DeBuhr Perfect in Huskers' 2-0 Win

Lincoln ? The Nebraska softball team’s game with Iowa State on Wednesday began far from perfect but ended with sophomore right-hander Ashley DeBuhr retiring all 21 of the batters she faced to record her first perfect game ? and only the third in school history ? in the Huskers’ 2-0 win over Iowa State in front of 559 fans at Bowlin Stadium.<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>

 

The game, which was scheduled for a 4 p.m. start, was pushed back an hour and a half because of a scheduling problem with the umpires. The contest was delayed until approximately 5:30 p.m. before DeBuhr made quick work of the Cyclones.

 

She racked up 10 strikeouts while allowing only two balls to leave the infield. DeBuhr retired all 21 batters she faced on just 81 pitches and struck out four of the last six hitters, including recording back-to-back strikeouts of Ashley Killeen and Jessica Quade in the seventh to close out the perfect game.

 

DeBuhr improved to 15-12 with the win and picked up her fourth shutout of the year for NU (25-14, 3-5 Big 12). She joins Peaches James and Associate Head Coach Lori Sippel as the only Huskers to throw a perfect game in school history.

 

Alyssa Ransom (6-14) took the loss for <?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>IowaState, which fell to 12-23 overall and 0-9 in the Big 12 Conference.

 

Nebraska’s offense left 10 runners on base, including leaving the bases loaded in three innings, but provided DeBuhr with all the run support she would need in the bottom of the first inning.

 

Senior Anne Steffan led off the inning with an infield single and advanced to second on a sacrifice from junior Jessica Yoachim. Senior Sheena Lawrick joined Steffan on the base paths with a one-out walk before sophomore Jamie Waldecker grounded out and junior Trisha Tannahill drew another walk to load the bases.

 

Sophomore Devin Porter then sent a grounder to the second baseman, but Jennifer Bigbee’s throw pulled the first baseman off the bag and Steffan scored to put the Huskers on top 1-0.

 

The Huskers missed a golden opportunity to add to their lead in the second. Freshman Cassie Kleinsmith was hit by a pitch, junior Elizabeth Rock reached on a fielder’s choice and Steffan reached on an error to load the bases. Ransom then coaxed three ground balls and IowaState recorded two outs at home and the final out at third base.

 

NU added another run in the fifth inning when it loaded the bases for the third time in the game. Waldecker and Tannahill reached on a pair of one-out singles. Kier drew a two-out walk to load the bases and pinch runner KoKo Tacha scored when Kleinsmith was hit by a pitch one batter later.

 

Tannahill led the offensive charge with a 2-for-2 night, while Kleinsmith went 0-for-1 but reached base twice and was the only Husker to drive in a run.

 

Nebraska returns to action tomorrow when it travels to 22nd-ranked Creighton at 6 p.m.