Bella Bacon hit a walk-off double with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning to lift the Nebraska softball team to a 1-0 victory over Iowa in game one of a Tuesday doubleheader at Bowlin Stadium.
Bacon's game-winning hit was the lone hit of the game for either team with a runner in scoring position. Bacon's hit made a winner of Kaylin Kinney, who tossed an 8.0-inning, six-hit shutout. Kinney (16-12) tossed the first extra-inning shutout of her career and her first shutout this season.
Offensively, Bacon drove in the game's lone run and finished 1-for-4 with her clutch double. Samantha Bland and Sydney Gray each doubled and produced two hits for the Big Red, with Bland scoring the game's lone run.
Nebraska improved to 26-19 with the win and moved to 9-6 in conference play. Jalen Adams (9-11) took the loss for Iowa (16-22, 4-12 Big Ten). Adams allowed one run in 7.2 innings.
The game's first scoring threat came in the top of the third when Iowa had runners at first and third with two outs but Kinney escaped the jam with a strikeout.
In the bottom of the fourth, Nebraska loaded the bases with two outs. Gray doubled and Emmerson Cope and Peyton Cody walked before Bacon made solid contact but flew out to the warning track in center.
Iowa stranded a runner at third in the fifth inning and in the sixth, the Hawkeyes had runners at first and second with one out. Iowa then had runners at first and third before Kinney ended the inning with a strikeout.
In the bottom of the sixth, Bland led off with a double. She moved to third with one out following a ground out from Gray. Cope was then hit by a pitch and pinch runner Mckinley Malecha moved up to second base. But Nebraska stranded runners at second and third after a strikeout and a pop out.
Both teams stranded a runner in the seventh inning. Then in the bottom of the eighth, Bland and Gray began the inning with consecutive singles. The next two Huskers flew out before Bacon lined her double to the gap in right center, scoring Bland and setting off a celebration at home plate.
Post-Game Notes
- Nebraska played its ninth extra-inning game of the season, including its sixth extra-inning game in Big Ten play.
- The Huskers improved to 5-4 in extra innings this season, including a 4-2 record in conference play.
- NU has played six Big Ten opponents this season and has had at least one extra-inning game against all six opponents.
- With the win, Nebraska has won nine of the last 10 games against Iowa played at Bowlin Stadium.
- Kaylin Kinney tossed an 8.0-inning shutout, her first shutout this season and the first extra-inning shutout of her career.
- Billie Andrews made the 200th start of her career.
- Katelyn Caneda made the 100th start of her career.
