Huskers and Sooners Renew Rivalry This Weekend

The 19th-ranked Nebraska softball team hosts No. 17 Oklahoma for a pair of games this weekend at Bowlin Stadium. The matchup of perennial Big 12 Conference and national powers will begin at 1 p.m. on Saturday and conclude at Noon on Sunday.

Fans can follow the action between these great programs live on Huskers.com. In addition to live stats, free audio streaming will be available on Huskers.com, with Nate Rohr providing the play-by-play commentary.

The Huskers and Sooners have a rich tradition, as the two schools have combined for six Women's College World Series appearances and four Big 12 titles in the last six years. Nebraska took two of three from Oklahoma last season and has won five of the last six meetings dating back to the 2004 season.

NU and OU are also two of only six programs in the nation to be ranked in each of the final USA Today/NFCA polls in the 11 years that the poll has existed.

Despite the historical success and current rankings, both teams are off to a slow start in Big 12 play. Nebraska enters the weekend with an 0-2 mark in league play, after dropping a pair of close games on the road at Texas, which has since moved up to the No. 1 spot in the rankings. Oklahoma is just 1-3, losing consecutive games to Missouri (twice) and Texas Tech at home to open the conference slate.

Nebraska is 22-6 this season after rebounding from the Texas losses to post two midweek victories over a pair of Missouri Valley foes, Creighton and Northern Iowa. The Huskers recorded just one hit in a 3-1 win at Creighton on Tuesday and used five hits to top Northern Colorado, 4-2, on Thursday.

Huskers Win Pair of Midweek Games
Nebraska is 2-0 this week, quickly rebounding from dropping consecutive games for the first time this season at newly annointed No. 1 Texas last weekend.

The Huskers have made the most of every opportunity this week in posting victories at Creighton and at home against Northern Iowa.

Against the Bluejays, Nebraska recorded just one hit, but plated a single run in three different innings. The Huskers drew five walks, had two hit batters and made the most of four wild pitches, as two directly resulted in runs for NU.

Freshman right-hander Molly Hill tossed a complete-game three-hitter in the circle to earn her 12th victory of the season against just one loss. She also struck out 10 Bluejays, the fourth double-digit strikeout performance of her rookie campaign.

The Huskers beat the weather and returned to Bowlin Stadium two days later to host Northern Iowa, a team NU had already beaten 11-2 in five innings earlier this season.

Nebraska fell behind 1-0 after a half inning of play, but quickly responded with three runs in the bottom of the first, highlighted by a two-out, two-run single from senior KoKo Tacha.

Northern Iowa closed the gap to 3-2 with another run in the second inning and the game remained a one-run contest until junior Carmen Kier belted her fourth home run of the season with one out in the bottom of the fourth to account for the final margin of victory.

Junior right-hander Ashley DeBuhr (10-5) earned the victory in relief of Hill, tossing four shutout innings and allowing just two hits while striking out six.

Scouting Oklahoma (24-11-1, 1-3 Big 12)
Oklahoma fell two spots to No. 17 in this week's USA Today/NFCA poll after getting swept at home by Missouri last weekend. The Sooners also lost the first game of a doubleheader with Texas Tech on Wednesday, but snapped a season-high three-game losing streak with a 7-3 win in the nightcap.

Nebraska and Oklahoma share three common opponents this season, North Dakota State, Indiana and Tulsa. Oklahoma is 4-0-1 against those three opponents, winning by a combined margin of 45-21. NU is 2-1, outscoring the three opponents 15-3, including a 2-1 loss to Indiana.

Oklahoma is led by a potent offense which is hitting a league-high .325 and has scored 229 runs in 36 games for an average of more than six runs per game.

Kristin Vesely leads the OU offense with a .500 average that includes 11 doubles, three triples, three home runs and 34 RBIs. Norelle Dickson is also enjoying a terrific season, posting a .487 average with seven doubles, 42 runs scored 18 RBIs and 15 stolen bases.

Vesely and Dickson are two of six Sooners hitting .300 or better. OU also boasts nine players with at least 12 RBIs, including four players with more than 20.

