Nebraska-Omaha's Frew helps Mavs to victories

BOYS TOWN Bryan Frew's bat and Tim Huber's arm lead the University of Nebraska at Omaha to two wins over North Dakota in North Central Conference play, completing a weekend sweep, 17-4 and 2-0, Sunday afternoon at Boys Town.

Frew (Grand Island) hit two home runs, driving in five total runs, for UNO in the opener, as the Mavericks (18-9, 4-0 NCC) posted their second-highest run output of the season.

The Sioux (7-9, 0-4 NCC) took advantage of a shaky start by UNO hurler Taylor Weisbeck to score three runs in the first three innings. But a two-run double by Chris Weimer in the bottom of the third highlighted a five-run outburst to put the Mavs in the lead.

Frew socked a out-out homer in the fourth, opening the floodgates for an eight-run inning. Brian Strawn missed a grand slam by only a few feet, settling instead for a long two-run single off the wall.

Frew picked up another RBI in the inning with a bases-loaded walk. He blasted a three-run homer in UNO's four-run eighth inning.

Mark Johnson (1-0) earned the win, pitching four innings of relief, allowing just one late run on three hits, striking out five.

The second game was a completely different story, as UNO's Huber and UND's Mike Lueck locked up in a pitchers' duel. Frew scored the game's first run, drawing a walk, stealing second and scoring on a Josh Shirk single. The Mavs tacked on another run in the second on a Travis Jacobi RBI single.

No. 9 Metro State beats UNK in 10 innings

Kearney - Jordan Stouffer hit a two run single in the top of the 10th inning to help the 9th-ranked Metro State Roadrunners beat Nebraska-Kearney 14-13 Sunday afternoon at Memorial Field.

Metro improves to 30-6 (22-2 RMAC) and takes the series, 3-1. The 'Runners also won the season series over the Lopers (17-19, 11-13 RMAC), 4-3.

UNK, which left 14 runners on base for the game and seven over the last five innings, tied the game at 12 with two outs in bottom of the ninth.

With the bases loaded, senior catcher Griff Watson (Omaha North) hit a ground ball that Metro shortstop Matt McConnell misplayed. However, while the tying run scored, senior Joe Nowaczyk was thrown out after rounding third base.

In the top of the 10th, the first two Roadrunners reached on a walk and single. After a wild pitch moved each up 90 feet, and a strike out was recorded, Stouffer (3 for 5, three RBI's) delivered a single up the middle.

UNK got a sac fly from senior Joe Gonzales (3 for 5, four RBI's) in the bottom of the inning but Metro's Josh Eckert, the fifth 'Runner to throw today, got the final out with no one on base.

Also for the Lopers, Blair junior Kyle Smith went 4 for 5 while Nowaczyk (Gretna) and junior Leon de Winter (The Netherlands) each having two hits and two RBIs.

The two teams combined for 20 runs over the first four innings but only seven in the final six frames. Metro got strong relief work from Eckert (1.2 IP, no hits), Derek Colbert (4.1 IP, three runs) and two others while UNK saw senior Jeff Foster (Ranger, Texas) throw a strong four innings.

Weather permitting, UNK is at 28th-ranked Wayne State Tuesday for a single nine inning game starting at 3 p.m.

* softball

Errors cost Nebraska in 10-inning loss

Lubbock, Texas - A pair of errors in the bottom of the 10th inning allowed the winning run to score, as Texas Tech completed a sweep of the Nebraska softball team with a 2-1 come-from-behind victory on Sunday in front of a school-record 771 fans at Rocky Johnson Field.

Nebraska (16-18, 0-6 Big 12) out-hit Texas Tech, 7-3, but the Huskers stranded 10 runners in the game. In Nebraska's half of the 10th, freshman Abby Hughes was placed on second base in accordance with the international tie breaker.

Junior Meghan Mullin then reached on an infield single, but she was tagged out in a rundown between first and second. Hughes went to third on the play, but a pop out and a ground out by the Huskers' No. 3 and 4 hitters left the game tied.

That set the stage for the Red Raiders to win in the bottom of the inning. Texas Tech had runners on first and second following a leadoff walk before an error loaded the bases.

NU then recorded a force out at home, before Jennifer Corkin hit a soft grounder back to Husker pitcher Molly Hill. Hill had ample time to throw home for the second out, but she couldn't find her handle on the ball and Leah Legler raced home from third for the winning run.

With the victory, Texas Tech (11-27, 3-4 Big 12) swept the season series from Nebraska for the first time ever. Since the Big 12 Conference was formed in 1996, the Huskers had swept the Red Raiders 10 times, while the teams split in 1997 and 2001.

UNK softball sweeps Orediggers again

Kearney - Senior Amanda Bell and freshman Jessie Thomas threw

complete games and the Nebraska-Kearney softball team pounded out 20 hits to sweep Colorado School of Mines, 7-2 and 6-3, Sunday afternoon at DrydenPark.

UNK (12-20, 11-15 RMAC) wins four in a row for the first time this year and sweeps an RMAC foe for the first time in 2008. The Orediggers (23-15, 13-9 RMAC) came into the weekend in first place in the East Division but will now fall into second place and maybe even further.

In game one, Bell (Ft. Collins, Colo.) threw a four hit gem, fanning two 'Diggers and walking none. Thomas (Yutan) then followed with a seven hit complete game in the night cap.

Offensively, UNK had 12 hits in the first contest with lead off hitter Michelle Gaunt (McCook) going 3 for 3 with two runs scored and an RBI. Three others had two hits, including Thomas, who also drove in a pair.

A three run Loper third broke a two all tie and featured back-to-back homers from sophomore Laura Gormley (Omaha Northwest) and freshman Cassie Keck (Blair).

The 'Diggers, mean while, mustered just two solo homers to account for its runs.

* track

Nebraska's Crofford posts provisional time

Palo Alto, Calif. - Freshman Lara Crofford took to the track on day two of the Stanford Invitational and earned a NCAA provisional-qualifying time in the 10,000 meters with a time of 33:56.46.

Crofford's time moves her into second place all-time at Nebraska in the 10,000 meters. The top spot is held by Sammie Resh Gdowski who ran a time of 32:34.71 in 1990 at a meet in Walnut, Calif.

Crofford (Newville, Pa.) has been a welcomed addition to the Husker distance squad this season as she also ran the fourth fastest time 5,000 meters all-time at Nebraska during the indoor season with a time of 16:43.43 and posted the 11th fastest 3,000 meters all-time indoors at 9:43.13.