Huskers Buck Broncos, 8-2

<?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Houston, Texas ? Freshman right-hander Jordan Keen took a no-hitter into the fifth inning and senior Sheena Lawrick tied her career high with four RBIs as the 17th-ranked Nebraska softball team opened play at the Hyatt Regency Classic in Houston, Texas, with an 8-2 win over Western Michigan on Friday.<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>

 

Keen (6-1) picked up the win for the Huskers (10-3) with a complete-game effort. Tricia VanDerSlik (1-2) took the loss for WMU (1-3). Keen did not allow a base runner until Katie Niemi drew a one-out walk in the bottom of the fourth inning and did not allow a hit until an Amanda Heckaman one-out single in the bottom of the fifth. Keen allowed just two runs on three hits while striking out a career-high nine.

 

Lawrick, Nebraska’s cleanup hitter, finished the day 2-for-4 as the top of the Husker lineup had an outstanding day offensively. Senior Anne Steffan, NU’s leadoff hitter went 1-for-3, junior Jessica Yoachim the No. 2 hitter went 2-for-3 with a career-high four runs scored and fellow junior Elizabeth Rock went 2-for-4 hitting in the No. 3 spot.

 

Steffan extended her hitting streak to 10 straight with her leadoff single in the fifth inning. The school record is 19 by Ali Viola, who accomplished the feat twice, once in 1995 and again in 1998.

 

Nebraska scored first in the top of the first inning. Yoachim drew a one-out walk and stole second. Following a strikeout, Lawrick lined a two-out single to left to score Yoachim with the game’s first run.

 

The Huskers added two more runs in the third. Steffan won an 11-pitch at bat to draw a one-out walk before Yoachim and Rock followed with infield singles to load the bases. Steffan was thrown out at home on a ground out by Lawrick and junior Trisha Tannahill sent a grounder to second that got past WMU’s Amanda Heckaman allowing Yoachim and Rock to score to put NU up 3-0.

 

NU exploded for three more runs in the fifth. Steffan, Yoachim and Rock began the inning with three consecutive singles. Lawrick followed with a two-run single that scored Steffan and Yoachim to push the Huskers’ lead to 6-0.

 

Sophomore Jamie Waldecker drove in Rock with an RBI ground out and reached safely on an error by the shortstop. With three runs in and the bases loaded with only one out, Nebraska appeared ready to break through for a huge inning, but a line drive off the bat of junior KoKo Tacha was snagged by the Broncos’ first baseman Amy Fleming, who completed a double play by throwing to second base to force out Tannahill. 

 

Western Michigan ended both the no-hit bid and the shutout in the bottom of the fifth. The Broncos loaded the bases with only one out and pinch hitter Kyla Sullivan lined a single to center field to score Corey Andrzejewski. Danielle Daughtry then fouled out to Steffan, the second baseman, down the right field line. On the play, VanDerSlik tagged up from third and scored to make the score 6-2.

 

VanDerSlik appeared out on the play, but was called safe after it was ruled that Waldecker, the Huskers’ catcher, had blocked the plate.

 

Nebraska plays again immediately against Texas Southern (0-4) at approximately 12:30 p.m. (CST) at the Cougar Softball Stadium.