Steffan Ties School Record in 2-1 Win

Wichita, Kan. ? Senior Anne Steffan tied the Nebraska school record by hitting safely in her 19th straight game and sophomore Devin Porter provided the game-winning hit as the 18th-ranked Nebraska softball team captured the Shocker Invitational title with a 2-1 win over host WichitaState on Sunday.

 

Steffan led off the game with an infield single to tie Ali Viola’s school-record 19-game hitting streak. Viola, who played for NU from 1995 to 1998, recorded 19-game hitting streaks in both 1995 and 1998.

 

The game was tied 1-1 with two outs in the sixth when Porter came to bat with junior Katie Linke on first base. Porter lined a 2-1 pitch down the right field line for an RBI triple to score Linke with what proved to be the game-winning run. 

 

Sophomore right-hander Ashley DeBuhr was outstanding in relief for Nebraska (17-5). DeBuhr (8-4) appeared in the third inning and tossed five innings of one-hit ball, allowing just two walks while striking out six. Britnee Barnett (1-1) took the loss for WSU (13-9), allowing two runs on nine hits in a complete-game effort.

 

Freshman Jordan Keen started the game for NU, allowing one run on three hits in two innings of work.

 

The Shockers took an early 1-0 lead when Julie Darling sent a line drive home run over the fence in left field with one out in the bottom of the second inning. WichitaState threatened to add more after back-to-back singles, but Keen recorded a strikeout and coaxed a groundout to end the inning.

 

NU answered back in the top of the fourth. Senior Sheena Lawrick hit a one-out double to the gap in right-center field and sophomore Jamie Waldecker followed with a single to put runners at first and third for junior Trisha Tannahill. Tannahill promptly lined an opposite-field single to left to bring Lawrick home and tie the game at 1-1.

 

The Huskers threatened to take the lead in the fifth inning. Freshman Cassie Kleinsmith led off the inning with a single and Yoachim added another single after an NU strikeout. Junior Elizabeth Rock then hit a hot shot to first, where the Shockers’ Lisa Jones made a nice stop to retire Rock. Lawrick flew out to center to end the threat.

 

Tannahill and Waldecker each finished 2-for-3 for Nebraska, while Tannahill and Porter added one RBI a piece.

 

For their efforts, Rock, Steffan, Lawrick and DeBuhr were named to the all-tournament team.

 

Nebraska wraps up its six-week season-opening tournament schedule with the Kia Klassic in Fullerton, Calif., starting on Thursday, March 17. The Huskers’ first game of the tournament is against No. 15 Washington.

 

Box score (NCAA) The Automated ScoreBook #18 Nebraska at Wichita State Mar 13, 2005 at Wichita, Kan. (Wilkins Stadium)

Nebraska 2 (17-5)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Steffan, Anne 2b......... 4 0 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 Yoachim, Jessica 3b...... 3 0 1 0 0 1 1 2 0 Rock, Lizzy rf........... 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Lawrick, Sheena 1b....... 3 1 1 0 0 0 7 0 3 Waldecker, Jamie c....... 3 0 2 0 0 0 9 0 0 Tacha, KoKo pr.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Tannahill, Trisha cf..... 3 0 2 1 0 1 1 0 0 Linke, Katie dp.......... 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Porter, Devin ss......... 3 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 3 Kleinsmith, Cassie lf.... 3 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 Keen, Jordan p........... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 DeBuhr, Ashley p........ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Totals................... 28 2 9 2 0 4 21 4 7

Wichita State 1 (13-9)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Peters, Erin cf.......... 3 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 2 McClernon, Chelsea cf... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Verhulst, Cynthia ph.... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 McGeeney, Katie rf....... 3 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 Lynn, Ashley ss.......... 0 0 0 0 3 0 2 0 0 Eilders, Emily pr....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 De La Riva,Stephanie 3b.. 3 0 0 0 0 2 0 3 1 Guthrie, Tawnya dp....... 3 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 1 Darling, Julie c......... 3 1 1 1 0 0 4 0 1 Usher, Brooke 2b......... 3 0 1 0 0 0 4 3 0 Barnett, Britnee p....... 3 0 2 0 0 1 0 5 0 Jones, Lisa 1b........... 1 0 0 0 0 1 7 0 0 Whitt, Kyra ph.......... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Laky, Jessica lf......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Horst, Allison lf....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Totals................... 24 1 4 1 3 9 21 11 6

Score by Innings R H E ----------------------------------------- Nebraska............ 000 101 0 - 2 9 0 Wichita State....... 010 000 0 - 1 4 0 -----------------------------------------

LOB - Nebraska 7; WSU 6. 2B - Lawrick. 3B - Porter. HR - Darling. SH - Yoachim; Rock; Jones. SB - Lynn.

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Keen, Jordan........ 2.0 3 1 1 1 3 9 10 33 DeBuhr, Ashley...... 5.0 1 0 0 2 6 15 18 71

Wichita State IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Barnett, Britnee.... 7.0 9 2 2 0 4 28 30 77

Win - DeBuhr (8-4). Loss - Barnett (1-1). Save - None. Pitches/strikes: Keen 33/21; DeBuhr 71/55; Barnett 77/55. Umpires - HP: Omeilia 1B: Holt 3B: Masters Start: 12:30 pm Time: 1:51 Attendance: 254 Game: NU22