NU Closes Regular-Season Against Missouri

The 14th-ranked Nebraska softball team looks to wrap up a second-place finish in the Big 12 Conference and the No. 2 seed in next week's Big 12 Championship when the Huskers close out the regular-season by hosting the Missouri Tigers this weekend at Bowlin Stadium.

Saturday's 2 p.m. game marks Little League day, where kids wearing their little league jerseys receive a free general admission ticket.

NU is currently 38-8 overall and 11-4 in the Big 12. The Huskers' 38-8 record matches the 2002 squad for the best 46-game record in the 31-year history of Nebraska softball. NU is also one of just eight teams in the nation to have eight or fewer losses this season, while the Huskers' .826 winning percentage ranks sixth in the country.

Nebraska is currently riding a six-game winning streak, the Huskers' third winning streak of six games or longer this season. NU has also boasted 10- and 11-game winning streaks in 2006. Nebraska went 3-0 in a difficult stretch of games last week to move up in this week's national rankings from 17th to 14th. By defeating Kansas, in-state rival Creighton and then-No. 15 Texas A&M in a four-day span, the Huskers moved up three spots in the rankings this week.

NU's projected RPI also rose, as Nebraska moved from the 25th spot to No. 20, according to WarrenNolan.com, which projects the RPI for the National Fastpitch Coaches Association.

Saturday's game with Missouri, which is slated for a 2 p.m. first pitch, also marks commencement ceremonies on the UNL campus. That is significant because seniors Lizzy Aumua, Trisha Tannahill and Jessica Yoachim, along with undergraduate assistant coach Sheena Lawrick will each receive a degree prior to facing the Tigers.

Sunday's Noon game marks the final regular-season home game for Aumua, Tannahill and Yoachim, as well as fellow seniors Katie Linke and KoKo Tacha. The five-player senior class will be honored in a pre-game ceremony.

Huskers Stretch Winning Streak to Six
Nebraska went 3-0 last week, defeating Big 12 foes Kansas and then-No. 15 Texas A&M and in-state rival Creighton in a span of four days.

Against Kansas junior Ashley DeBuhr turned in a masterful performance, tossing her second career no-hitter. Facing the fifth-place team in the conference, DeBuhr surrendered just two walks and struck out 16, just one shy of her career high. No Jayhawk advanced past first base as DeBuhr baffled the KU lineup all night long. Senior Katie Linke provided the big hit for the NU offense, recording an RBI single that gave DeBuhr all the run support she would need in the 1-0 win.

Nebraska returned to its late-inning dramatics the following day as the Huskers posted their biggest come-from-behind victory of the season. Trailing 3-0 in the fifth, NU plated two runs in the fifth and forced extra innings when freshman Brittany Pascale belted her first career home run, a pinch-hit solo shot in the bottom of the seventh.

That set the stage for Linke to deliver her second game-winning hit in as many nights. With the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the eighth, Linke jumped on the first pitch she saw and singled to left to lift the Huskers to victory.

The win marked the third time in four games Nebraska won when trailing entering the seventh inning. The Huskers trailed by one-run in each of their two games at Texas Tech last weekend.

Instead of coming back in the late innings against the 15th-ranked Aggies, the Huskers found themselves hanging on for a 3-2 victory.

After Texas A&M loaded the bases with only one out in the top of the third but failed to score, Nebraska used a pair of hits and two hit batters to plate three runs in the bottom of the frame.

DeBuhr held A&M off the scoreboard until the Aggies scored a pair of two-out runs in the top of the sixth. Texas A&M then had runners at first and second in the seventh, before DeBuhr retired the Aggies' No. 4 hitter for the final out.

The win guaranteed Nebraska a top-three finish in the Big 12 Conference. Although Texas wrapped up the regular-season title last weekend, NU will finish in either second or third place.

Scouting Missouri (23-23, 7-9 Big 12)
Missouri, which began the season in the top 25, is just 23-23 this season, including a 7-9 mark in the Big 12 Conference.

