Gumpf to face alma mater
By AARON RONSHEIM
Sports Writer
When the Notre Dame softball team visits Lincoln, Neb., to face the No. 4 Cornhuskers, head coach Deanna Gumpf will be returning to her alma mater, where she was named to the All-Big Eight Conference second team in 1991 and was a conference honorable mention pick in 1989 and 1990.
"Nebraska is a great place to be and a great place to go and play a game," said Gumpf, who graduated in 1992. "They are No. 4 in the nation right now and that is motivation in and of itself."
The Irish are ranked No. 1 in the Big East. With their victories over Virginia Tech on Saturday Notre Dame, improved their record to 27-13 and 11-1 in the Big East.
Gumpf and seniors Jarrah Myers, Jenny Kriech and Kas Hoagt all remember their last face-off against the Cornhuskers. In 1999 the Cornhuskers ended Notre Dame's season with a 4-3 extra-inning victory in the NCAA Region VI tournament final.
"We lost twice during the season then again to them in regionals," Gumpf said. "So we have a score to settle."
"[This] is a huge game," Myers said. "From my freshman year we owe them so bad. It is going to one game."
Myers, who turned 22-years-old on Monday, celebrated her birthday a little early as she hit three homeruns against the Hokies. With her three home runs Myers passed 2001 graduate Melanie Alkire and became the Irish career home run leader with 32.
Against Nebraska the Irish will need Myers' offense, but also her defense to shut down the Cornhuskers' running game. The Cornhuskers have stolen 104 bases in only 129 attempts.
"Nebraska is very aggressive team and if we take that out of their game then they are going to have to make some adjustments," Gumpf said.
Opponents have only swiped 22 bases against the Irish this season.
After a Big 12 championship season last year in which they finished 51-15, the Cornhuskers have continued their winning ways by compiling a record of 39-9.
One of the main reasons why the Cornhuskers are among the nation's elite is because of pitcher Peaches James (18-5) who has a 1.21 ERA and Leigh Ann Walker (20-4) with a 1.89 ERA.
"I think we can hit both [James and Walker]," Gumpf said. "They are both very good pitchers, but if we play our game and swing at good pitches, we will hit them."
In order to shut down the Nebraska offense, Steffany Stenglein (16-9) and Carrie Wisen (11-4) will have to keep Nebraska leadoff hitter Kim Ogee off the bases. Ogee leads the Cornhuskers with a .378 batting average, 40 runs scored and 25 stolen bases.
Gumpf's return to Lincoln should bring back some old memories, but she really wants to create a new memory.
"I think that it is going to be a great game, and I am really excited to go back there, only because I really want to beat them," Gumpf said.
All Sports Stories for Tuesday, April 23, 2002
