Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Kearney, Neb. – Senior first baseman Kate Ruwe and junior shortstop Molly Stern hit home runs to help Nebraska-Kearney beat Concordia-St. Paul, 10-4, Friday morning at the Kelly Laas Memorial Invitational in St. Cloud, Minn.
 
The day began very early for the Lopers (6-8) as they fell to Augustana, 9-1 (5 innings), in a contest that started at 7:00 a.m. UNK finished the tournament with a 2-3 record.
 
Earlier this month in Las Vegas, the Lopers out slugged the Golden Bears (3-5) by an 11-10 score. Today, UNK scored four in the second, three in the third and two more in the fourth to win going away.
 
The Loper second featured four hits, including a two-run shot to center by Ruwe (2 for 2). Through 14 games, the Blair native is batting .465 with five HR's and 17 RBI's.
 
In the third inning, Stern (Peoria, Ariz.) belted her second homer of the season, a three-run shot to center. She finished 2 for 3 with two runs.
 
Canadian southpaw Kami Merrill pitched the final four innings to get her second win in a UNK uniform. The junior struck out nine and allowed just one hit and four walks. At the plate, she had an RBI triple in the fourth.
 
The Vikings (7-5) scored eight runs in the bottom of the fourth to break a one all tie in the early game. The big blow was a "Grand Slam" from catcher Shannon Petersen. That came with one out and was one of seven hits in the big inning.
 
Senior lefty Carley Pickett (4-3) threw a complete game six-hitter to earn the win on the mound. She struck out three Lopers and didn't walk a batter.
 
UNK saw Ruwe knock in a run in the third with junior shortstop Katy Shupe (Ralston H.S.) going 2 for 2 from the seven hole.
 
Kearney gets a well-deserved break next weekend. They then play 14 of its next 18 games at Dryden Park, the first coming on Friday, March 5th, vs. Southwest Baptist.