The Tigers are 4-6 in their last 10 games, but have won three of their last four, including a sweep of Texas Tech last weekend.

MU is led offensively by reigning Big 12 Player of the Week Jen Bruck and Micaela Minner. Bruck is hitting .385 with 11 doubles and eight homers, while Minner is hitting .353 with nine homers and 41 RBIs. As a team, Missouri is hitting .270.

In the circle, Bruck has thrown 215.2 innings, nearly 72 percent of the team's total innings. Bruck (21-17) boasts an ERA of 3.28, while Megan Dennis has made 34 appearances and is 2-5 with a 5.23 ERA.

Last Time We Met
Nebraska and Missouri split the regular-season series last year, but the Tigers topped the Huskers in the Big 12 Championship to earn a 2-1 series win.

In the first meeting, Ashley DeBuhr was dominant in the circle, as NU posted a 2-1 win over the 15th-ranked Tigers. DeBuhr allowed just one run on three hits in a complete-game effort, while Trisha Tannahill and Jamie Waldecker each drove in a run for the Huskers.

The second game of the series featured another pitchers duel, as Missouri scored the game's only run in the bottom of the sixth to earn a 1-0 victory. Erin Kalka tossed a three-hit shutout for the Tigers that included 10 strikeouts. DeBuhr was masterful again, allowing just one run on four hits.

The teams met less than a week later at the Big 12 Championship. A four-run first inning propelled Missouri to a 5-1 victory that eliminated the Huskers from the championship.

Nebraska leads the all-time series, 45-29, but Missouri has won five of the last eight games, including two straight at Bowlin Stadium.

Quick Hits....

• NU's 38-8 record ties the best 46-game record in the 31-year history of Nebraska softball
• The current .826 winning percentage would be a new school record
• NU is 18-1 at home, marking the most wins in the history of Bowlin Stadium
• Nebraska needs just two home victories to tie the school record of 20 home wins in a season
• Nebraska is 30-2 when out-hitting the opponent
• Nebraska is averaging more than five runs per game
• Nebraska scored 238 runs in 43 games, passing last year's season total (232 runs in 59 games)
• NU has scored 73 runs through 15 league games after scoring just 50 runs in 19 league games in 2005
• NU is 31-2 when holding the opponent to two runs or less
• Nebraska has 37 home runs as a team, 18 more than the entire 2005 total (19)
• The Huskers have hit 15 homers in 15 league games, nearly matching the 2005 season total
• NU has hit three times as many triples in 2006 (9) than it did in 2005 (3)
• Nebraska is 71-of-82 in stolen base attempts
• Lizzy Aumua tied an NU single-game record with a 5-for-5 effort against Illinois
• Devin Porter (2), Jamie Waldecker (1) and Crystal Carwile (1) have each produced 5 or more RBIs in a game
• Prior to this season, a Husker had produced 5+ RBIs four times in the last five years
• Nebraska has been hit by 32 pitches as a team this season, a new school record

Striking Success
The Huskers' in-state pitching staff of right-handers Jaime Borg, Ashley DeBuhr and Molly Hill have combined to strike out 386 batters in just 304.2 innings this season. The 386 strikeouts already rank seventh in school history and the staff has a chance to better the 2001 team's school record 501 strikeouts, depending on how far NU advances in the postseason.

Nebraska has been hurt by 11 rain outs this season, decreasing the number of games to pile up strikeouts. However, when looking at strikeouts per game, this year's staff is averaging 8.04 strikeouts per game, which would be the best mark in school history. The 2001 squad averaged 7.61 strikeouts per game.

Hit By Pitch
Fueled by two of the top three marks in school history, Nebraska has set a new team hit-by-pitch record for the second consecutive season in 2006. The Huskers have been hit by 32 pitches this season, marking the first time in the 31-year history of the program that a team had been hit by 30 or more pitches in a single year. The mark breaks the 2005 squad's school-record total of 29.

