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University of Nebraska - Kearney Athletics

February 18, 2022: The University of Nebraska at Kearney Lopers play against the Oklahoma Christian University Lady Eagles at Tom Heath Field at Lawson Plaza on the campus of Oklahoma Christian University.
Steven Christy Photography
3
Fort Hays State FHSU 13-16, 0-3 miaa
5
Winner Nebraska-Kearney UNK 15-12, 5-0 miaa
Fort Hays State FHSU
13-16, 0-3 miaa
3
Final
5
Nebraska-Kearney UNK
15-12, 5-0 miaa
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Fort Hays State FHSU 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 3 5 2
Nebraska-Kearney UNK 0 2 2 0 0 1 X 5 9 2

W: Wolfe, Patia (7-4) L: Egger,Savanah (4-7) S: Bott, Stacy (3)

2
Fort Hays State FHSU 13-17, 0-4 MIAA
7
Winner Nebraska-Kearney UNK 16-12, 6-0 MIAA
Fort Hays State FHSU
13-17, 0-4 MIAA
2
Final
7
Nebraska-Kearney UNK
16-12, 6-0 MIAA
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Fort Hays State FHSU 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 10 1
Nebraska-Kearney UNK 0 1 0 1 3 2 X 7 13 0

W: Thomason, Sydney (1-1) L: Carlson,Bailey (3-2) S: Rosenthal, Madison (1)

Next Game:

at Missouri Southern

4/1/2022 | 3 p.m.

Next Game

Full Schedule
Apr. 01 (Fri) / 3 p.m.
at Missouri Southern
History

Game Recap: Softball |

Tiger Sweep Equals First Place in the MIAA Standings

Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska-Kearney softball team used timely hitting, solid pitching and made a couple of stellar defensive plays to sweep a double header from rival Fort Hays State, 5-3 and 7-2, Saturday afternoon at Patriot Park.

This was UNK's "Home Opener" after 26 games on the road. The Lopers (16-12, 6-0) push its win streak to 11 in a row, the longest such streak in 23 years. The 1999 squad started 22-0 en route to a national runner up finish.

"We found a way to win and that's what we keep doing. It's been pretty fun," said UNK head coach Katie Ackermann. "This is one of the better crowds I've seen (at Patriot) since I've been here (2019). We love our fans and we've been telling people to come out and watch what we can do."

The Lopers are now tied with 4th-ranked Rogers State (26-2, 6-0) for first place in the MIAA. 

In game one, Lincoln senior Kelsey Goodban struck out six over five innings to record her team-leading seventh win with freshmen Lyndsey Roth (Lincoln North Star) and Sydney Thomason (Ripon, Calif.) going yard. Roth, UNK's leadoff hitter, hit an opposite field two-run shot to left in the second with Thomason, batting third in the lineup, belting a moon shot to left center to start the third. Kearney led 4-1 after three complete but the Tigers tallied two in its half of the fifth.

"We can hit and we can hit the long ball. To have a leadoff hitter that can do that and a couple of others through the middle of the order … it scores runs really fast. That changed the momentum of the game and that's what we need every now and then from some of our top hitters," said Ackermann.

Hays could've tied the game with two down in the sixth but Omaha sophomore Abbie Jo Gaube made a diving catch near the left field line. UNK then tallied an insurance run in the bottom of the inning thanks to a single, sac but, wild pitch and Tiger error. Hays did have two on in the seventh but sophomore Stacy Bott (Thornton, Colo.) recorded her third save by getting a pop up to second. Finally, Colorado senior first baseman Hailey Schaneman went 3 for 4 with Thomason going 2 for 4.

"They had started creeping on us a little bit so Abbie's catch was huge," said Ackermann.

Thomason earned her first collegiate win in the night cap as she scattered nine hits and didn't walk a batter over five full innings. Her teammates picked her up in the bottom of the fifth as they scored three times thanks to several bloop and seeing-eye singles. UNK tallied 13 hits in the victory with six players having two hits apiece.

Colorado sophomore lefty Madison Rosenthal recorded a save as she entered with one on in the top of the sixth. She promptly struck out the side and then tossed a scoreless seventh. Hays ended up stranding nine after leaving nine on the base paths in game one.

"Having some timely hits, timely plays, timely pitching … you can see our staff has a really good mix," said Ackerman.

UNK heads to Pittsburg State (21-11, 3-4) and Missouri Southern State (16-15, 4-4) next weekend.
 
 
 
                                      
 
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Players Mentioned

Abbie Jo Gaube

#1 Abbie Jo Gaube

OF
5' 7"
Sophomore
R/R
Madison Rosenthal

#3 Madison Rosenthal

P
5' 9"
Sophomore
L/L
Stacy Bott

#4 Stacy Bott

P/INF
5' 7"
Redshirt Sophomore
R/R
Lyndsey Roth

#28 Lyndsey Roth

C/INF
5' 7"
Freshman
L/R
Sydney Thomason

#19 Sydney Thomason

P/INF
6' 0"
Freshman
R/R

Players Mentioned

Abbie Jo Gaube

#1 Abbie Jo Gaube

5' 7"
Sophomore
R/R
OF
Madison Rosenthal

#3 Madison Rosenthal

5' 9"
Sophomore
L/L
P
Stacy Bott

#4 Stacy Bott

5' 7"
Redshirt Sophomore
R/R
P/INF
Lyndsey Roth

#28 Lyndsey Roth

5' 7"
Freshman
L/R
C/INF
Sydney Thomason

#19 Sydney Thomason

6' 0"
Freshman
R/R
P/INF