Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Kearney, Neb. – Senior first baseman Kate Ruwe tied the school record for home runs in a season in game one, and had go-ahead hit in the second game, as Nebraska-Kearney swept a double header from Emporia State, 11-3 (6 innings) and 3-2, Saturday afternoon at Dryden Park.
 
UNK (18-24, 9-15) is now 11-5 at home with five double header sweeps. The Lopers have just two MIAA games remaining – an April 23rd double dip vs. Ft. Hays State – and will likely need another sweep in order to make the eight-team post season tournament.
 
Despite windy conditions, Ruwe belted a two-run homer to dead center as part of a six-run Loper sixth in game one. Finishing 2 for 3 with two runs and three RBI's, Ruwe now has 17 homers on the season, tying fellow Blair native Cassie Keck who set the standard in 2011.

The homer also marked Ruwe's 200th career hit. She is just one of seven Lopers to reach that mark and the first since Keck (205).
 
Two batters after Ruwe, Colorado sophomore Meg Housholder continued to swing a hot bat as she smacked her own two-run shot to increase the Kearney lead. Earning a save by throwing the final 1.1 innings, she finished 2 for 4.
 
UNK eight-run ruled the Hornets (19-26, 7-11) when sophomore right fielder Kaela Samek (3 for 3, two runs) brought home pinch runner Taylre Keenan (Ralston) with a single to center. Also at the plate for the Lopers, junior second baseman Molly Stern went 2 for 4 with three RBI's.
 
California senior Nicole Larsen picked up her fifth win by blanking Emporia over the first four innings. She then won the night cap as she threw the final two innings.
 
Canadian junior Kami Merrill and Emporia sophomore Holly Hinkel were locked in a pitcher's duel in the second game. Neither allowed an earned run over the first five innings but each club took advantage of an error to score once.
 
UNK tied things up in the fifth on a Stern (Peoria, Ariz.) sac fly to left. The Lopers then had three of its four hits in the sixth to score twice. Ruwe delivered an RBI double to right center to break the tie with Keenan, again as the pinch runner, scoring on a single by Housholder.
 
Emporia made things interesting, starting the seventh with a double and single. However, Ruwe started a 3-2 double play to help end the rally. While the Hornets scored once in the inning, a pop up to third ended things.
 
UNK is off next weekend. They'll play a double header at Wayne State on Thursday, April 21st. Those games were originally scheduled for March 30th but postponed due to weather.