Huskers' DeBuhr Shuts Down Hawkeyes

Lincoln --- Sophomore Ashley DeBuhr tossed a three-hitter and struck out a career-high 17 as the Nebraska softball team opened the NCAA Tournament with a 4-0 victory over Iowa Friday at Bowlin Stadium. With the win, the Huskers advanced to Saturday's contest at 1 p.m. against the winner of tonight's Creighton-Washington matchup.

DeBuhr, who improved to 24-19 on the year, recorded her most strikeouts in a regulation game this year and passed her previous career high of 16 set in 9.0 innings against Creighton earlier this season. DeBuhr became the second Husker in program history to record 300 strikeouts in a season, as she struck out the side four times, including twice shutting down six straight by strikeout.

After giving up a single to lead off the bottom of the first, DeBuhr set down 17 straight before Stacy May singled to right with two outs in the sixth. May also led off the game with a single and finished 2-of-3 at the plate. Summer Downs then added another single for the Hawkeyes' only other hit and bring the tying run to the plate, but DeBuhr picked up her 15th strikeout of the game as she got Kylie Murray swinning. 

The Husker offense gave DeBuhr all she would need with a run in the top of the second.

With one out, Trisha Tannahill walked before Jamie Waldecker singled to right field off Hawkeye pitcher Lisa Birocci to put runners on first and second. Both runners moved up on a groundout and Tannahill came home for the game's first run when Carmen Kier singled to center. Nebraska looked to add another run with Waldecker at third, but Birocci struck out Cassie Kleinsmith looking to get out of the frame.

The Huskers looked set to add another run with two outs in the second before Birocci got back on track. Lizzy Rock reached on an error and motored around to third when the ball went down the right field line. Shena Lawrick then took her second intentional walk of the year before Birocci got Tannahill out looking.

With one out in the fifth, Anne Steffan beat out a throw at first and Jessica Yoachim reached on a single. Rock then looked to drop down a sacrifice to move the runners, but reached to load the bases when the throw pulled second baseman Summer Downs off the bag. Birocci uncorked a wild pitch that allowed Steffan to score to give the Huskers a 2-0 lead.

With runners at the corners and two outs, Tannahill launched a pitch over the right fielder's head for Nebraska's sixth hit of the game and a 4-0 lead. Ali Arnold then came into the circle and held the Huskers to one hit over the final 2.1 innings.

Nebraska Game Notes
**-- Sophomore pitcher Ashley DeBuhr picked up 17 strikeouts on the day and now owns 315 for the season. It is the second-highest mark in Nebraska single-season history and an NU sophomore record. She joins Peaches James as the only Huskers with at least 300 strikeouts in a season, as the All-American James had a school-record 394 in 2004.

**-- DeBuhr got off to a strong start to the game. After Stacy May singled to lead off the game, DeBuhr struck out three in the an inning four times. She finished with a career-high 17 strikeouts, the 14th time this season she had double-figure strikeouts.

**-- Carmen Kier picked up her third RBI of the season in the first inning when she singled up the middle to drive in Trisha Tannahill from third base. Kier had not driven in a run since March 30 when she went 0-for-0 with an RBI. Her other RBI this season came against Texas Southern when she was 1-for-1 with two runs and an RBI. 

**-- Since returning from an injury on May 11 at the Big 12 Tournament, Kier has gone 5-for-13 with two runs and one RBI.

Iowa Game Notes
**-- Iowa was shut out for the second time this season and was held to two or fewer runs for just the 13th time. Iowa is now 6-7 this season when scoring two or fewer runs. The last time the Hawkeyes were shut out was April 3 against then-No. 23 Northwestern, 2-0.

**-- Iowa fell to 7-10 against Nebraska all-time and fell to 25-8 this season when Lisa Birocci starts in the circle.