NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Another round of strong storms and heavy rain is moving across the nation’s midsection.
The National Weather Service had issued tornado watches Saturday for areas including parts of Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas and Nebraska. In Minnesota, the weather service says a trained observer reported a brief tornado touchdown just before 4:30 p.m. in Lac qui Parle (lak-kwih-PARL’) County, on the South Dakota border. There were no immediate reports of damage.
Jared Guyer of the Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center said there was a risk of large hail, strong winds and several tornadoes, adding that “certainly, some of those tornadoes could be strong.” The greatest chance of severe weather stretched from southern Nebraska to central and western Kansas and Oklahoma.
Last weekend’s weather caused several tornadoes, flooding and at least four deaths.
Tanner Lubach was 2-for-4 with a 3-run homer (Photo Courtesy Stephanie Carpenter/NU Media Relations)
Champaign, Ill. – Four unearned runs on three errors in the bottom of the fourth came back to haunt the Nebraska baseball team (34-21, 9-14 Big Ten) on Friday night at Illinois Field, as the No. 5 Illinois Fighting Illini (45-6-1, 21-1 Big Ten) ran their nation-leading win streak to 26 games with a 10-9 victory. The Huskers scored the game’s final five runs and had the tying run in scoring position with two outs in the top of the ninth, but Tyler Jay closed the door for his 12thsave of the season. Saturday’s game was scheduled for 6 p.m., but first pitch was delayed until 8:40 p.m. because of rain and lightning.
With a loss by Minnesota earlier in the day to Michigan State, the Huskers clinched a bid to the Big Ten Tournament next week in Minneapolis at Target Field, home of the Minnesota Twins. Also, following a sweep of Ohio State by Indiana the Huskers were locked into the No. 8 seed and will face No. 1 Illinois on Wednesday at 5 p.m.
Nebraska had one of its best offensive games in quite some time with nine runs on 14 hits, including home runs from Luis Alvarado and Tanner Lubach, but the offensive output was unable to overcome a season-high four errors. NU got four runs (three earned) on nine hits off Illini starter Drasen Johnson, but the senior right hander improved to 9-2 on the year in the win. Illinois was just as leathal at the plate with 13 hits, including home runs from Ryan Nagle, Reid Roper, David Kerian and Will Krug.
Senior Kyle Kubat lasted only 3.0 innings after working into the sixth in each of his last four starts. On the night he gave up six runs, but only three were earned.
Trailing 10-7 going into the ninth, the Huskers loaded the bases with a leadoff walk by Lubach, a single by Blake Headley and walk by Jake Meyers. Jay then struck out Alvarado and Ben Miller before pinch hitter Taylor Fish plated two runs with a single to right field. With Meyers on second base, Jake Placzek stepped to the plate and Jay got him to pop out to shallow right field to end the game.
After the teams matched each other run-for-run in the first two innings, the Huskers scored again in the third, but this time put up a pair of runs to take a 4-2 lead. After Austin Christensen reached on a two-out bloop single to left field, Alvarado picked up his third extra-base hit of the series with a two-run homer to left field, his first home run as a Husker. Alvarado fouled off three pitches before taking Johnson deep over the left-field wall. Miller then laced a ball to right field, but right at Casey Fletcher to end the top of the frame. The Illini also recorded a home run in the third, as Roper blasted a solo shot to center for his ninth of the season, but Kubat limited the damage to the homer and the Huskers held a 4-3 lead after three.
For the first time in the game the Huskers didn’t score in the fourth. Nebraska had runners on the corners with one out, but the Illini turned a 6-4-3 double play to end the NU threat. NU’s defense fell apart behind Kubat in the bottom of the frame and Illini took advantage. The Illini scored four runs, all unearned, on two hits and three errors. The Huskers should have been out of the inning without any damage, but instead the Illini got a run on a fielder’s choice that would have ended the inning and two batters later Nagle blasted a three-run homer to left field off reliever Jeff Chesnut.
The Illini took the lead and kept adding to it with three more in the fifth on back-to-back home runs from Kerian and Krug that pushed the lead to 10-4.
The Huskers kept fighting and after Max Knutson tossed a scoreless sixth, NU scored three runs in the seventh. Ryan Boldt started the frame with a walk and Jake Schleppenbach followed with a single to put runners on the corners. Lubach stepped in against reliever J.D. Nielsen and launched a three-run home run to left field for his fourth homer of the year. Nielsen responded with a strikeout before Scott Schreiber recorded a pinch-hit single. Nielsen then came back with two straight strikeouts, but the Huskers cut the Illini lead to three at 10-7.
Knutson kept the Huskers in the game by throwing three innings of scoreless relief, but NU came up two runs short of a comeback and fell to 0-5 in Big Ten games decided by one run.
The Huskers and Illini wrap up their series tomorrow with the 2015 regular-season finale at 2 p.m. The game will be carried nationwide on the Big Ten Network.
Kiki Stokes went 2-for-3 and scored a run for the Huskers. (Photo Courtesy Stephanie Carpenter/NU Media Relations)
Baton Rouge, La. – Arizona State scored five unearned runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to rally for a 5-2 victory over the Nebraska softball team on Friday in a game that saw two weather delays in Baton Rouge, La.
The first bout of inclement weather delayed the start of the game for one hour. Nebraska had just scored the game’s first run to take a 1-0 lead in the top of the sixth inning before lightning was spotted, delaying the game for another 57 minutes. Nebraska came right back to take a 2-0 lead following the delay, only to see Arizona State score five times in the bottom of the frame.
With the win, the 23rd-ranked Sun Devils (35-20) advanced to play the winner of Friday’s second game between LSU and Texas Southern. With the loss, Nebraska (34-22) will play an elimination game on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. against the loser of the LSU-Texas Southern contest.
While there was plenty of offense late, runs were at a premium prior to the second weather delay.
Arizona State loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the first inning on three walks, including one intentional walk. But Emily Lockman recorded a key strikeout of Haley Steele – the Sun Devils’ RBI leader – before coaxing a ground out to third.
The Sun Devils loaded the bases again with one out in the fifth on three consecutive walks, but Lockman once again escaped the jam without any damage.
Nebraska didn’t get its first runner to second base until the top of the sixth. Freshman Laura Barrow led off with a single before junior Kiki Stokes followed with her second single of the game. A wild pitch moved both runners into scoring position, before junior Alicia Armstrong brought Barrow home with a sacrifice fly to left field. Stokes still stood at second base with two outs and following the 57-minute weather delay, senior Steph Pasquale grounded an RBI single up the middle to score Stokes and give Nebraska a 2-0 lead.
In the bottom of the frame, Lockman recorded a quick out before issuing a walk. Elizabeth Caporuscio then hit a ground ball to short. Armstrong bobbled the ball and still had a chance to throw out the runner at second, but her throw sailed into right field allow a run to score and Caporuscio to advance to third base. Nebraska still led 2-1 and Lockman then recorded the second out. A hit batter and a walk then loaded the bases, before Arizona State broke through with a three-run double and an RBI single to take a 5-2 lead.
Nebraska got a leadoff single from sophomore Cassie McClure to start the bottom of the seventh inning, but a fielder’s choice and a double play ended the comeback effort.
The Huskers out-hit the Sun Devils, 6-4, but Arizona State drew 10 walks and was hit by a pitch. Lockman (18-13) took the loss, but did not allow an earned run and surrendered just three hits in 5.2 innings. McClure recorded the final out of the bottom of the sixth inning after allowing an infield single.
Offensively, Stokes was 2-for-3 and scored a run, while Armstrong and Pasquale each produced an RBI.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Lorenzo Cain had a career-high five RBIs, Kendrys Morales drove in three more runs and the Kansas City Royals routed the New York Yankees 12-1 on Friday night.
The Royals scored six times in the sixth inning while knocking Yankees starter Michael Pineda from the game, then cruised the rest of the way to open a three-game set between division leaders by dealing New York its season-high fourth consecutive loss.
Chris Young (3-0) allowed just four hits and two walks over 5 2-3 innings, making another strong case for a permanent spot in the starting rotation. The 6-foot-10 veteran made his third spot start in place of Jason Vargas, who is on the disabled list with a hip flexor injury.
Pineda (5-1), coming off a masterful 16-strikeout performance against Baltimore, only struck out one while matching a career worst with 10 hits.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Clayton Kershaw earned his 100th career victory on his fifth attempt, and the Los Angeles Dodgers hung on for a 6-4 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Friday night.
Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen, reinstated from the disabled list after recovering from surgery on his left foot in February, struck out four in the eighth inning on 14 pitches. The first one, Carlos Gonzalez, reached base on a passed ball by Yasmani Grandal.
Jansen was the first big leaguer to accomplish the feat since Arizona’s Oliver Perez last Sept. 20 at Colorado. And it couldn’t have come at a better time, after the Rockies scored four runs in the seventh against relievers Paco Rodriguez and Yimi Garcia.
Rookie Adam Liberatore gave up a pair of one-out singles in the ninth before ex-Rockies right-hander Juan Nicasio got the final two outs for his first save in five big league seasons.
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Omaha city park workers and volunteers plan to wrap ash trees throughout the city to help raise awareness of the emerald ash borer threat.
The Omaha Parks Foundation and City of Omaha Forestry Division will work with volunteers on the effort.
Following a news conference Saturday in Seymour Smith Park, volunteers will spread out through the park, Abbot Drive, Memorial and Elmwood Parks, Regency Parkway and Ramble Ridge Park, where they will wrap nearly 1,000 ash trees on city rights of way and parkland over a week.
Emerald ash borers are native to Asia and were first detected in Michigan in 2002. Authorities have said the insect has killed more than 50 million ash trees since in the United States and have been found in at least 20 states.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Saturday is a day of free fishing and park entry in Nebraska.
Free Fishing and Park Entry Day means anyone may explore outdoor opportunities at any Nebraska state park, state recreation area or state historical park. The free fishing day is held every year in Nebraska on the Saturday before Memorial Day weekend.
Anglers must observe all fishing regulations. Camping, lodging and all other user fees still apply at state park areas.
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTH PLATTE NE
1122 PM CDT FRI MAY 15 2015 /1022 PM MDT FRI MAY 15 2015/
...SEVERE STORMS MOVED ACROSS WESTERN NEBRASKA FRIDAY NIGHT...
THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPED THROUGHOUT THE NEBRASKA PANHANDLE FRIDAY
AFTERNOON AND MOVED INTO SHERIDAN AND GARDEN COUNTIES EARLY
EVENING...DROPPING LARGE HAIL. STORM COVERAGE ACROSS WESTERN
NEBRASKA INCREASED HEADING INTO THE MID EVENING HOURS...MAINLY
ALONG AND WEST OF HIGHWAY 61. STORMS CONTINUED TO PRODUCE LARGE HAIL
AS THE WINDS STRENGTHENED...ESPECIALLY IN THE OGALLALA VICINITY.
TORNADO REPORTS WERE ALSO RECEIVED TOWARD THE NORTHERN END OF THE
SYSTEM IN NORTHEAST SHERIDAN AND NORTHWEST CHERRY COUNTIES AROUND
THIS TIME. AS OF 11 PM CDT FRIDAY...THE LINE OF STORMS WAS
APPROACHING HIGHWAY 97 AND HAD GENERALLY WEAKENED TO BELOW SEVERE
LIMITS. ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPED ALONG AND NORTH OF
INTERSTATE 80 IN LINCOLN AND CUSTER COUNTIES DURING THE LATE EVENING
AND PRODUCED SMALL HAIL AND HEAVY RAIN.
BELOW IS A SUMMARY OF SEVERE WEATHER REPORTS RECEIVED.
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0525 PM HAIL 4 N ANTIOCH 42.13N 102.62W
05/15/2015 E0.88 INCH SHERIDAN NE PUBLIC
GROUND COVERED WITH HAIL...MOST WERE DIME SIZE WITH SOME
PENNY AND NICKEL
0615 PM HAIL 5 NNE LISCO 41.57N 102.58W
05/15/2015 E1.00 INCH GARDEN NE PUBLIC
0620 PM HAIL 18 S HAY SPRINGS 42.42N 102.69W
05/15/2015 E2.75 INCH SHERIDAN NE PUBLIC
HAIL RANGED FROM GOLF BALL TO BASEBALL SIZE
0715 PM HAIL 7 E ANTIOCH 42.07N 102.48W
05/15/2015 E1.75 INCH SHERIDAN NE PUBLIC
0830 PM HAIL 5 N VENANGO 40.83N 102.04W
05/15/2015 E1.00 INCH PERKINS NE PUBLIC
0832 PM HAIL 5 E GORDON 42.81N 102.11W
05/15/2015 E1.00 INCH SHERIDAN NE PUBLIC
0834 PM TORNADO 12 E GORDON 42.81N 101.97W
05/15/2015 CHERRY NE STORM CHASER
TORNADO CONFIRMED BY CHASERS AT 734 MDT.
