Box Score 1 Kearney, Neb. – Senior Bailey Backhuus threw a complete game six-hitter and junior Mallory Noakes drove in three runs as Nebraska-Kearney beat Fort Hays State, 8-2, in the first game of a double header Sunday at Dryden Park.
 
Severe weather called off the second game in the top of the first. The Lopers end 2014 with a 13-28 record while the Tigers (29-17) will play in the MIAA Tournament next week.
 
Backhuus (Bennington) shut out Hays in six of the seven innings as she walked just three while fanning two. Winning for the third time in 2014, this marks her ninth career complete game in her 24th and final collegiate start. 
 
UNK, which finished with 12 hits, tied the game at two in the third when senior 3b Sarah Rome (Blair) belted a two-run double to dead center. The Lopers then crossed home plate three times in both the fourth and fifth innings to bust things open.
 
The fourth featured RBI's from Noakes, via a bunt single, senior center fielder Mackenize Tomlin (Grand Island) and sophomore 1b Kate Ruwe (3 for 4).
 
Noakes (3 for 4) then laced a two out, two-run single to make it 7-2 in the fifth. On the play, she baited Hays to throw to second. Managing to get back to first safely, Noakes saw senior Kenzie Helmink (Fairbury) score from third on the heads up play.
 
Besides Ruwe and Noakes, senior right fielder Whitney Frederick (Blair) went 2 for 4 with two runs.
 
UNK's two other seniors were catcher Jen Kramer (North Platte) and pitcher Brittnie Kreiser (Council Bluffs, Ia.). Kramer started behind the plate in both games while Kreiser was UNK's starting pitcher in the night cap.
 
Finally, Ruwe became only the sixth Loper to go an entire season without recording an error in the field. Her 1.000 fielding percentage included 297 put outs and three assists.
 
UNK Fielding Percentage in a Season (Min. 100 Chances)
1.    1.000 Kate Ruwe                     2014 (300 chances)
        1.000 Kris Granlich                 1988 (135 chances)
        1.000 Sarah Raymond             2005 (134 chances)
        1.000 Brooke Epley                 2005 (127 chances)
        1.000 Anne Manning                2003 (129 chances)
        1.000 Becky Frazier                1995 (102 chances)