Huskers Pull Out 4-3 Victory

<?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Fullerton, Calif. ?  Sophomore Ashley DeBuhr scored the game-winning run and earned the victory in the circle as the 18th-ranked Nebraska softball team pulled out a 4-3 come-from-behind victory over Syracuse in the semifinals of the consolation bracket at the Kia Klassic on Sunday.<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>

 

DeBuhr (11-6) tossed a complete game, allowing three runs (two earned) on three hits for NU (20-7). Erin Downey took the loss for Syracuse, which fell to 10-9.

 

Sophomore Devin Porter and junior Jessica Yoachim paced the Husker offense with 2-for-3 days at the plate. Senior Anne Steffan finished 1-for-4 to extend her school-record hitting streak to 24 straight games.

 

Syracuse jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead with one run in the top of the first. Chanel Roehner doubled down the left field line with one out. She advanced to third on an error and came home on a sacrifice fly from Alexis Switenko.

 

NU answered right back to take a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the first. Steffan led off with an infield single and stole second. Yoachim followed with another infield single and she also stole second to put runners at second and third. Junior Elizabeth Rock then brought Steffan home and advanced Yoachim to third with a sacrifice slap to the first baseman. Yoachim scored the second run when sophomore Jamie Waldecker reached on an error by the shortstop.

 

The Huskers missed a golden opportunity to expand their lead in the bottom of the fifth. Porter singled to start the inning and advanced to third when the first baseman’s throw back to the pitcher after the play sailed into left field. Junior KoKo Tacha then drew a five-pitch walk to put runners on the corner with no outs. Steffan then reached on a fielder’s choice as Porter was thrown out at home by the shortstop. Rock then popped up to the third baseman before Lawrick flied out to center.

 

Syracuse regained the lead in the top of the sixth. Roehner reached on a one-out single before Switenko sent a 2-0 pitch over the wall in right center to give SU a 3-2 lead.

 

Nebraska came right back to regain the lead in the bottom of the sixth. Waldecker singled up the middle to lead off the inning and was lifted for senior pinch runner Kira Boerkircher. Following a fly out by junior Trisha Tannahill, fellow junior Katie Linke doubled over the head of the center fielder to score Boerkircher.

 

DeBuhr then came in to run for Linke and DeBuhr advanced to third on a ground out by Porter. DeBuhr scored the go-ahead run when SU catcher Jaime Grillo threw wildly to third base attempting to pick off DeBuhr. Junior KoKo Tacha followed with a double before Steffan grounded out to short to end the inning.

 

NU is currently playing Penn State in the championship game of the consolation bracket. PSU scored three runs in the bottom of the first and leads 3-0 going to the top of the second inning.