NU Pounds Out 14 Hits in 12-4 Win

Houston, Texas - Sophomore Jaime Borg picked up her first career victory and the 17th-ranked Nebraska softball team exploded for 12 runs on 14 hits in a 12-4 five-inning victory over Texas Southern at the Hyatt Regency Classic in Houston, Texas, on Friday.

Borg (1-0) allowed four runs (two earned) on four hits in 4.1 innings for Nebraska (11-3). Cely Acosta (0-3) took the loss for the Tigers (0-5), allowing 10 runs (eight earned) in three innings.

Texas Southern scored the game's first run in the top of the first, aided by two walks and two Husker errors. Natalie Rameriz came home when shortstop Cassie Kleinsmith was unable to field a ground ball off the bat of Adrianne Rocha.

NU answered right back with three runs in the bottom of the inning. Senior Anne Steffan led off with a bunt single and junior Elizabeth Rock reached on a fielder's choice after a pop out by junior Jessica Yoachim. With runners on first and third, senior Sheena Lawrick sent a three-run home run deep over the wall in center field to give Nebraska a 3-1 lead.

Lawrick's home run was her fourth of the season, tying her career high for home runs in a season. Steffan's leadoff single extended her career-high hitting streak to 11.

In the third inning, Nebraska exploded for a season-high seven runs as the Huskers sent 12 batters to the plate. Junior Trisha Tannahill led off with a double to left field before three consecutive singles. Junior Katie Linke singled to advance Tannahill to third and Tannahill then scored on a single by senior Kira Boerkircher. Sophomore Carmen Kier followed with a single that scored Linke and Boerkircher scored on the play and Kier advanced to second after an error.

Sophomore Devin Porter then reached base safely when the Tigers' second baseman was unable to handle her pop up, allowing Boerkircher to score and increase NU's lead to 6-1. Steffan then sent an RBI double down the left field line that scored Linke. Yoachim followed with an RBI single that scored Porter and Rock added another RBI single that scored Steffan.

Leading 9-1, Tannahill drove in Yoachim with a single to right field to close out the seven-run inning.

Texas Southern added its second run in the top of the fourth. Nadia Bazan reached on an error and then scored on a single by Briana Woods following another Husker error.

The Tigers prolonged the game in the top of the fifth. Trailing by nine with the eight-run-rule looming, Rocha hita  two-run home run to right-center field to close the gap to 11-4.

In the bottom of the fifth, Nebraska closed out the run-rule victory with a single run. The Huskers loaded the bases with three walks and Tannahill scored the game's final run when she came home on a wild pitch.

Against TSU, three Huskers enjoyed three-hit games. Rock finished 3-for-4 with a run and two RBIs, while Steffan went 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored and Tannahill went 3-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored.

On the day, several Huskers enjoyed outstanding offensive games. Rock, Steffan, Yoachim, Tannahill and Lawrick each finished with at least three hits in the two games on Friday, while Lawrick added seven RBIs and Steffan added three stolen bases.

NU continues play at the Hyatt Regency Classic with a pair of games tomorrow. The Huskers face Texas-San Antonio at 10 a.m. before playing host Houston at Noon. Live stats for both games will be available on Huskers.com