While the offense has been stellar, the Sooners have struggled in the circle this season. Oklahoma has a staff of five pitchers, all of whom have thrown at least 20 innings this season. The staff boasts a 3.19 ERA and opponents are hitting a healthy .272 against them.

D.J. Mathis (8-3) has seen the most action, compiling a 2.43 ERA in 72.0 innings. Morgan Hudsonpillar (4-3) has pitched 58.2 innings, registering a 2.62 ERA and a team-high 43 strikeouts.

Last Time We Met
Nebraska and Oklahoma met three times in the Sooner State in 2005, including a matchup at the Big 12 Tournament in Oklahoma City. NU took two of the three meetings and has won four of the last five meetings between the schools.

The Huskers upset the 10th-ranked Sooners in Norman with a 6-4 victory in the series opener. Ashley DeBuhr earned a complete-game victory, allowing four runs on six hits - including three home runs. Anne Steffan and Jamie Waldecker paced NU's 12-hit attack with 3-for-4 efforts, while Trisha Tannahill went 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs.

Oklahoma salvaged a series split with a 4-0 victory the next day. All-American Kami Keiter tossed a two-hit shutout with 10 strikeouts for OU, as Steffan and Jessica Yoachim were the only Huskers to record a hit. Tannahill was the only other base runner for NU on the day, as she was hit by two pitches.

After splitting the regular-season series, the two programs met again at the Big 12 Tournament in what turned out to be a terrific pitcher's duel. Keiter and DeBuhr were both brilliant, but a Waldecker solo home run in the top of the fourth inning was all the support DeBuhr would need in the Huskers' 1-0 win.

DeBuhr was masterful, holding the potent OU offense to just two hits in a complete-game shutout that included six strikeouts and no walks. Even more impressive about DeBuhr's performance was that it came on the heels of a complete-game shutout of Iowa State immediately preceeding the game with the Sooners.

Nebraska leads the all-time series, 36-29, including a 9-5 mark at home. NU is 3-1 against OU at Bowlin Stadium.

Quick Hits....

• NU recorded 20 wins in only 24 games to become the fastest team in school history to record 20 wins
• Nebraska is 18-1 when out-hitting the opponent
• Nebraska is averaging more than five runs per game
• NU is 21-2 when holding the opponent to two runs or less
• Five Huskers are hitting .300 or better as NU is hitting exactly .300 as a team
• Six Huskers have homered this season - six players hit a home run the entire 2005 campaign
• Nebraska has 20 home runs as a team, one more than the entire 2005 total (19) over 59 games
• Nebraska is 51-of-56 in stolen base attempts, including a perfect 4-of-4 in Thursday's win
• Lizzy Aumua tied an NU single-game record with a 5-for-5 effort against Illinois
• Devin Porter has produced both a 5-RBI and 6-RBI game this season
• Jamie Waldecker produced a career-high 6 RBIs vs. Illinois, including her first career grand slam
• Crystal Carwile also has a 5-RBI game this season
• KoKo Tacha has already set single-season career highs in hits, doubles, triples, home runs and RBIs
• Right-hander Ashley DeBuhr has thrown four shutouts in her last five starts
• In those shutouts, DeBuhr has tossed a pair of one-hitters, a two-hitter and a three-hitter
• Right-hander Molly Hill is 12-1 with a 1.41 ERA in her Husker career
• Nebraska has already matched its save total (1) from the entire 2005 season
• NU has already hit twice as many triples in 2006 (6) than it did in the entire 2005 season (3)

Home Sweet Home
Nebraska is a perfect 7-0 at home this season, the best home start in the five-year history of Bowlin Stadium. The previous best start was 6-0 by the 2002 squad in the first year of the new stadium. In addition to the stellar start, the Huskers' seven-game home winning streak is also the longest in the history of Bowlin Stadium.

The seven-game home winning streak is also the second-longest since the 2000 season. In 2000, Nebraska went a perfect 20-0 in the second-to-last year of the Nebraska Softball Complex.

