Huskers Blast Illini, 21-1

Columbus, Ga. - No. 18 Nebraska exploded for 21 runs in a 21-1 five-inning romp over Illinois Friday at the NFCA Leadoff Classic. The 21 runs marked the second-highest total in school history, representing just the second time in program history NU scored 20 runs in a single game. The school record was set with 23 runs against UMKC on April 11, 1996.

 

Nebraska (5-1) sent 12 batters to the plate in the first inning, 13 more in the second and nine in the top of the third. Five straight Huskers reached base with one out in the first and third innings and eight straight reached base with one out in the second. NU plated 20 runs in the first three innings on 14 hits, including three doubles and a pair of home runs.

 

Nebraska finished the game with a season-high 16 hits, the most since the Huskers pounded out 15 hits at Iowa State in an eight-inning win on April 27, 2005. Included in those 16 hits were four home runs and four doubles. The four homers marked the first time since March 13, 1998 against Bowling Green that Nebraska hit four or more home runs in a game.

 

A flurry of individual career highs and one school record also highlighted one of the best offensive performances in program history. Senior Lizzy Aumua went 5-for-5, tying teammate Jessica Yoachim's school record for most hits in a game, set against Texas-San Antonio on Feb. 19, 2005.

 

Fellow senior KoKo Tacha went 3-for-3 with a home run, three runs scored and four RBIs. Her three runs were a career high, while her three hits and four RBIs each tied her career best. Junior Jamie Waldecker also finished with a career-high six RBIs, just one shy of Jenny Smith's school record.

 

Freshman Crystal Carwile also continued her impressive start, finishing 3-for-4 with three RBIs and her team-leading fourth home run in six career games.

 

Not to be outdone, junior right-hander Ashley DeBuhr (2-1) allowed one run on five hits in a complete-game effort. She allowed a solo home run in the bottom of the fifth, ending her scoreless innings streak at 14.1 innings. Despite the home run, DeBuhr dominated the Illini, striking out nine and walking none. Illinois, which lost an 11-10 nine-inning contest to Florida earlier in the day, came into the game averaging nearly seven runs per game. 

The first-inning outburst was highlighted by back-to-back home runs from Carwile and senior Trisha Tannahill that put NU up 4-0 five batters into the game.

 

Aumua led off the game with a sharp double down the right field line and fellow senior Jessica Yoachim followed with a walk to put runners on first and second. After a fielder’s choice, Carwile belted a deep three-run home run to put the Huskers on the board and Tannahill followed that with a solo shot to right.

 

Junior Devin Porter followed with a double and fellow junior Carmen Kier drew a walk to put runners on first and second for Tacha. Tacha delivered with an RBI single to score Porter and put NU up 5-0. DeBuhr then helped herself out with a sacrifice fly to the wall in center that scored Kier. Tacha then came home on an RBI single from Aumua, her second hit of the inning.

 

The second inning began with a groundout, before Carwile doubled. Tannahill, Porter and Kier then drew a pair of walks and a hit batter to score Carwile and load the bases. Tacha then delivered again with a two-run single to push NU’s lead to 10-0. Another run scored on an Illini error, before Aumua’s third hit of the game drove in Tacha. Yoachim scored pinch-runner Meghan Mullin after being hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Yoachim scored the eighth and final run of the inning on a wild pitch to put Nebraska ahead 14-0.

 

In the third frame, Nebraska loaded the bases with one out. Yoachim drove in a run with an infield single before Waldecker belted a grand slam to give the Huskers a 20-0 lead. Tacha hit her first home run of the year with one out in the fourth to account for NU's final run.

 

Illinois' Molly Lawhead broke up the shutout when she led off the bottom of the fifth with her third home run of the season.

 

Nebraska is currently facing Florida Atlantic in the Huskers' second game of the day.