Gateway

Issue date: 4/3/09 Section: Sports

Wayne State's Sarah Gottschalk unsuccessfully tries to tag UNO's Ashley Lynch as she steals second during game one of the doubleheader. (Michelle Bishop/The Gateway) [Click to enlarge]

Kristi Meneely dives home to score the winning run in game one as Wayne State catcher Samantha Earleywine fields a wild throw. (Michelle Bishop/The Gateway) [Click to enlarge]

After playing their first 25 games on the road, the 21st-ranked Maverick softball team finally got the chance to play its home-opener against Wayne State, on March 25.

UNO, which had a home series against Augustana on March 10 canceled due to inclement weather, took advantage of a temperate spring day at Claussen-Westgate Field to claim both games of a doubleheader with identical 2-1 scores.

In the first game, Wayne State jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the first inning, but the Mavs tied the game in the second. Junior Jenna Dell led off with a single and then freshman Molly Feichtinger, who pinch ran for her, scored on a single by sophomore Lindsey Slocum.

Sophomore pitcher Beth Haley entered in the sixth inning with the score tied 1-1 and a runner on first. Haley ended the inning with the next batter and then blanked the Wildcats in the final three innings, allowing no hits.

Junior Kristi Meneely doubled to lead off the ninth and then advanced to second on Dell's sacrifice bunt. With one out, senior Amanda Bader grounded to the shortstop, allowing Meneely to score the game-winner as the throw went to first base. The game was UNO's fourth extra-inning game in six contests.

"It was long but I figured we'd pull through," sophomore Ashley Lynch said. "[Head Coach Jeanne Scarpello] told us we needed to stay in there and keep swinging because our bats would come around, our defense was good."

Slocum allowed four hits and an unearned run through the first five and two-thirds innings. Haley pitched the final three and one-third innings to earn the win and improve to 7-3. In the second game, UNO grabbed a 1-0 lead in the second inning after Bader doubled and then scored on junior Julia Krejci's double.

Wayne State tied the game in the third off a leadoff home run, but junior Treightin Yates drove in the winning run for UNO in the fifth with a double to center field.

With the Mavs up 2-1 and runners on first and second, Haley entered as relief and allowed a single to load the bases. She coaxed the next batter to hit into a double play to end the sixth inning.

Two Wildcat runners reached base in the seventh inning, but another double play and then a strikeout ended the game to earn Haley her first save of the year. Junior Melissa Negrete improved to 8-2 with the win, striking out one and allowing five hits and no walks.

Haley's performance in the circle earned her MIAA pitcher of the week honors for the second time this season. The Mavs are 22-5 and winners of eight of their last nine.

The Mavs were scheduled to open Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association play over the weekend with a series at both Pittsburg State and Missouri Southern but the games were canceled due to the cold and wet fields. The doubleheaders will be made up April 27 at Pittsburg State and April 28 at Missouri Southern.

UNO was also scheduled to play at Nebraska-Kearney on Tuesday, but once again, weather issues pushed the doubleheader to Wednesday. Results were unavailable at press time.

UNO is scheduled to host Emporia State today in a doubleheader at 2 p.m., and Washburn visits Saturday at 1 p.m. for a doubleheader.

Before the Wayne State games, UNO traveled to Orlando, Fla., to take part in the Rebel Spring Games. The Mavs finished the tournament 6-2.

UNO kicked off play with a 4-3 loss to Adelphi but bounced back to beat Southwest Minnesota State 1-0 in the second game.

The Mavs strung four more wins together, beating Minnesota Duluth 1-0, Southwest Minnesota State 4-3, Massachusetts-Lowell 3-2 in 10 innings and New Haven 2-1 in nine innings.

Dell knocked in the winning run in the top of the 10th against Massachusetts-Lowell, while Haley picked up the win after striking out nine.

Slocum struck out 16 batters in nine innings against New Haven, allowing just three hits, while Krejci drove in the winning run in the bottom of the ninth on a suicide squeeze.

UNO split a pair of games on the final day of the tournament. Playing extra innings for their third straight game, the Mavs dropped a 4-3 game in nine innings to Augustana but rebounded to crush Wayne State (Mich.) 8-0 in six innings.

"We're coming back from it pretty well. With our potential I think we can do real well if we play to our best," Lynch said.

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