Huskers Fall in Consolation Championship Game

<?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Fullerton, Calif. ? Penn State scored three runs in the first inning and never looked back in a 7-1 win over the 18th-ranked Nebraska softball team in the championship game of the consolation bracket at the Kia Klassic in Fullerton, Calif., on Sunday.<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>

 

Freshman right-hander Jordan Keen (7-2) took the loss for NU (20-8), allowing all seven runs -- four earned  -- in  3.2 innings. Missy Beseres (8-5) earned the win with a complete-game effort for PSU (14-9).

 

Penn State took early control of the game with a three-run first inning. Jen Acunto led off with an infield single and Meghan Wolfer attempted to sacrifice her with a bunt. Wolfer popped up the bunt and senior Sheena Lawrick came in from first base and made a diving attempt, but it was ruled that she trapped the ball and both runners were safe. Following an out, Ashley Esparza singled to score Wolfer. Esparza and Leigh Murray scored the second and third runs on a two-out double from Jenn Reynolds.

 

The Huskers broke through for their first run in the top of the fourth. Junior Elizabeth Rock drew a leadoff walk and Lawrick drew a one-out walk to put runners on first and second. Junior Katie Linke then sent a 2-2 pitch to the gap in right center for an RBI double that scored Rock. With runners at second and third and only one out, junior Trisha Tannahill struck out swinging and sophomore Devin Porter popped out to third.

 

Penn State added four more runs in the bottom of the fourth. Back-to-back one out doubles put runners on second and third. Acunto then drove in Destinie Chavez with a sacrifice fly to right field. Wolfer then reached on an error by Yoachim. The next four hitters all reached base bringing in three more runs to take a commanding lead.

 

Anne Steffan singled to right field on a 2-2 count with two outs in the seventh to extend her school-record hitting streak to 25 straight games.

 

Nebraska next faces Creighton on Wednesday at 5 p.m. at Bowlin Stadium in the Huskers' first home game of the season.

 

The Automated ScoreBook #18 Nebraska vs Penn State Mar 20, 2005 at Fullerton, Calif. (Field 2)

Nebraska 1 (20-8)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Steffan, Anne 2b......... 3 0 1 0 1 1 2 1 0 Yoachim, Jessica 3b...... 4 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 2 Rock, Lizzy rf........... 2 1 1 0 1 1 2 0 0 Waldecker, Jamie c....... 3 0 0 0 0 3 4 0 1 Lawrick, Sheena 1b....... 2 0 1 0 1 0 4 2 0 Linke, Katie dp.......... 3 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 Tannahill, Trisha cf..... 3 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 Porter, Devin ss......... 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 3 Kier, Carmen ph......... 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 Tacha, KoKo lf........... 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 Boerkircher, Kira ph.... 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 Keen, Jordan p........... 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 Borg, Jaime p........... 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Totals................... 25 1 4 1 4 11 18 7 7

Penn State 7 (14-9)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Viola, Steph ss.......... 3 0 1 1 0 0 3 0 0 Wolfer, Meghan rf........ 4 2 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 Haines, Hollee c......... 2 1 0 0 0 0 9 0 0 Lucas, Kari pr.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 McManus, Kelly c........ 1 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 Esparza, Ashley 1b....... 4 1 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 Murray, Leigh cf......... 3 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 Reynolds, Jenn dp........ 2 0 1 3 1 1 0 0 1 Bautista, Rebecca 2b..... 3 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 4 Chavez, Destinie 3b...... 2 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 Williams, Jen lf......... 3 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 Beseres, Missy p......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals................... 27 7 8 6 1 4 21 0 6

Score by Innings R H E ----------------------------------------- Nebraska............ 000 100 0 - 1 4 2 Penn State.......... 300 400 X - 7 8 1 -----------------------------------------

E - Steffan; Yoachim; Wolfer. LOB - Nebraska 7; Nittany Lion 6. 2B - Linke; Reynolds; Chavez; Williams. HBP - Haines; Chavez. SF - Viola. SB - Steffan.

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Keen, Jordan........ 3.2 8 7 4 0 2 20 23 63 Borg, Jaime......... 2.1 0 0 0 1 2 7 8 26

Penn State IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Beseres, Missy...... 7.0 4 1 1 4 11 25 29 130

Win - Beseres (8-5). Loss - Keen (7-2). Save - None. HBP - by Keen (Chavez); by Keen (Haines). Pitches/strikes: Keen 63/44; Borg 26/20; Beseres 130/76. Umpires - Start: 1:00 pm Time: 1:57 Attendance: