DeBuhr Tosses Shutout in Huskers' Fourth Straight Win

Tempe, Ariz. ? Junior right-hander Ashley DeBuhr tossed a two-hit shutout with 15 strikeouts and seniors Trisha Tannahill, KoKo Tacha and Lizzy Aumua each drove in a run as the 21st-ranked Nebraska softball team closed out the Kajikawa Classic on a four-game winning streak with a 3-0 victory over Nevada on Sunday at the Tempe Sports Complex.

 

DeBuhr (1-1) picked up her first victory in her first complete game of the season for NU (4-1). Her 15 strikeouts were just two shy of her career high, set against Iowa in the opening game of the 2005 NCAA Tournament at Bowlin Stadium.

 

Seniors paved the way for the NU offense. Tacha and Tannahill each finished 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI and Tannahill belted her first home run of the season. Aumua finished 1-for-3 with an RBI, while freshman Crystal Carwile and junior Carmen Kier each finished 1-for-3.

 

Tannahill provided the game’s first run when she deposited a 2-2 pitch deep over the wall in right center for a solo home run to lead off the bottom of the second inning. The Huskers added a second run with two outs and nearly plated a third. Kier reached on a two-out double and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Tacha then singled to left field to drive in Kier with the second run of the inning. Aumua followed with a doubled to the gap in right center but a perfect relay from the Wolfpack defense caught Tacha at home plate to end the inning.

 

Nebraska threatened to add more in the bottom of the third when the Huskers had runners at first and second with only one out and the bases loaded with two outs, but NU was unable to convert.

 

Nevada’s Brittany Puzey ended DeBuhr’s no-hit bid in the top of the fifth inning when she led off with a bloop single to right field. DeBuhr worked around the leadoff single with help from a great diving play from Kier at third base to record the second out.

 

NU loaded the bases again with two outs in the bottom of the fifth, but senior Katie Linke grounded out to third to end the inning.

 

Heads up baserunning by Tacha gave the Huskers an added insurance run in the bottom of the sixth. Tacha doubled to the gap in right center with one out and stole third uncontested when the Nevada defense was playing in with Aumua at bat. Tacha then scored on a sacrifice fly from Aumua.

 

Nebraska finished its opening weekend with a 4-1 record. Aumua led the team in hitting at the Kajikawa Classic, finishing 13-for-18 for a whopping .722 average. Carwile proved to be the Huskers' top power hitter, finishing with three home runs and seven RBIs.

 

In the circle, DeBuhr and freshman right-hander Molly Hill combined to post a 2.20 ERA, surrendering 11 runs in 35 innings. The duo also boasted an impressive strikeout-to-walk ratio of 7-to-1, racking up 49 strikeouts, while walking just seven.

 

Head Coach Rhonda Revelle was happy with her team's performance in the season-opening tournament.

 

"We’re extremely pleased with the weekend,” Head Coach Rhonda Revelle said. “We thought we came out and hit the ball well. Our defense came up with some big plays and we pitched tough. The biggest thing that impressed the coaches was how well this team played together."

 

The Huskers are off next weekend before returning to tournament play Feb. 24-26 at the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Columbus, Ga.