Huskers Blank Bears in Game One

LINCOLN?Junior right-hander Ashley DeBuhr collected 13 strikeouts and allowed only a single hit, as the 15th-ranked Nebraska softball team notched an 8-0 win over Northern Colorado in game one of its doubleheader Tuesday afternoon at Bowlin Stadium. NU improved to 17-4 this season, while UNC dropped to 6-17.

 

DeBuhr (8-3) was nearly untouchable on the afternoon, as she helped extend the Huskers’ streak without allowing an earned run to 38.2 innings over the past five games. The junior currently owns a scoreless streak of 19 consecutive innings.

 

Seniors Trisha Tannahill and Lizzy Aumua led the Husker offense on the afternoon, with each registering 2-for-3 efforts at the plate. Tannahill collected a season-high three RBIs, while Aumua added a pair of runs scored.

 

Holding a 1-0 lead entering the bottom of the fourth inning, Nebraska broke the game wide open. The Huskers notched seven runs with two outs to take total control. Following a two-out walk by junior Devin Porter, senior KoKo Tacha drilled her first career triple to right field to plate Porter. Junior Carmen Kier followed with an RBI single to score Tacha, before a throwing error by UNC pitcher Shea Carpenter allowed Aumua to reach base. Kier then scored on a single by Jess Yoachim.

 

A UNC pitching change brought in Jessica Mulligan, who subsequently walked Carwile. Tannahill then delivered a bases-loaded triple, the Huskers’ second three-bagger of the inning, to clear the bases. A throwing error by shortstop Morgan Dahlman then plated Tannahill with NU’s final run of the inning.

 

With the game close early, DeBuhr kept the Bear bats at bay by recording 10 strikeouts through the first four innings. Included in the total was a string of nine straight, as well as her first career four-strikeout inning in the third. DeBuhr sat down the first two Bears of the inning before Kelsey Dumler reached on a passed ball after swinging and missing at strike three. With two outs, Mackenzie Barrett became DeBuhr’s fourth victim by striking out on a 1-2 pitch.

 

The Huskers came out swinging in the bottom of the first inning, notching a quick 1-0 lead. Aumua led off with a slap single to center field before swiping second, improving to a perfect 12-for-12 in stolen bases this season. Following a Yoachim sacrifice, Carwile drilled an RBI single to center to score Aumua. While Tannahill followed with NU’s third single of the inning, Carpenter minimized the damage by getting freshman Brittany Pascale to bounce into an inning-ending double play.

 

Nebraska continues its season-opening homestand with game two of Tuesday’s doubleheader at 3 p.m.