Huskers Hold Off Roadrunners, 4-3

Houston, Texas ? A four-run third inning and a solid outing by sophomore right-hander Ashley DeBuhr were enough for the 17th-ranked Nebraska softball team to hold off Texas-San Antonio in a 4-3 victory on the second day of the Hyatt Regency Classic in Houston, Texas.<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>

 

DeBuhr (5-2) did not allow an earned run in a complete-game effort, allowing only three hits as <?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Nebraska (12-3) picked up its fifth consecutive victory. Ursula Mares (6-4) took the loss for the Roadrunners (13-8).

 

A solo home run by senior Sheena Lawrick put NU ahead 4-0 in the third inning and proved to be the game winner after UTSA mounted a late rally with three runs in the fifth inning.

 

The Huskers broke through for four runs in the third inning. Senior Anne Steffan and juniors Jessica Yoachim and Elizabeth Rock led off with consecutive infield single and all three wound up scoring on a wild play. With runners on first and third, Rock laid down a perfect bunt to the third baseman, who threw wildly to first in an attempt to get Rock. The throw went all the way down the right field line, allowing Steffan, Yoachim and Rock to score.

 

The error did not matter as Lawrick stepped up to the plate next and belted her fifth home run of the season to put Nebraska up 4-0.

 

Texas-San Antonio used a two-out rally in the top of the fifth inning to pull within 4-3. After the first two hitters were retired, a walk and a single put runners on first and second for the top of the Roadrunner order. Krystal Gibson hit a hard ground ball to third that got past Yoachim to load the bases. Two runs then came home on a two-run single by Jenny Garcia. Gibson then scored the third run of the inning on a wild pitch.

 

Texas-San Antonio was retired 1-2-3 in the seventh.

 

Steffan and Rock led Nebraska offensively with 2-fof-3 days. Steffan’s leadoff single extended her career-high hitting streak to 12. In the game, Lawrick hit her fifth home run of the season and produced her 25th RBI, both single-season career highs for the 2004 Olympian.

 

Nebraska is currently playing its second game of the day against host Houston.