Huskers Earn No. 1 Seed in Gold Bracket

Tallahassee, Fla. - The 19th-ranked Nebraska softball team used 10 hits and a complete-game one-hitter from senior right-hander Peaches James (10-3) to rout North Carolina 10-0, and claim the Pool C title at the Florida State Invitational in Tallahassee, Fla.

The Huskers (15-8) finished 4-0 in pool play, outscoring their four opponents 34-2. NU enters bracket play as the No. 1 seed and faces the No. 8 seed Penn State at approximately 5:20 p.m. (CST).

The win was James' 10th of the season and her sixth in a row. The victory also marked the sixth consecutive victory for the Huskers. Crystal Cox (9-7) took the loss for the Tar Heels (16-13). Cox allowed six earned runs in 2.1 innings.

James extended her scoreless innings streak to 24.2 innings and has allowed only one run in her last 36 innings. In six innings today, James allowed only one hit, while striking out 10. Her 10 strikeouts marked the fourth consecutive game she has recorded double-digit strikeouts.

Offensively, the top of the order produced an excellent game. Leadoff hitter, junior Anne Steffan, was 2-for-4 with a run scored. Senior Nicole Trimboli, hitting in the No. 2 spot, was 2-for-3 with two runs scored and a team-high four RBIs. Hitting in the third spot, junior Sheena Lawrick was 2-for-4, scoring a run and driving one in as well.

Sophomore Trisha Tannahill, batting in the fourth spot, also had a good day. Tannahill was 1-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBIs. Tannahill's first home run of the season, a solo shot to lead off the second inning, proved to be the game-winning run.

At the plate, James helped her own cause with a two-run triple in the third inning that capped a five-run inning that put the Huskers up 6-0.

Nebraska used a three-run sixth inning to win its third straight game via the eight-run rule. Freshman Devin Porter reached on an error to lead off the inning. Following a single by Steffan, Trimboli hit the Huskers' second triple of the day to score Steffan and junior pinch-runner Kira Boerkircher. Trimboli scored when Tannahill successfully executed a squeeze bunt to give NU its final run in its 10-0 victory.

NU returns to action tonight for the first game of bracket play. By winning their pool, the Huskers will earn one of the top three seeds in the Gold Bracket. Nebraska will play at either 4 p.m. (CST) or 6 p.m. (CST), depending on the Huskers' seed. The site of tonight's game is also unknown. If the game is played at the Florida State Softball Complex, live stats will be available on Huskers.com.