April 27, 2008

Softball Sweeps Self into RMAC Tournament

Back-to-Back CG's for Bell; Lopers 7th Seed in RMAC's

     Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska-Kearney softball team has qualified for the 2008 RMAC Tournament after taking all four games from the Colo.-Colo. Springs Mountain Lions this weekend.

      On Sunday, UNK (20-26, 19-21 RMAC) won a suspended game, 3-2, then scored two runs after two were out in the bottom of the seventh to win the first game of a double header, 3-2. In the regular season finale, the Lopers scored five first inning runs to win going away, 6-2.

      In Golden, Colo. today, Colorado School of Mines swept a double header from Regis, 9-0 and 5-1. The Lopers thus pass Regis (18-20 RMAC) for the final berth in the league tournament.

      Western New Mexico also finished with a 19-21 league mark but UNK won a tie breaker to earn the seventh seed.

      The double elimination tournament will be played May 1-3 (Thurs.-Sat.) at Mines. The Orediggers went 27-11 (.711 win pct.) to win the regular season title. See the complete bracket HERE.

      The suspended game from Saturday started with the Lopers ahead 1-0 in the top of the second. UNK got a RBI single from McCook senior Michelle Gaunt (2 for 2) in the bottom of the second and a RBI double from Omaha sophomore Laura Gormley (2 for 3) in the third to increase the advantage.

      The Mountain Lions tallied single runs in the sixth and seventh inning but Yutan freshman Jessie Thomas got Brianna Workman to ground out with runners at first and second to end the game.

      Thomas earned her fifth win by tossing a six hit complete game and also went 2 for 3 at the plate. The final Loper to have a multi-hit game was Lincoln sophomore Alissa Larsen (2 for 3).

      UNK trailed the first game of the double dip 2-1 and the first two Lopers failed to reach base in the seventh. After Gaunt hit an infield single, a Springs error kept UNK alive.

      Senior Molly Langerak (4 for 4) tied the game with a double to center and then a single from Blair sophomore Kelsey Smith (2 for 3) brought home Larsen to score the winning run.

      Senior Amanda Bell (Ft. Collins, Colo.) went the distance for the third straight start, allowing nine hits and two earned runs while fanning nine and walking none.

      UNK didn't need any late inning dramatics in the finale as the bottom of the first featured six Loper hits, including a two run doubles from Gormley and Colorado junior Hannah Liming (2 for 3).

      That's all Bell needed as she again went the distance. Evening her mark to 12-12 for the year, she allowed eight hits and two runs while striking out three.

      Over the last two years, Bell is 6-0 against the powerful Mountain Lions. Pictured below are Bell-Thomas-Gormley.