Powerful Performances
Juniors Carmen Kier and Devin Porter have each hit four home runs this season and are tied for second on the team. Through 28 games this season, the pair have combined to hit eight home runs after combining to hit just three home runs in their first two seasons.

Kier homered on Thursday and she has now doubled her career total entering this season. Kier belted two home runs in her redshirt freshman season of 2004 and did not hit a homer last season.

Porter, fueled by three home runs in a five-game span at the Best Western Aiport Festival March 3-5, has four home runs this season after hitting her first career home run at the end of last season.

Timely Hitting
Nebraska has been prone to producing two-out RBIs this season. In Thursday's win over Northern Iowa, two of the Huskers' four RBIs came with two outs. This season, NU has produced 125 RBIs and 46 of those have come with two outs (37 percent). Eight players have produced at least two two-out RBIs this season, while freshman Crystal Carwile and junior Devin Porter lead the team with eight two-out RBIs.

What a Relief
Junior right-hander Ashley DeBuhr made her third relief appearance of the season and earned her first relief win of the year in Nebraska's 4-2 win over Northern Iowa on Thursday. In three relief appearances this season, DeBuhr is 1-1 with one save.

In her career, DeBuhr has made 13 relief appearances, including three this season. In those relief appearances, DeBuhr is 4-2 with two saves. Prior to Thursday's relief victory, DeBuhr's last win in relief came at Wichita State on March 13, 2005, when she pitched five shutout innings.

The Winner's Circle
Junior right-hander Ashley DeBuhr earned her 10th victory of the season over Northern Iowa on Thursday. DeBuhr joins freshman right-hander Molly Hill (12-2) in double-digit win totals. Both have already posted double-digit win totals in only the first 28 games. Prior to this season, a Nebraska team had not had two 10-game winners on the same squad since Peaches James (23) and Summer Tobias (15) in 2003.

Marching Along
Nebraska posted a 16-5 record in the month of March, after posting a 6-1 record in February. In 2005, NU went 12-8 in March after posting a 9-3 record in February.

Chasing .400
Seniors Lizzy Aumua and Jessica Yoachim - the 1-2 hitters in the Husker order - are both chasing a mark that hasn't been reached at Nebraska in eight years. The mark is a .400 season batting average and both Aumua (.448) and Yoachim (.401) have a chance to reach the mark this season.

Three-time All-American Ali Viola was the last Husker to hit .400 in a season. Viola hit .400 or better three times in her career, including a .424 mark in 1998, which is the last time a Husker hit .400 or better. All-American Anne Steffan chased the .400 plateau last season, finishing with a .388 average, the sixth-best single-season mark in school history and the highest average since Viola's .424 average in 1998.

Aumua and Yoachim are proven hitters, as both hit better than .320 last season, including Aumua, who hit .378, the seventh-best single-season average in school history.

Streaks Snapped
Nebraska had a trio of streaks broken when No. 3 Texas twice rallied from two-run deficits to post a 5-4 victory over the Huskers on Sunday.

The loss was NU's first Sunday setback of the season, as Nebraska had been 4-0 in Sunday games. The Huskers also fell despite out-hitting the Longhorns, 6-5. Entering the game, Nebraska was 18-0 when out-hitting the opponent this season.

Finally, Nebraska lost for the first time this season when scoring four or more runs. Entering the contest, the Huskers were 12-0 when scoring at least four runs.

Fastest Start in School History
The Huskers owned a 20-4 record through the first 24 games of the 2006 season. That record marked the best start in school history, as it took the team only 24 games to record 20 victories. The previous record was 25 games by the 2002 squad that finished fifth at the WCWS.

Currently, NU's 22-6 record is the second-best 28-game record in school history. The 2002 squad was 23-5 after the first 28 games and was in the middle of school-record 23-game winning streak.

Starting Strong
Nebraska has shown a penchant for taking command of its games in the early innings this season. The Huskers have scored in the first inning in 15 of their 28 games (53 percent) and are 13-2 when plating a run in the first frame. NU plated one run in the first inning in both wins this week.

