Longhorns beat Nebraska for championship

<br>OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Cat Osterman struck out 13 batters and Texas made an unearned run stand up as the Longhorns beat Nebraska 1-0 Sunday to win the Big 12 softball tournament title. <br><br>The Longhorns

Sunday, May 5th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Cat Osterman struck out 13 batters and Texas made an unearned run stand up as the Longhorns beat Nebraska 1-0 Sunday to win the Big 12 softball tournament title.

The Longhorns (48-11), who also won the regular-season title, had beaten Oklahoma 2-0 earlier in the day as Osterman threw a three-hitter.

Nebraska (45-12) hurt itself with three errors, including two in the fourth inning that resulted in the only run. The Cornhuskers threatened a few times against Osterman, but didn't convert.

Osterman (34-7) was named the tournament's MVP. She previously had been named freshman of the year and pitcher of the year in the Big 12.

Erin Mahoney got Texas going in the fourth inning with a one-out single off Leigh Ann Walker (25-5). Mahoney moved to second on an outfield error, to third on a single by Sarah Wieszczak and scored on another outfield error.

Osterman had worked out of a jam in the top of the inning. She gave up a leadoff single to Amber Burgess, and one out later Leigh Suhr doubled to put runners at second and third. But Cindy Roethemeyer lined to first baseman Alexis Garcia, who threw to second to double off Suhr and end the inning.

The Cornhuskers got a runner to second with one out in the fifth, but Osterman got out of the jam. She struck out the side in the sixth and picked up two more strikeouts in the seventh, including the final out of the game with a runner at first.

In the first game, Lindsay Gardner homered and Osterman pitched a complete game as the Longhorns eliminated the defending champion Sooners (45-14).