0840 PM HEAVY RAIN LAKESIDE 42.06N 102.46W
05/15/2015 M1.40 INCH SHERIDAN NE PUBLIC
STORM TOTAL RAINFALL
0855 PM HAIL 5 NW ELLSWORTH 42.11N 102.36W
05/15/2015 E1.00 INCH SHERIDAN NE PUBLIC
0857 PM TSTM WND GST 18 NE OSHKOSH 41.59N 102.10W
05/15/2015 E60.00 MPH GARDEN NE PUBLIC
WIND SPEEDS ESTIMATED AT 50 TO 60 MPH
0900 PM HAIL 15 NW ELLSWORTH 42.21N 102.49W
05/15/2015 E1.00 INCH SHERIDAN NE PUBLIC
ESTIMATED TIME OF 900PM CDT
0915 PM TSTM WND GST 25 N ELLSWORTH 42.42N 102.29W
05/15/2015 E60.00 MPH SHERIDAN NE PUBLIC
ESTIMATED 50 TO 60 MPH WINDS
0918 PM HAIL 5 W GRANT 40.84N 101.82W
05/15/2015 E1.00 INCH PERKINS NE PUBLIC
0924 PM HAIL 8 N GRANT 40.96N 101.73W
05/15/2015 M1.75 INCH PERKINS NE TRAINED SPOTTER
0939 PM TSTM WND GST 2 N OGALLALA 41.16N 101.72W
05/15/2015 E70.00 MPH KEITH NE STORM CHASER
ESTIMATED WIND SPEEDS OF 60 TO 70 MPH
0941 PM HAIL 1 SSE OGALLALA 41.12N 101.71W
05/15/2015 M1.75 INCH KEITH NE STORM CHASER
0945 PM FUNNEL CLOUD E GORDON 42.81N 102.20W
05/15/2015 SHERIDAN NE TRAINED SPOTTER
FUNNEL REPORTED EAST OF GORDON ESTIMATED TIME OF 845 MDT.
0950 PM HAIL 6 SW ROSCOE 41.07N 101.68W
05/15/2015 E2.00 INCH KEITH NE STORM CHASER
60 MPH WINDS REPORTED AS WELL
1010 PM HAIL 6 E ARTHUR 41.57N 101.58W
05/15/2015 E1.00 INCH ARTHUR NE TRAINED SPOTTER
1010 PM FUNNEL CLOUD 1 S RUSHVILLE 42.70N 102.47W
05/15/2015 SHERIDAN NE TRAINED SPOTTER
FUNNEL REPORTED ESTIMATED TIME 0F 910 PM MDT.
1016 PM HAIL ROSCOE 41.13N 101.60W
05/15/2015 E1.50 INCH KEITH NE TRAINED SPOTTER
...RAINFALL REPORTS PAST 24 HOURS ...