In addition to the first-inning success, Nebraska has dominated its opponents in the first four innings, when they Huskers have outscored their opponents 112-22 on the year. In innings five, six, seven and eight (NU has played one extra-inning game this season), however, Nebraska has only outscored its opponent by a 33-29 margin.

NU vs. Ranked Teams
Nebraska is just 1-4 against ranked teams this season after dropping a pair of hard-fought games at No. 3 Texas to open Big 12 play last weekend. NU opened the season with a 7-3 loss to then-No. 7 Stanford. The Huskers quickly rebounded with an 8-2 victory over then-No. 15 Oregon State immediately following the loss to the Cardinal.

Stanford has since moved into the top five of the poll with a 24-4 record, while Oregon State has moved up to seventh. The Beavers have not lost since falling to the Huskers, rattling off 25 straight victories.

NU did not face another ranked opponent after opening day until a three-run home run in lifted then-No. 25 North Carolina to a 3-1 come-from-behind victory over the Huskers on March 10.

Strikeouts Way Down
Nebraska has seen a dramatic decline in its offensive strikeout numbers this season, a product of hard work and increased emphasis on discipline at the plate.

Nebraska hitters have struck out 131 times through the first 28 games. In contrast, NU had struck out 164 times through the first 28 games of the 2005 season, when the Huskers finished with 364 strikeouts in 59 games. So far this year, Nebraska has cut its strikeout total by more than one strikeout per game.

The Huskers' 131 strikeouts are the lowest in the Big 12 Conference. NU is averaging just 4.68 strikeouts per game. The only other league school average less than five strikeouts per game is defending regular-season champion Texas A&M (4.79).

Scoring Clip
A 3-0 win over Florida A&M on March 11 gave the Huskers 100 runs scored in 17 games, making this year's team the fastest squad in school history to score 100 runs.

It took NU just seven games to total 50 runs as the 2006 Huskers also tied the school record for the fewest number of games before reaching the 50-run plateau.

This season marks only the fourth year in school history that NU scored 100 runs in fewer than 20 games. In contrast, twice in the 31-year history of Nebraska softball the Huskers have taken 30 or more games before they scored 100 total runs on the season.

Husker Power
Junior Carmen Kier's fourth home run of the season on Thursday brought Nebraska's season total to 20 home runs in 28 games, eclipsing the entire 2005 season total (19 homers in 59 games) in less than half as many games.

Freshman Crystal Carwile leads the way with six home runs. She also has a two-home run game, becoming the first Husker since Peaches James in 2004 to record a multi-homer game. Kier and fellow junior Devin Porter rank second with a career-high four home runs each, while fellow junior Jamie Waldecker has three homers. Senior Trisha Tannahill has two homers and fellow senior KoKo Tacha has also added one roundtripper.

NU had 12 home runs through seven games to open 2006, after taking 32 games in 2004 and 33 games in 2005 to reach the mark. The Huskers enjoy a 20-to-10 advantage in home runs over their opponents. After the first weekend, NU enjoyed a 6-to-5 advantage, marking the first time since April 18, 2004, that Nebraska has more home runs than its opponents at any point during the season.

Nebraska homered in seven straight games to open the season, the longest stretch since NU homered in 10 consecutive games March 10 through March 17, 2002. The Huskers also have produced five multi-home run games in 2006, after posting just one in 2005 and three in 2004.

Program Records 1,000th Victory
Husker softball became the first women's sport at the University of Nebraska to reach the 1,000-win plateau with a 1-0 victory over Kent State on March 12 at the Florida State Invitational.

Nebraska became the fifth Big 12 school to reach the milestone. Kansas was the fourth league school to win 1,000 games during the 2005 season. NU narrowly became the fifth school as Missouri, sitting on 999 all-time victories, suffered a loss on the same day Nebraska recorded the mark. The Tigers have since reached the plateau to become the sixth league school to reach the milestone.

The victory was even more special to NU Head Coach Rhonda Revelle and Associate Head Coach Lori Sippel. Both coaches also played at Nebraska and together they have combined to be a part of 838 of NU's 1,006 victories (83 percent).

