Huskers Go 2-1 in Day One of Big Red Fall Classic Tournament

Lincoln - The Nebraska softball team won two of three games played Saturday on the first day of the Big Red Fall Classic Tournament held at Bowlin Stadium.

Behind the arm of senior pitcher Peaches James (Papillion, Neb.), the Huskers defeated Colorado State by scores of 6-4 and 3-0 before falling to North Dakota State, 4-0.

James picked up the save in the opener, tossing a scoreless sixth inning (game was shortened because of time constraints) before firing five innings of no-hit ball in the teams' second matchup of the day. The senior right-hander struck out two and walked one, as she combined with Summer Tobias (Temecula, Calif.) on a one hitter.

After spotting CSU a 2-0 lead in the opener, the Huskers erupted for six runs off of Rams starter Kelly Geneviene. Pinch hitter Katie Linke (Lincoln, Neb.) started the rally for Nebraska in the fourth, hitting a two-run double to center to drive in KoKo Tacha (Manhattan, Kan.) and Trisha Tannahill (Overland Park, Kan.) to tie the game at two. With two outs, James gave the Huskers the lead for good with a two-run double, scoring Liz Lawhorn (Muscatine, Iowa) and Linke, before Sheena Lawrick (Calgary, Alberta) delivered a two-run single for a pair of insurance runs.

Colorado State attempted a comeback in the fifth inning, trimming the Husker lead to 6-4 on run-scoring hits by Stephanie Roberts and Ricki Walker, but Tobias, who pitched the first five innings to get the win, retired the next two hitters after Walker's RBI single to avoid further damage. The Rams loaded the bases off James in the sixth, but the Husker closer struck out pinch hitter Stacy Leigh to give NU the win in the opener.

In game two, James and Colorado State starter JayCee Woods battled through four scoreless innings before the Huskers rallied off the Ram starter. With two outs, NU strung together three straight hits and broke the tie on Nicole Trimboli's (Colorado Springs, Colo.) RBI single that drove in Kira Boerkircher (Cozad, Neb.) An error by Rams first baseman Ricki Walker allowed NU's second run to score before a double steal by Sheena Lawrick (Calgary, Alberta) and Trimboli, who stole home on the play, brought home the Huskers' third run of the inning.

James would be credited with the win as sophomore pitcher Summer Tobias (Temecula, Calif.) would pitch a scoreless inning of relief to take the save.

Nebraska would hold North Dakota State to one run until the seventh inning when the Bison three runs on four hits in a 4-0 victory.

In the seventh, Lindsey Graham produced a double allowing Grete Peterson to score. Cindy Castleberry then singled home Graham before a single by Courtney Lacock drove in the third run of the frame.

North Dakota State scored a lone run in the second inning when Jennifer Morse singled home Lynnae Foshag, providing Graham, who allowed just two hits and struck out three, all the run support she would need.

Trimboli and Lawrick would have the only hits for the Huskers, who suffered their first loss of the fall.

Nebraska and North Dakota State will play again Sunday at 1:30 p.m. The Huskers will play the final game of the Big Red Fall Classic at 3:45 p.m. when they take on Wayne State College.