May 2, 2008

Lopers Upset Adams State in RMAC's

Rare Inside the Park Homer

     Kearney, Neb. – Senior Amanda Bell won her fifth straight start and senior Michelle Gaunt hit her first career home run  to propel the Nebraska-Kearney softball team to a 5-4 win over Adams State Friday afternoon in the first round of the RMAC Tournament at Arvada, Colo.

      The seventh-seeded Lopers (21-26) will play again this evening at around 5:00 p.m. against third-seed Metro State. The Roadrunners (31-16) easily dispatched of sixth-seed Colorado State-Pueblo, 13-5, this morning.

      Due to weather, this eight-team tournament was pushed back a full day and bracket times/location have been switched around a bit. All Loper games this weekend can be heard live on KLPR (91.3 FM) and at www.lopers.com. 

      The second-seeded ASC Grizzlies (33-19), averaging nearly seven runs a game and coming into today with 64 homers, grabbed a 2-0 first inning lead as RMAC Player of the Year Heather Ebert hit her 21st bomb of the spring.

       However, Adams had just five hits the rest of the way.

      Improving to 13-12, Bell gave up just one earned run over the final six innings to toss her fifth straight complete game. Since last Wednesday, she is 5-0 with a 1.75 ERA.

      Adams did score one run in the bottom of the seventh, thanks to a UNK error, and had the tying run at second with two down. However, Bell (Ft. Collins, Colo.) managed to get a "come backer" to end the threat and game.

      UNK broke a three all tie in the fifth when Gaunt, a lefty "slap" hitter from McCook, stepped to the plate with one out and junior Hannah Liming (2 for 3) at second.

      Among the Lopers' all-time leaders in at-bats with over 550, the slight Gaunt had only three extra base hits in her career before she delivered a shot to left center.

      A diving Adams' out fielder made an attempt to catch the ball but missed it and the ball rolled to the wall. The speedy Gaunt then managed to run around the bases before the relay throw could reach home plate. 

      Earlier in the game, sophomore first baseman Laura Gormley (Omaha Northwest) hit a solo homer in the second and senior Molly Langerak (Erie, Colo.) delivered a two run triple in the third.

      Pictured below are Bell-Gaunt.