Monumental Weekend
The weekend of March 10-12 proved to be a monumental three days for the 2006 Nebraska softball team and the history of the Husker program.

With a 3-0 win over Florida A&M March 10, the 2006 squad became the fastest team to score 100 runs in the 31-year history of NU softball.

In the final game of the tournament on March 12, the Huskers captured the consolation championship of the Gold Bracket with a 1-0 victory over Kent State. That win marked the 1,000 all-time victory in program history, making softball the first women's sport at Nebraska to reach the 1,000-win plateau.

The victory also gave the 2006 Huskers a 16-4 record after 20 games, tying the 2002 squad for the best 20-game start in the history of Nebraska softball.

In the Zone
Nebraska pitchers dominated the Northern Colorado lineup in the Huskers' doubleheader sweep on March 14. Junior right-hander Ashley DeBuhr tossed a one-hit shutout and struck out 13 in a five-inning win in the opener and freshman right-hander Molly Hill struck out 17 while allowing just one run in the nightcap.

In 12 innings, DeBuhr and Hill posted 30 strikeouts, an average of 2.5 strikeouts per inning. Thirty-six outs were recorded in the two games, with 30 of those outs coming via the strikeout (83 percent).

Big Innings
Nebraska, which has been scoring runs at a record pace, has also been prone to producing big innings this season. The Huskers have scored in 66 innings this season and have been shutout just twice through the first 28 games of the season.

In addition to the overall totals, Nebraska has scored three or more runs in 22 different innings. When the Huskers have scored a run in an inning, they have added at least two more runs in the frame in 33 percent of those innings. Even more impressive is the fact that NU has scored five or more runs in an inning on seven occasions and seven or more runs a whopping four times. In 2005, Nebraska produced just one inning of seven or more runs.

Stolen Bases
Nebraska is a perfect 5-of-5 in stolen bases through its first two games this week. NU had stolen 22 consecutive bases at one point this season, before freshman Kimberly Fuller was thrown out in the third inning of NU's second game on March 14.

On the season, NU has been successful on 51-of-56 attempts (91 percent). In comparison, opponents have stolen just 11 bases in 18 tries (61 percent).

At the current rate, this year's team has an outside chance to become just the fifth squad in school history to record 100 stolen bases in a season. Last year, the Huskers - who were led by All-American Anne Steffan's single-season school-record 32 stolen bases - tallied 91 stolen bases in 108 attempts (.843).

The school record is 128 steals set by the 2002 Huskers.

Carwile Climbing Freshman HR Chart
Freshman Crystal Carwile's three home runs in the first five games of the season were the most home runs by a Husker freshman since Nicole Trimboli hit eight in the entire 2001 campaign. Carwile has since added three more homers to give her six on the season. The school freshman record is 13 by Ali Viola in 1995.

Carwile's six roundtrippers would have ranked second on the 2005 NU squad and her total matches the home run total of all freshmen from the 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005 seasons combined.

Aumua Records 100th Hit
Senior Lizzy Aumua, in her second year at Nebraska after transfering from Mt. San Antonio Junior College, collected her 100th hit with an infield single in the bottom of the third inning in the first game of a March 14 doubleheader with Northern Colorado.

It took Aumua just 80 games and 239 at bats to reach the milestone. Aumua is the second-fastest player to reach the milestone in school history. Ali Viola (1995 to 1998) was the fastest.

Aumua joins fellow seniors Jessica Yoachim (155) and Trisha Tannahill (153) as current Huskers with 100 or more career hits. Yoachim and Tannahill each recorded their 150th career hits in the past two games.

The Producers
In the first 15 games of the season, four Huskers produced double-figure RBI totals. Junior Jamie Waldecker drove in 16 RBIs in 15 games, while fellow junior Devin Porter produced 14. Freshman Crystal Carwile also boasted 14 and senior KoKo Tacha tallied a career-high 10 in just 15 contests.