LOCATION AMOUNT TIME/DATE LAT/LON
OGALLALA 1.76 IN 0700 AM 05/16 41.13N/101.72W
1 ENE VALENTINE 1.27 IN 0700 AM 05/16 42.88N/100.53W
VALENTINE 1W 1.23 IN 0600 AM 05/16 42.88N/100.56W
VALENTINE AIRPORT 1.19 IN 0652 AM 05/16 42.88N/100.55W
VALENTINE 1.08 IN 0834 AM 05/16 42.88N/100.56W
OGALLALA AIRPORT 0.72 IN 0655 AM 05/16 41.12N/101.77W
THEDFORD AIRPORT 0.68 IN 0655 AM 05/16 41.96N/100.58W
VALENTINE 27S 0.62 IN 0814 AM 05/16 42.48N/100.52W
STAPLETON 5W 0.60 IN 0700 AM 05/16 41.46N/100.60W
BROKEN BOW AIRPORT 0.48 IN 0653 AM 05/16 41.43N/99.65W
MULLEN 0.48 IN 0600 AM 05/16 42.05N/101.05W
SWAN LAKE 0.39 IN 0700 AM 05/16 42.19N/99.09W
KILGORE 1NE 0.35 IN 0800 AM 05/16 42.95N/100.95W
EWING 12S 0.34 IN 0700 AM 05/16 42.09N/98.38W
BARTLETT 4S 0.30 IN 0800 AM 05/16 41.83N/98.55W
OSHKOSH 10NE 0.28 IN 0655 AM 05/16 41.49N/102.19W
WALLACE 2W 0.27 IN 0700 AM 05/16 40.84N/101.21W
AINSWORTH AIRPORT 0.22 IN 0655 AM 05/16 42.58N/99.98W
NORTH PLATTE 1ESE 0.22 IN 0835 AM 05/16 41.13N/100.75W
MASON CITY 0.22 IN 0800 AM 05/16 41.22N/99.30W
SARGENT 0.20 IN 0824 AM 05/16 41.64N/99.38W
CRESCENT LAKE 0.18 IN 0758 AM 05/16 41.76N/102.44W
CALLAWAY 8WSW 0.15 IN 0700 AM 05/16 41.25N/100.08W
ROSCOE 1ESE 0.15 IN 0730 AM 05/16 41.13N/101.58W
EWING 1N 0.14 IN 0745 AM 05/16 42.27N/98.34W
BUTTE 0.12 IN 0600 AM 05/16 42.91N/98.85W
IMPERIAL AIRPORT 0.12 IN 0653 AM 05/16 40.53N/101.63W
SPRINGVIEW 0.12 IN 0600 AM 05/16 42.82N/99.75W
HALSEY 2W 0.11 IN 0823 AM 05/16 41.90N/100.31W
SPRINGVIEW 6S 0.09 IN 0832 AM 05/16 42.74N/99.74W
4 NNE NORTH PLATTE 0.07 IN 0832 AM 05/16 41.19N/100.75W
ONEILL AIRPORT 0.06 IN 0655 AM 05/16 42.47N/98.68W
ERICSON 6WNW 0.05 IN 0700 AM 05/16 41.80N/98.79W
NORTH PLATTE 2S 0.05 IN 0800 AM 05/16 41.06N/100.75W
NORTH PLATTE 0.04 IN 0835 AM 05/16 41.14N/100.77W
NORTH PLATTE AIRPORT 0.04 IN 0653 AM 05/16 41.13N/100.70W
NORTH PLATTE 3ENE 0.04 IN 0600 AM 05/16 41.13N/100.70W
NEWPORT 0.02 IN 0800 AM 05/16 42.60N/99.33W
CHAMPION 5ESE 0.01 IN 0730 AM 05/16 40.43N/101.62W
OBSERVATIONS ARE COLLECTED FROM A VARIETY OF SOURCES WITH VARYING
EQUIPMENT AND EXPOSURE. NOT ALL DATA LISTED ARE CONSIDERED OFFICIAL.
NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Forecasters say the Midwest could be in for another round of strong storms and heavy rain.
The National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center says that severe thunderstorms may develop in parts of Kansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska and Texas on Saturday.
The center says there is a risk of large hail, strong winds and several tornadoes with the system.
The greatest chance of severe weather stretches from southern Nebraska to central and western Kansas and Oklahoma.
Last weekend’s weather caused several tornadoes, flooding and at least four deaths.
CLOVIS, N.M. (AP) — Federal officials say farmers and ranchers who depend on the Ogallala Aquifer will benefit from $6.5 million in funding.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced this week that it would be investing in projects in a handful of states with the goal of conserving billions of gallons of water to extend the life of the aquifer.
Underlying eight states, the Ogallala supports nearly one-fifth of the wheat, corn, cotton and cattle produced in the United States. It has long been the main water supply for communities throughout the Great Plains and is being depleted at an unsustainable rate.
In eastern New Mexico, the Natural Resources Conservation Service plans to work with farmers to convert irrigated cropland to dryland systems and to restore grasslands.
Projects also are planned in Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska and Texas.
NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Another round of strong storms and heavy rain is moving across the nation’s midsection.