Leading the way is senior Trisha Tannahill, who has been hit by a single-season school-record 10 pitches. She is also tied for the NU career record of 17 hit-by-pitches. Junior Devin Porter has been hit by seven pitches this season, which ranks fourth on the NU single-season chart.

Winning at a Record Pace
With a 38-8 record, Nebraska has already tied the 2002 team for the best 46-game record in school history. After improving to 40-8, the 2002 squad then lost three of its next five games and finished the season with a 50-14 mark for a .781 winning percentage, the fourth-best percentage in school history.

The 2006 Huskers currently own an .826 winning percentage with only two games remaining in the regular season. By continuing its terrific season, NU has a chance to become just the second team in school history to win 80 percent of its games. The 1998 team, which finished 48-12, owns the best winning percentage in program history at .800.

Huskers Set to Graduate on Saturday
Six members of the Nebraska softball program, including three current players, will receive diplomas at the commencement ceremonies this Saturday, May 8, at the Bob Devaney Sports Center.

Current Huskers Lizzy Aumua (Sociology), Trisha Tannahill (Communication Studies) and Jessica Yoachim (Communication Studies) will each receive their degrees before NU’s 2 p.m. game with the Missouri Tigers. In addition to the three seniors, former Huskers Kira Boerkircher (Dance), Sheena Lawrick (Family and Consumer Science) and Anne Steffan (Psychology), will also graduate. Lawrick is Nebraska’s undergraduate assistant coach this season.

Seventh Inning Success
Nebraska has rallied from a one-run, seventh-inning deficit in three of its last five victories. After twice rallying from a one-run deficit to sweep Texas Tech April 22-23, the Huskers again rallied to beat Creighton on April 27.

In game one at Texas Tech NU led 2-0 before the Red Raiders plated one run in the fifth and two in the sixth to take a 3-2 lead. Nebraska quickly responded when junior Jamie Waldecker and freshman Crystal Carwile homered on consecutive pitches to lead off the seventh inning and give NU the win.

Game two of the series was even more dramatic, as Nebraska would not take its first lead of the game until the seventh. Trailing 3-2 entering the final inning, the Huskers sent eight batters to the plate and scored runs on an error and a hit batter with the bases loaded to take a 4-3 lead. NU had a chance to add more with the bases loaded and only one out, but was unable to push across another run. Nebraska went on to win the game with a six-run 10th inning.

Against Creighton on Thursday, the Huskers rallied for their largest come-from-behind victory of the season. Trailing 3-0, NU scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth. After being shutout in the bottom of the sixth, freshman Brittany Pascale led off the seventh inning with a pinch-hit solo home run - the first of her career - that forced extra innings, as the Huskers won 4-3 in eight innings. The three-run margin marked the largest deficit overcome for NU this season.

DeBuhr Dominant in Tossing Second Career No-Hitter
Junior right-hander Ashley DeBuhr tossed her second career no-hitter to lead the Huskers past Kansas, 1-0, on April 26. DeBuhr surrendered just two walks in the game and did not allow a Jayhawk to advance past first base.

The Beatrice, Neb., native also struck out a season-high 16 in the masterful performance, just one shy of her career high. DeBuhr struck out the first seven batters of the game and retired the final eight batters via the strikeout. DeBuhr's no-hitter was the second by a Husker pitcher this season, as freshman right-hander Molly Hill tossed a five-inning no-hitter against South Dakota State on April 12.

DeBuhr's first no-hitter was a perfect game against Iowa State on April 13, 2005. That marked just the third perfect game in the 31-year history of Nebraska softball. DeBuhr is also just the eighth pitcher in school history to toss more than one no-hitter in a career.

Porter Posting Impressive Numbers in Big 12 Play
Junior Devin Porter, already enjoying a career season, has posted even better numbers in Big 12 Conference play this season. Through the first 15 league games, Porter boasts a .364 average with a .393 on-base percentage and a .682 slugging percentage.