In the past five seasons (2001 through 2005) a grand total of four Huskers drove in 10 or more runs in the first 15 games of a season. This year marks the first season in that stretch that more than one Husker drove in 10 or more runs in the first 15 games of a season. In 2005, Sheena Lawrick was the lone player; in 2004 it was Nicole Trimboli; in 2003 it was Lisa Wangler; and in 2001 it was Amber Burgess. No player produced double-figure RBI totals through the first 15 games of the 2002 season.

Senior Trisha Tannahill and junior Carmen Kier also reached double-figures in RBIs giving the Huskers six players with 10 or more RBIs through the first 22 games of the season. In 2005, a total of six Huskers produced double-figure RBIs in the entire season.

Triple Your Pleasure
Nebraska hit two triples in the fourth inning in the first game of a doubleheader against Northern Colorado on March 14 to push its season total to six triples. In 2005, the Huskers produced a total of three triples in 59 games.

Huskers Explode for 21 Runs
After a 12-day layoff, the Huskers exploded for seven first-inning runs, eight more in the second and five more in the third en route to a 21-1 rout of Illinois on the first day of the NFCA Leadoff Classic on Feb. 24.

The 21 runs were the second-most in school history (23 is the school record) and marked only the second time in program history that Nebraska scored 20 or more runs in a single game. The Huskers batted around in each of the first three innings and finished with 16 hits.

NU also pounded out four home runs by four different players. The four-homer game marked the first time since March 13, 1998 against Bowling Green - a span of 484 games - that the Huskers had four players hit a home run in the same game.

The 21 runs and 20-run margin of defeat were both the largest in the history of Illinois softball, while the Huskers also set and tied several NFCA Leadoff Classic records in the 11th year of the annual prestigious event.

Nebraska's 21 runs were a new Leadoff Classic record, as were the Huskers four home runs. Junior Jamie Waldecker established a new tournament record with six RBIs in the win, while senior Lizzy Aumua also earned a spot in the record book with five hits.

Tacha Off to Career-Best Start
Senior KoKo Tacha is having a career year in her final season as a Husker. While that may sound premature with the season only 28 games old, consider that Tacha has already surpassed some career highs and is approaching her single-season career highs in nearly every offensive category.

Tacha is hitting .300 in a career-high 23 starts this season. She has hit four doubles and one triple and produced 18 hits and 15 RBIs, all of which are new career bests. She also boasts one home run, which ties her single-season career best. Tacha has also stolen two bases while her career high for a season is three and she is just two walks shy of tying her career high. Tacha's .450 slugging percentage would also be a career best, while her .300 average and .344 on-base percentage are both just shy of her career highs.

DeBuhr in Control
Junior right-hander Ashley DeBuhr has been in control in the circle this season. She has shown great command of the strike zone, registering 129 strikeouts against just 16 walks to post a strikeout-to-walk ratio of better than 8-to-1.

Back-to-Back in Back-to-Back
Nebraska hit back-to-back home runs in consecutive games on the first - and only - day of the NFCA Leadoff Classic Feb. 24.

In a 21-1 rout of Illinois, freshman Crystal Carwile and senior Trisha Tannahill belted back-to-back home runs in the top of the first inning. Then in the bottom of the first in the second game of the day against Florida Atlantic, junior Jamie Waldecker and Carwile hit back-to-back solo shots.

Tannahill and Carwile were the first Huskers to hit back-to-back home runs since Katie Linke and Peaches James accomplished the feat on March 27, 2004 at Oklahoma State.

Carwile Opens Career with a Bang
Freshman Crystal Carwile not only got off to a tremendous start to the 2006 season, but an incredible start to her Husker career in the first tournament of her rookie season.

Carwile went 1-for-6 with an RBI in her first day, before exploding onto the scene on day two, and finished the tournament as the Huskers' cleanup hitter and boasting a .375 average, three home runs, seven RBIs and a 1.000 slugging percentage.

The Chino, Calif., native opened the second day of her career with a 1-for-3 effort against Cal State Northridge that included her first career home run. Carwile then put together possibly the greatest single-game performance by a freshman hitter in school history.

