UNK finishes 3-1 in season-opening series

FARMINGTON, N.M. The Nebraska-Kearney softball team scored 36 runs to go 3-1 against Fort Lewis College over the weekend.

Due to poor weather, the four-game RMAC series was moved 50 miles south of the FLC campus in Durango, Colo. The Lopers swept Saturday's games 7-1 and 16-4 (5 innings) and won the series finale 7-4. Fort Lewis managed to win Sunday's first game, 8-6. UNK is now 4-4 on the year while the Skyhawks fell to 5-8.

In the series opener, the Lopers scored all seven of its runs over the first three innings and got a complete game six hitter from senior Amanda Bell to record an easy victory.

Senior catcher Molly Langerak went 3-for-3 while freshman third baseman Cassie Keck (Blair) hit a three-run homer to finish 3-for-4.

The hit parade continued in the second game as UNK had 13 base knocks to cross the plate 16 times in just five innings. The scoring barrage included a nine run second and a four fifth.

Langerak again went 3-for-3 while Keck and sophomores Laura Gormley and Kelsey Smith each collected two hits. Keck started the big second inning with a solo homer while sophomore Alissa Larsen had a two-run triple in the third.

UNK junior Ashley Guyle recorded her first win of the year.

On Sunday, UNK did have 14 hits in the opener but left eight runners stranded. The team scored three in the top of the seventh, two on a double by Keck (4-for-4, two runs).

In the finale, Yutan freshman Jessie Thomas earned her first collegiate victory by allowing three runs over the first 3 1/3 innings.

UNK scored six unearned runs in the game off of two key Fort Lewis errors. Both Jessica Guyle and Larsen reached on error to start a five-run third. The set also featured a two-run single by Gormley (2-for-3).

Broncos split twinbill with Kansas Weslyean

HASTINGS The Hastings College Softball team split a doubleheader with Kansas Wesleyan Sunday afternoon at the Smith Softball Complex.

On a day when the weather was anything but favorable, the Broncos were able to rally off 13 runs in game one to secure a 13-5 win. In game two, the Broncos were unable to overcome the Kansas Wesleyan lead an lost 7-6.

Hastings will be back in action Wednesday when they head to York to take on York College in two seven-inning games starting at 5 p.m. Hastings is now 2-2 overall.

* BASEBALL

Lopers bounce back to sweep Colo. State-Pueblo

PUEBLO, Colo. The Nebraska-Kearney baseball team shook off a pair of tough losses on Friday to sweep 27th-ranked Colorado State-Pueblo 25-11 and 6-3 on Saturday.

On Friday, UNK (6-7, 2-2 RMAC) fell to the Thunderwolves (9-5, 2-2) by scores of 11-10 and 6-4. The league series was moved up one day due to projected bad weather Sunday.

For the weekend, UNK batted .408 with 15 doubles, four homers and 43 RBIs. Trey Howell led the way, batting .667, with eight different players having at least four RBIs.

UNK plays at Nebraska Tuesday before heading to Regis next weekend for another four-game RMAC series.

Hastings College games canceled due to weather

SALINA, Kan. The Hastings College baseball teams games scheduled for Sunday against Kansas Wesleyan were canceled due to poor weather conditions.

* BASKETBALL

Tickets available for RMAC Shootout in Pueblo

KEARNEY The Nebraska-Kearney basketball teams have advanced to the semifinals of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference basketball tournament this Friday in Pueblo, Colo., and tickets are now on sale for the event.

Loper fans can buy their tickets once they get to the Colorado State Fair Events Center or log on to www.ticketmaster.com/artist/1196380 to buy them now.

The cost, per session, for the general admission tickets are $10 (adults), $7 (seniors 65 plus), $5 (students) and $3 (children). Kids under four years old will be admitted for free.

The UNK men will play Colorado Christian Friday at 5 p.m. Central with the women battling Metro State directly following at around 7 p.m. CST.

Starting Monday morning and running to Thursday, UNK students can pick up free tickets to the tournament by stopping by the UNK main Athletic Office, located in the Health and Sports Center. A total of 200 free student tickets for each night are available. Students must have a valid UNK ID to receive the tickets.

Also, for the fourth straight year, the championship games on Saturday will be carried on television by the Altitude Sports and Entertainment Network.

* GOLF

NU's Wyatt records second straight top-20 finish

DADE CITY, Fla. The Nebraska men's golf team finished in 18th place at the 18-team Ron Smith/USF Invitational, with a final team score of 914.

The Cornhuskers were led by freshman Andrew Wyatt, who for the second straight tournament, scored a career best. Wyatt's score of 219 was three-over-par for the tournament and four strokes better than his previous best set last week at the Rice Intercollegiate. Wyatt finished in a tie for 20th place, his second-straight top-20 finish. He has also recorded five straight rounds of 74 or better, and three of those five have been even-par performances.

* TENNIS

Nebraska women earn 11th consecutive victory

LINCOLN The Nebraska women's tennis team won its 11th straight match on Sunday morning over the Northern Iowa Panthers, 4-0. Due to severe weather forecasted to be moving into the region Sunday evening, the format of the match was changed, resulting in the shortened match. NU moved to 11-0 with the victory, while Northern Iowa fell to 7-3.

Both teams agreed to play singles first instead of the normal format of doubles followed by singles. If a team reached four points in singles play then the match would be called as a winner will have been determined. The Huskers took the first four completed singles matches and called the match at that point.

Nebraska 4, Northern Iowa 0

Doubles

Not played due to travel concerns

Singles

No. 1Imke Reimers (NU) def. Meghana Paritala (UNI), 6-0, 6-2.

No. 2Jana Albers (NU) vs. Sampada Kanade (UNI), DNF.

No. 3Wiveca Swarting (NU) def. Laia Gonzalez (UNI), 6-0, 6-1.

No. 4Stephanie Evans (NU) vs. Diana Mendez (UNI), DNF.

No. 5Amber Chandronnait (NU) def. Ashton Schwerin (UNI), 6-0, 6-1.

No. 6Abby Buxton (NU) def. Samantha Schnobel (UNI), 6-2, 6-2.