Nebraska 7, Kansas 5

May 3, 2002

In a game that featured 12 runs, the most to date in this year's Big 12 Softball Tournament, Nebraska survived an early uprising by Kansas and won 7-5. The third-seeded Huskers fell behind 5-2 early in the contest thanks to a three-run double by KU's Serena Settlemier and a botched rundown that resulted in a pair of Jayhawk runs. Nebraska closed the score to 5-3 with a run in the third and plated four more in the fourth to take the lead for good. In that four-run fourth, one run scored on a bases-loaded walk, one on a passed ball and another on a wild pitch. Husker senior Leigh Ann Walker tossed 4.0 innings of hitless relief to move to 25-4 on the season. Kara Pierce relieved KU starter Settlemier and got the loss despite pitching one-third of an inning. Pierce surrendered two unearned runs and walked three batters in falling to 12-9 on the year. Nebraska will face the winner of Saturday's Baylor-A&M at 5 p.m. while the seventh-seeded Jayhawks will play Oklahoma on Saturday at 11 a.m.

Nebraska Head Coach Rhonda Revelle
On the game:
"This was a game where you fought and fought offensively. There are all kinds of wins in softball and many times you don't see a score like this, but the fact is that we came out and hit the ball tonight. I was really proud of our staying power and the attitude of our kids in the dugout."

On choosing Peaches James to start:
"I looked at my Kansas chart and saw that Leigh Ann Walker had consecutively started at pitcher against them. I wanted the Jayhawks to have to adjust to Peaches (James) and then come back in with the contrast of Leigh Ann."

Kansas Head Coach Tracy Bunge
On the game:
"There were basically two parts to this game. Offensively, especially at the beginning of the game, we were great. I liked our energy and intensity and it showed early on. Those are the types of the things coaches love to see. Unfortunately, there were pitching problems and one major defensive error. You can't do those types of things to a good team like Nebraska because it will come back to haunt you."

On facing Oklahoma again Saturday:
"We showed in Thursday's game what we are capable of. The key to tomorrow's game is how we bounce back mentally because losing like this is extremely difficult and we spent a lot of energy tonight. This team can be like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. You just never know what you're going to get."

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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