Hitting in the No. 4 spot for the first time, Carwile quickly produced with an RBI double in the first inning against Utah State. Following a ground out in her next at bat, Carwile belted a solo home run in the fifth inning and secured a Husker victory with a three-run shot in the seventh. She finished the game 3-for-4 with five RBIs.

Carwile closed her first weekend at Nebraska on a three-game hitting streak, finishing 1-for-3 against Nevada in the final game of the Kajikawa Classic.

Hill Brilliant in Career Debut
While Crystal Carwile was making an immediate impact at the plate as a freshman during the season-opening Kajikawa Classic Feb. 10-12, Molly Hill stepped into the circle and produced in her first career tournament as well.

Hill appeared in four games at the tournament - including two starts - and posted a 3-0 record with a 1.53 ERA. In the first start of her career, Hill tossed a complete game and allowed just two runs in an 8-2 victory over 15th-ranked Oregon State. The Wayne, Neb., native then earned a win by tossing four innings of one-hit relief against Cal State Northridge and followed that performance with a victory against Utah State.

Hill was the pitcher of decision in three straight games, earning the victory in each of those contests.

Hill allowed just four earned runs in 18.1 innings in her first weekend of competition. She also struck out 18, while walking just five.

Freshmen Contributions
While Crystal Carwile and Molly Hill have made the biggest impact of Nebraska's six-player freshman class, all six newcomers made their career debuts in their first weekend as a Husker.

Meghan Mullin has made a significant impact, starting 10 games and hitting .250 with seven runs scored this year. Catcher Brittany Pascale has earned 15 starts and is also hitting .217.

Kimberly Fuller has earned one start and is 1-for-8 with a run scored and two RBIs. Darcy Rutherford has not earned a start, but has appeared in 14 games and has scored three runs while going 0-for-3 at the plate.

DeBuhr Eclipses 400-Strikeout Mark
Junior right-hander Ashley DeBuhr struck out nine in a five-inning victory over Illinois on Feb. 24. Her fifth strikeout of the game was the 400th of her career, making DeBuhr the fifth player in school history to reach the mark. DeBuhr set the NU sophomore record with 335 Ks in 2005.

In 2006, DeBuhr has struck out 115 batters in 73.0 innings. She now has 479 strikeouts in her career and needs just 21 more to reach the 500-strikeout plateau.

Revelle Reaches Another Milestone
Head Coach Rhonda Revelle reached another career milestone on the second day of the Huskers’ season-opening Kajikawa Classic on Feb. 11. When Nebraska defeated Utah State 7-3 in its fourth game of the weekend, it marked Revelle’s 800th game as head coach of the Huskers. Revelle, who pitched for NU from 1981-83, played in 128 career games and has currently been associated with 947 of NU’s 1,555 all-time games (61 percent).

RBIs in Bunches
Through the first 14 games of the season, a Husker produced five or more RBIs in a single game on four occasions. Prior to this season, a total of four Huskers had produced five or more RBIs in a game in the past five years.

Junior Devin Porter has a five- and six-RBI game to her credit, while fellow junior Jamie Waldecker also has a six-RBI game. Freshman Crystal Carwile has also produced a five-RBI game. The school record for most RBIs in a single game is seven, set by Jenny Smith in 1996.

Porter produced five RBIs in consecutive at bats against 15th-ranked Oregon State in the second game of the season. She hit a two-run single in the top of the third inning and belted her second career home run - a three-run shot - one inning later.

Carwile matched the feat the next day when she drove in five against Utah State. Carwile had an RBI double in the first inning, a solo home run in the fifth and a three-run homer in the seventh to give her five RBIs in the game.

Before Porter's performance, Nebraska had not had a player produce a five-RBI game in 109 games. Porter and Carwile are also the first Husker teammates to have a five-RBI day in the same season since Nicole Trimboli and Amber Burgess accomplished the feat 29 games apart in the 2002 season.

Junior Jamie Waldecker added a six-RBI game against Illinois at the NFCA Leadoff Classic on Feb. 24, two games after Porter's performance.

Against Northern Iowa on March 5, Porter drove in six runs in consecutive at bats. She hit her first career grand slam in the third inning, then belted a two-run double in the fourth.