Bulldogs sweep NU
■ The seventh-ranked
Nebraska softball team
loses two games to Drake
on Thursday.
By Jay Saunders
Assignment Reporter
DES MOINES, Iowa - The good
news for the No. 7 Nebraska softball
team is that the Comhuskers still
have a chance to finish the Big 12
Conference regular season undefeat
ed.
The bad news is that they won’t
be carrying any momentum from a
long winning streak into games this
weekend.
NU was swept in a doubleheader
at Drake in front of a crowd of 85 at
Buel Field.
The Bulldogs won the first game
3-1 and won game two 3-2 in their
last at bat.
It is the first time the Huskers
(36-10 overall) have lost a game
since splitting a doubleheader with
Creighton March 26.
I don t really have any excuses
for this,” NU Coach Rhonda Revelle
said. “They just beat us.”
In the first game, senior Ali Viola
put the Huskers on the board with a
solo home run with two outs in the
first inning. The homer was Viola’s
16th this year, which leads the team.
But that was the only run NU could
score on Drake pitcher Carol
Thompson.
Thompson, a sophomore from
Vancouver, Wash., tossed all seven
innings in game one. Thompson gave
up 10 hits but only one run, while
striking out three Husker hitters.
Drake (16-17) countered with a
run in the bottom of the first inning
Neither team could produce any
more runs until Bulldog third base
«
I don’t really have any excuses for this.
They just beat us.”
Rhonda Revelle
NU softball coach
man Jessica Lilja hit a two-run home
run in the bottom of the third inning
offNU sophomore Jenny Voss.
Voss, who fell to 28-7 this sea
son, gave up three runs on six hits.
The Huskers had several chances
to score runs but couldn’t capitalize.
In the last five innings of game one,
NU left eight runners on base. The
Huskers loaded the bases in both the
third and sixth innings, but did not
get a runner across the plate.
“In the first game, I don’t think
we came out aggressive enough,”
Revelle said. “Maybe what this does
is make us realize that this is a hum
bling game, and we have to be
aggressive in all aspects: hitting,
pitching and defense.”
Revelle would not let media
members speak with Husker players.
NU scored first again in the sec
ond game, when freshman Jessica
Draemal drove in fellow freshman
Kelly Pinkepank with a single to cen
ter field. The Huskers again had a
problem driving in runs, stranding
two base runners in the fifth inning.
But while the Huskers were hav
ing problems advancing runners,
Drake was having trouble getting
people on base.
In the second game, Revelle
started senior Christie McCoy to rest
Voss for this weekend’s games at
Oklahoma. McCoy dominated
Bulldog batters, allowing only two
hits in the first six innings.
In the top of the sixth inning, it
appeared that freshman Jamie Fuente
had given the Huskers all the insur
ance runs they would need with a
solo home run over the left field
fence. McCoy retired the Bulldogs in
order in the bottom of the sixth.
NU also went down in order in
the top of the seventh. In the bottom
of the seventh, Drake freshman
Jessica Jobes popped out to Viola for
the first out of the inning - then the
floodgates opened.
With two outs, the Bulldogs
knocked three consecutive hits.
Freshman Molly Murphy singled to
center field, driving in junior
Melanie Nimtz fof the game-win
ning run.
inis is me tirst time Drake has
swept a top 10 opponent under Coach
Megan Bryant.
“We were able to put it all togeth
er today,” Bryant said. “This is a pret
ty good accomplishment.”
The Huskers continue their road
trip with consecutive double headers
against Oklahoma on Saturday and
Oklahoma State on Sunday. NU has a
chance to finish the conference regu
lar season undefeated, which Revelle
said may have contributed to the loss
es.
“I don’t want to take anything
away from Drake,” Revelle said.
“They were really motivated today.
“There has been a lot of publicity
surrounding this weekend, and no
one really looked at Drake. Maybe
we gofsucked into it, too. There’s too
much on the line this weekend to let
this mar our focus.”
18th ranked OSU next for NU
Huskers look to continue winning ways
By Andrew Strnad
Staff Reporter
It’s crunch time in the Big 12 this
weekend as the Nebraska baseball
team travels to Stillwater, Okla.,
Sctiuldt
where the
Comhuskers will
play their third
straight ranked
opponent.
NU (21-15
overall and 7-8 in
the Big 12
Conference and
winners of seven
of their last eight)
will be enter
tained by the 18th
ranked Oklahoma State Cowboys at
Allie P. Reynolds Stadium in a three
game series.
After sweeping then- 14th ranked
Oklahoma and taking two of three
from No. 25 Texas Tech, the Huskers
are in a position to get into the Big 12
Tournament for the first time.
“Every series we play is the most
important series of the season from
here on out,” Nebraska pitcher Pete
Lythgoe said.
The team has been getting timely
hitting and strong outings from its
starters during NU’s recent terror.
Lythgoe (1-0), who will pitch
Saturday for the Huskers, is an exam
ple of Nebraska’s rebirth as he pitched
7 2/3 innings of one-hit ball on
Tuesday to help defeat Texas Tech 2-1.
“We’re understanding our roles,”
Lythgoe said. “Last year we weren’t
real organized, and die focus just was
n’t there.”
66-—
Last year we weren’t real organized, and
the focus just wasn ft there ”
Peter Lythgoe
NU pitcher
In 1997, Nebraska finished 27-35
with the second-worst team earned
run average (6.68) in school history.
This season, with first-year
Pitching Coach Rob Childress calling
the shots, the Huskers ERA has
dropped more than a run to 5.24.
By his own admission, Childress
said he believed organization in the
bullpen has played an important part
in NXJ’s recent success on the mound.
“It’s just so much easier this way,”
Childress said. “We know what’s
going on, and everybody knows what
they have to do.”
Ihe Huskers have had the luxury
of having middle-relief help and a
strong closer at their disposal.
Closer Tevis Arnold (1 -1) has
seven saves, which ranks him second
in the conference.
Junior lefty Jay Sirianni has been
spectacular in his last two outings,
striking out eight batters over 8 1/3
innings of work.
Starter Matt Schuldt (4-0, 2.40
ERA) has won three straight over
ranked teams and will pitch Sunday
against Oklahoma State.
The senior has thrown 287 pitches
in his last two outings, but like the
other pitchers, understands the roles
assumed by the entire staff.
•
“Our job is to throw strikes,”
Schuldt said. “Whether we’re starting
or coming in middle relief, the name
of the game is throwing strikes.”
On Friday Nebraska will send
sophomore Chad Wiles (3-2) against
a Cowboy team that has won 12 of its
last 13 games.
Oklahoma State (32-13 overall
and 11-8 in the Big 12 Conference) is
in third place in the Big 12 and is com
ing off of a three-game sweep of con
ference leading Baylor last weekend.
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