May 23, 2002
Box Score
OKLAHOMA CITY--No. 2 Arizona and No. 7 Nebraska each managed only three
hits, but one of Arizona's was a home run by Leneah Manuma and it proved to
be the edge in a 1-0 first-round Women's College World Series victory over
the Cornhuskers, 1-0, Thursday night.
UA's Jennie Finch , who was named a first-team All-American for the third
consecutive year Wednesday night, struck out nine and pitched out of a
couple of jams to earn her 20th shutout of the year and improve to 32-5.
The Cats, 53-11 overall, will meet in-state rival Arizona State in WCWS
winner's bracket Game 6 at 6:30 p.m. Friday. The Sun Devils beat Michigan
2-1 in an earlier game to set up the match between fellow Pac-10 schools.
Finch struck out the side in the first but gave up a hit to James in the
second. James set down the first six Arizona hitters in order before
Arizona put a runner aboard.
Jenny Gladding walked to open the Arizona thirdirst base runner, then
James hit Meaghan Finnerty with a pitch to move pinch-runner Crystal Farley
into scoring position. But James struck out Lisha Ribellia, Lovie Jung and
Courtney Fossatti to end the threat.
Nebraska put together its first threat with its second hit in the fourth.
Finch walked Amanda Buchholz and gave up a single to Nicole Tromboli, then
Amber Burgess moved both runners up with a sacrifice bunt. But Finch struck
out James and got Leigh Suhr to pop out to second base.
One staple of Arizona's 2002 season gave the Wildcats the first hit off
James in the fourth -- and gave UA the lead for good. With one out, lefty
Manuma slugged a towering home run to right field for the only scoring of
the game. It was Arizona's nation-best 91st home run of the season and
Manuma's 21st, also best in Division I.
Arizona's bid for an insurance run came up short in the sixth. Fossatti
singled to lead off the Wildcats sixth, then moved to second on a sacrifice
bunt by Finch. But James intentionally walked Manuma, struck out Mackenzie
Vandergeest and got Jackie Coburn to foul out to first base to end the inning.
Burgess led off the Cornhusker seventh with a hard single off third
baseman Coburn's glove, but Finch got James to foul out on a bunt attempt
and UA shortstop Jung forced the runner at second on Leigh Suhr's ground
ball for the second out. Suhr stole second but Finch struck out Lawrick to
end the game.
Finch improved her three-year College World Series pitching record to 5-1,
plus lowered her earned run average in the classic to 1.78 in the six
starts and 39 and one-third innings pitched. She has 42 strikeouts.
Manuma's home run was her first in 10 at-bats at the Series including last
year's four UA games.
Nebraska was shut out for only the fourth time this season. The Huskers
will face Michigan at 3:30 p.m. Saturday in Game 8 of the series.
