James laced a single up the middle. Suhr lined out to first to end the inning.

After Kansas cut the lead to one with a run in the second, the Huskers widened the gap in the third. Buchholz and Trimboli led off with back-to-back up singles. Suhr drew a two-out walk to load the bases. Roethemeyer ripped a shot to center field to pate Buchholz for the 3-1 lead.

Nebraska added another run in the bottom of the fourth when Trimboli ripped an RBI single down the right field line to score Buchholz, who led off the inning with a double. Kansas matched the Huskers in the top of the fifth, scoring on a bases-loaded sacrifice fly by Leah Tabb.

The Huskers put the game away with a five-run fifth inning. Ogee led off with a double and Wangler singled to center. Both were safe on a double-steal attempt, and both scored when Burgess grounded to center and KU committed an error on the throw home. James knocked in two more runs with a triple that rolled to the right-center fence. Leigh Suhr sent James home with a sacrifice fly to left-center to make it 9-4, Nebraska.

Game Two: Kansas 3, Nebraska 2
Trailing 1-0 in game two, Kansas took control with a three-run inning in the top of the fourth. Settlemeier ripped a two-out single up the middle to score Shelly Musser and Leah Tabb. Ogee misplayed the ball as it rolled out to center field, and Urquhart scored an unearned run. Hulse grounded out to third to end the inning.

The Huskers cut the lead to one in the bottom of the fourth. Buchholz reached on an error, stole second and advanced to third on a ground out by Burgess. James then ripped a two-out double to left to score Buchholz to make it 3-2, KU. Suhr struck out to end the inning.

Nebraska returns to action Saturday at 2 p.m. when it faces Texas Tech in Lubbock. The Huskers close regular-season play Sunday against the Red Raiders at noon.