UNK Softball: Lopers Go 1-1 in Jeff City; Central Mo Up on Monday

Bott Records First Win of 2023

Kearney, Neb. – Senior catcher Katie Gosker and sophomore designated player Jaiden Harteker had three RBI’s apiece to help Nebraska-Kearney take game two of a double header with Lincoln University, 10-2 (5 innings), Sunday afternoon in Jefferson City, Mo.

The Blue Tigers saw sophomore Jordan Galliher throw six shutout innings in game one to prevail, 5-3. The Lopers (15-25, 6-10) head to Warrensburg on Monday to face Central Missouri. The Jennies (29-14, 13-7) swept a double dip from Fort Hays on Sunday. All of these games were pushed back two full days due to the weather on Saturday.

Gosker (Blair) went 1 for 3 with a run scored as she had a two-run double in the second and a sac fly to right in the fifth. Next, Harteker (Windsor, Colo.) had a two-run double in the first and a run scoring single in the second. UNK jetted out to a 6-0 lead after two full innings and reached its highest run total in a month thanks to nine hits, two Blue Tiger (6-32, 2-18) errors, two walks and three hit batters.

Colorado redshirt junior Stacy Bott earned her first win of 2023 by needing just 49 pitches to get through five innings. She fanned two, didn’t walk a batter and gave up just five hits. Finally, Lincoln junior left fielder Patia Wolfe went 2 for 3 with a run and two RBI’s from the eight-hole.

Galliher now has four of LU’s six wins as she struck out seven Lopers over 6.1 innings. She threw 111 pitches and worked around three walks and five hits.

The Blue Tigers tallied three in the second and added two key insurance runs in the sixth. UNK almost came all the way back in its final at-bat as Gosker (2 for 3) started a three-run rally with an RBI single. Two more Lopers scored after an infield single and a throwing error. However, LU reliever Joss Marriott got a ground out to second with two on and two down to end the game. The final out also came on a full count.

Colorado junior Madison Rosenthal went the distance, allowing four earned runs on five hits and three walks. Finally, LU catcher Leah Wagner had two RBI’s from the eight-hole with right fielder Madison Garcia finishing 2 for 3 with a run and RBI.