She ranks among the league leaders in nearly every offensive category, including home runs as her four homers rank fourth. Porter has also drawn five walks, while striking out just three times in 44 at bats. Porter has also been a threat on the basepaths, where she has scored 10 runs.

Linke Delivering Clutch Hits
Senior Katie Linke produced the game-winning hit in each of the Huskers' mid-week victories last week. Against Kansas on April 26, Linke scored freshman Crystal Carwile with a one-out single in the bottom of the fourth inning that proved to be the only run in Nebraska's 1-0 victory.

The following night, Linke delivered her second straight game-winning hit, this time in dramatic fashion. Tied at 3-3 in the bottom of the eighth, Linke stepped to the plate with two outs and the bases loaded. She promptly sent the first pitch she saw into left field for a walk-off single that scored senior Jessica Yoachim with the game-winning run.

Freshman Pascale Coming Through in the Clutch
Freshman Brittany Pascale has come through in some clutch situations for Nebraska this season. Nebraska has played just three extra-inning games this season, but Pascale has been responsible for getting the Huskers to extra innings in each of those contests.

Against Notre Dame on March 3, Pasacle pinch hit and recorded a game-tying sacrifice fly in the top of the seventh that forced extra innings, before the Huskers pulled out a 5-2 win.

At Texas Tech on April 23, Pascale gave Nebraska a 4-3 advantage in the top of the seventh when she was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Her RBI proved huge as Tech rallied in the bottom of the inning for a single run to force extra frames, where the Huskers won 10-4 in 10 innings.

Pascale followed that performance with another clutch pinch hit against Creighton on April 27. Trailing by one in the bottom of the seventh, Pascale came on to pinch hit and belted an 0-1 pitch over the wall in center field for her first career home run. That paved the way for a 4-3 eight-inning victory for NU.

Let's Play Extra
Nebraska has posted a pair of extra-inning victories in its last three games. On the season, NU is 3-0 in extra-inning games. In each of those wins, the Huskers forced extra innings by rallying from a one-run deficit in the seventh inning.

Against Notre Dame at the Best Western Airport Festival in Tulsa, Okla., on March 3, Nebraska scored one run in the seventh and three in the eighth to win 5-2. NU would not play another extra-inning contest until April 23 at Texas Tech. The Huskers trailed 3-2 entering the final inning, before NU rallied with two runs to take a 4-3 lead.

After the Red Raiders tied the game in the bottom of the seventh, the game remained scoreless until Nebraska exploded for a six-run 10th inning to earn a 10-4 win.

The Huskers would play extras just two games later against Creighton on April 27 Once again, NU trailed 3-2 in the seventh before tying the game on a solo home run and winning it in the eighth.

NU Surpasses 2005 Run Total
The 2006 Nebraska softball team scored more runs in 43 games this year than the 2005 squad produced in its 59-game season. This year's Huskers reached the mark by scoring 10 runs at Texas Tech on April 23, giving them 238 runs on the season. The 2005 team scored 232 runs.

At its current pace (246 runs in 46 games), NU has a chance to crack the 300-run mark and would become just the fourth team - and first since 2000 - at Nebraska to score 300 runs in a season.

Huskers Among National Leaders
Nebraska was well represented in the second set of NCAA statistical rankings, released on Tuesday, May 2. As a team, Nebraska ranks 16th in the nation in stolen bases per game (1.54), 16th in fielding percentage (.974), 20th in scoring (5.35 runs per game), 21st in ERA (1.68) and sixth in winning percentage (.826).

Several individuals also rank among the national leaders. Senior Lizzy Aumua ranks 42nd in average (.405), while fellow seniors Jessica Yoachim rank ninth in stolen bases per game (0.59) and Trisha Tannahill ranks 21st in hit-by-pitches per game (0.22). Freshman Crystal Carwile rounds out the Husker offensive leaders with a No. 30 ranking with 0.26 home runs per game.

In the circle, junior right-hander Ashley DeBuhr ranks 26th in the nation with an average of 9.4 strikeouts per game and 27th with 21 wins.