May 7, 2005

Columbia, Mo. - The No. 18 Missouri softball team (37-11, 9-8) suffered its first loss in six games after falling, 2-1, to the No. 24 Nebraska Cornhuskers (33-18, 9-8) at University Field. Freshman Jen Bruck (St. Peters, Mo.) scored the Tigers' only run of the game with a fifth-inning leadoff home run over the fence in right center. The blast was Bruck's 13th of the campaign and brings the team total to 70 yardballs on the season, 41 crushed at home.

Making her 21st career start on the mound, Bruck twirled 2.2 innings of work and fanned three batters but gave up a second inning one-out shot to right center that sent the Cornhuskers ahead 1-0. Entering in the third inning, sophomore southpaw Erica Peterson (Irving, Texas) was credited with the loss (16-3) after tossing 3.0 innings and giving up the go-ahead run in the top of the sixth. With Nebraska right fielder Elizabeth Rock on first after reaching by fielder's choice, centerfielder Trisha Tannahill stepped up and punched a two-out double to left field to advance Rock around the bases for the game-winning run.

"We didn't have our best performance today," Head Coach Ty Singleton said. "There were a couple of nice defensive plays made by our team, but we didn't seem to have the right approach to the game and that was apparent. Now we have to go back, learn from our mistakes and prepare for tomorrow's game."

Chandler, Okla., native Erin Kalka stepped in for the final 1.1 innings of work on the mound. Kalka fanned one to notch the 80th strikeout of her senior campaign.

Nebraska right-handed pitcher Ashley DeBuhr held the Tigers to only one run off three hits on the day.

The Tigers and Cornhuskers will meet in their final regular season game tomorrow afternoon at 2 p.m., (CT) at University Field. Missouri will recognize its three seniors, Ashley Hays, Erin Kalka and Heather Kunkel in a pregame ceremony. Live stats will be provided at www.mutigers.com and radio (KCOU, 88.1 FM) will also be available.