DeBuhr Leads Huskers Past Bears

Oklahoma City - Junior right-hander Ashley DeBuhr was stellar in the circle and at the plate to lead the 14th-ranked and second-seeded Nebraska softball team past 19th-ranked and No. 3 seed Baylor, 7-1, on Thursday in an elimination contest at the Big 12 Championship.

DeBuhr (23-7) did not allow an earned run while tossing a complete-game two-hitter with 12 strikeouts in the circle. At the plate, she went 2-for-3 with a career-high four RBIs, including her first career home run. Prior to her offensive outburst on Thursday, DeBuhr's last at bat came on April 14 against Baylor, when she went 0-for-2.

In her first start of the year against Baylor on April 13, DeBuhr allowed a season-high six earned runs on a season-high 11 hits, while striking out a season-low three batters. Thursday was a different story. DeBuhr retired the side in order in every inning except the fourth and sat down the final 12 Lady Bears. Her 12 strikeouts marked the third-highest strikeout total for Baylor this season.

A native of Beatrice, Neb., DeBuhr was in command from the start. She threw 75 percent of her 104 pitches for strikes, including a stretch of 27 straight strikes that stretched from the first through the fourth inning. DeBuhr's performance kept Nebraska alive in the Big 12 Championship.  With the win, Nebraska (41-9) advances to play the loser of tonight's game between fifth-seeded Oklahoma and No. 9 seed Oklahoma State on Friday at 11 a.m.

After being shutout on Wednesday, Nebraska struck quickly against Baylor, scoring one run in the bottom of the first. Senior Lizzy Aumua drew a leadoff walk and stole second with one out. Junior Jamie Waldecker then singled to put runners at first and second for freshman Crystal Carwile. The Huskers' leading home run hitter and RBI producer surprised Baylor with a perfectly executed squeeze bunt that scored Aumua. NU still had runners on first and second with only one out, but a strikeout and a ground out ended the inning.

The Huskers added to their lead in the bottom of the second when DeBuhr helped herself by launching a two-run homer to left. The home run - the first of DeBuhr's career - scored freshman Brittany Pascale, who drew a leadoff walk.

After DeBuhr was perfect through the first three innings, Baylor responded the second time through the order. Harmony Schwethelm became the Lady Bears' first baserunner when she reached on a one out single in the top of the fourth. She then stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error from Waldecker behind the plate. Tessa Lynam followed with an RBI single up the middle that scored Schwethelm and cut the Huskers' lead to 3-1.

Nebraska returned to its scoring ways in the bottom of the fifth, sending nine batters to the plate and scoring three runs. Senior Jessica Yoachim reached on a bunt single to lead off and Waldecker drew a four-pitch walk to put runners on first and second with no outs. Carwile then drove a ball to the gap in left center that scored Yoachim and put the Huskers up 4-1.

With two on and still none out, Baylor got a pair of outs before Pascale drew a walk to load the bases for DeBuhr. DeBuhr delivered with a two-strike single through the left side that scored freshman pinch runner Meghan Mullin and Carwile to increase Nebraska's lead to 6-1.

In the sixth, Yoachim ignited another Husker rally. She led off with a single, stole second and scored on a two-out single from fellow senior Trisha Tannahill. Yoachim's stolen base was her 30th of the season, moving her into third place on the NU single-season chart. The stolen base - her 50th consecutive steal without being thrown out - also moved her into a tie for third place on the NU career chart with 81.

Yoachim finished 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored to lead a trio of Husker hitters with more than one hit. Tannahill finished 2-for-4 with an RBI, while DeBuhr was 2-for-3. Carwile added two RBIs for NU.

Friday's 11 a.m. game can be heard live on Huskers.com, with Nate Rohr providing play-by-play commentary. Live stats will also be available on Huskers.com.