Arizona State 1 No. 3 seed

vs.

Nebraska 2 No. 2 seed

Score by Innings		1	2	3		4	5	6		7	8		R	H	E
Arizona State (40-26)		0	0	0		0	1	0		0	0		1	4	1
Nebraska (35-20)		0	0	0		0	1	0		0	1		2	5	2

Boxscore and Play-By-Play

Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Alumni Field)
Event: NCAA Regional 6 Softball Championship (Game 10)
Result: Nebraska 2, Arizona State 1
Records: Nebraska (35-20); Arizona State (40-26)
Next Game: Sunday, May 23 -- Nebraska vs. Arizona State (regional championship game), 2:45 p.m.

Nebraska Edges Sun Devils, Forces Second Title Game

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- For the third game in a row, Nebraska used an extra inning to keep its season alive, defeating Arizona State 2-1 in eight innings Sunday (May 23) to force a second championship game in NCAA Softball Regional 6 at Alumni Field. With one out in the bottom of the eighth inning, Nebraska pinch hitter Ellen Middleton executed a safety squeeze bunt to send Kelly Pinkepank to home plate for the game-winning run.

The two teams will play again this afternoon (May 23), with the winner taking the regional title and earning a spot in the Women's College World Series. Arizona State (40-26) and Nebraska (35-20) have split their two regional meetings, with the Sun Devils handing the Huskers a 1-0 loss in Game 6 of the tournament Friday (May 21).

In the bottom of the eighth inning, Pinkepank drew a one-out walk. The game started to open up when Jennifer Lizama singled and advanced to second on a throwing error by the catcher, moving Pinkepank to third on the play. Arizona State then replaced pitcher Erica Beach with Kirsten Voak, who had started the game and pitched through the bottom of the fifth inning. Middleton was brought in the game to pinch hit and pushed the bunt past the charging first baseman to drive in the winning run.

Arizona State opened the scoring in the fifth inning. With runners on first and second base, Jamie Hlebechuk grounded to the shortstop, who tried to get the lead runner at third, but the throw got past the third baseman, allowing Holly Smith to tally the game's first run.

Nebraska retaliated in the bottom of the inning. On the first pitch, Heather Martin doubled to the leftfield. Pinch runner Jill Baker replaced Martin and advanced to third on a bunt by Brewer, and Pinkepank, first-pitch swinging, singled to centerfield to send Martin home with the tying run.

Arizona State had many opportunities to score throughout the game. In the top of the first inning, with runners on second and third with one out, ASU tried a suicide squeeze play but missed the bunt, and Jen Langenhuizen was tagged out in a rundown. Chris Gill then flied out to leftfield to end the scoring threat. In the sixth, the Sun Devils loaded the bases with two outs, but Nebraska pitcher Jenny Voss struck out the next hitter. Voss (23-10) went the distance, allowing four hits while striking out three.

N O T E S

• Nebraska has won its last three regional contests in extra innings while facing elimination. The Huskers defeated Notre Dame 4-3 in eight innings on Saturday and beat Florida Atlantic 4-2 in eight Sunday in the completion of a suspended game before downing Arizona State.

Last updated: Sunday, 23-May-1999 16:44:51 EDT