NEB SB: Huskers Go 2-0 on First Day of Razorback Rumble

The Nebraska softball team opened the Razorback Rumble with an impressive 13-3 six-inning victory over a strong Northern Iowa squad Friday morning at Bogle Park on the campus of the University of Arkansas.

Nebraska's offense came alive with 13 runs on 14 hits, including three home runs. The three home runs are a season high for the Huskers, while the 13 runs are the second-most runs Nebraska (9-10) has scored in 19 games this year.

A quarter of Huskers had multiple hits in the game and six players scored twice for the Big Red. Billie Andrews went 3-for-4 with her 50th career home run, while Caitlynn Neal was 3-for-3. Samantha Bland, Katelyn Caneda and Ava Bredwell - the Nos. 7, 8 and 9 hitters in the lineup - combined to go 5-for-12 with two doubles, a home run and eight RBIs. Bland and Caneda each went 2-for-4 with a double and three RBIs while Bredwell hit a two-run homer. Sydney Gray also homered for the Big Red.

Kaylin Kinney (5-6) earned the win in relief, allowing only one run in 5.0 innings. Sarah Harness got the start and allowed two runs in 1.0-plus inning.

Northern Iowa, the two-time defending Missouri Valley Conference regular-season champions, fell to 9-7 on the season. Samantha Heyer (3-4) took the loss, allowing three runs in 1.1 innings.

After Nebraska stranded runners at second and third in the top of the first inning, Northern Iowa took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the frame. With runners on first and second and one out, a ground ball got past Billie Andrews at shortstop. On the play, the runner from second base attempted to score but she was thrown out by Brooke Andrews. Nebraska was one out away from escaping the inning without allowing a run before a two-out RBI single plated the game’s first run.

Gray immediately tied the game when she led off the second inning with her fourth home run of the season. Samantha Bland followed with a single before Bredwell clocked a two-run homer with one out to give Nebraska a 3-1 lead.

UNI put up another run in the bottom of the second but had a runner thrown out at home plate for the second straight inning. With runners on second and third with no outs, a sacrifice fly cut the Husker lead to 3-2. Gray then cut down a runner at home on a ground ball to third base. A stolen base and a walk put runners on second and third with two outs before a strikeout ended the inning.

In the top of the third, Neal led off with a single and a one-out single from Bella Bacon put Huskers on first and second. An error then loaded the bases for Bland, who reached on an RBI fielder's choice that scored Neal and gave Nebraska a 4-2 lead. Caneda followed with a two-run double as the Huskers took a four-run lead.

In the top of the fourth, Billie Andrews led off with a home run to make it 7-2. Brooke Andrews and Neal followed with back-to-back singles. After a force out at second out, Bacon hit a sacrifice fly to center field to score Brooke Andrews with Nebraska's eighth run of the game.

UNI got a run back with a leadoff homer in the bottom of the fourth that made it an 8-3 game.

In the top of the sixth, Billie Andrews led off with a single and Brooke Andrews followed with a walk. Neal then delivered her third hit of the game, an RBI single that stretched the Husker lead to 9-3. An error on a fielder's choice scored Brooke Andrews with Nebraska's 10th run of the game. Leading 10-3, Gray walked to load the bases with one out for Bland, who hit a two-run double to push the lead to 12-3. Caneda capped the five-run inning with an RBI ground out.

Northern Iowa threatened to extend the game, loading the bases with two outs in the bottom of the sixth, but a lineout ended the game.

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It was an eventful seventh inning for the Nebraska softball team Friday against Saint Francis as the Huskers saw their two-run lead evaporate in the top of the seventh only to walk off with a 7-6 victory in the bottom of the inning.

Nebraska led 4-2 entering the seventh but Saint Francis scored four unearned runs - including three with two outs - to take a 6-4 lead into the bottom of the inning. The Huskers tied the game just four batters into the bottom of the seventh and loaded the bases with one out for Katelyn Caneda, who capped a terrific day with a walk-off single on the first pitch of her at bat.

Caneda went 2-for-3 against Saint Francis and drove in three runs. She helped Nebraska (10-10) to a 2-0 record on Friday by going 4-for-8 with six RBIs on the day. Ava Bredwell had the game-tying RBI single while Sydney Gray and Bella Bacon also drove in a run for the Big Red. Brooke Andrews got the seventh-inning rally started with a single, her third hit of the day as part of a 3-for-4 performance. Billie Andrews doubled and extended her hitting streak to 15 games.

Kaylin Kinney (6-6) got the win after not allowing an earned run in 2.1 innings of relief. Caitlin Olensky started and was charged with two runs on just three hits in 4.2 innings.

Grace Vesco (5-5) took the loss, allowing seven runs (six earned) in 6.0-plus innings for Saint Francis (11-9).

Neither team mounted much of an offensive threat until Nebraska scored twice in the bottom of the fourth inning. A walk, an error and a ground out put Huskers on second and third with two outs before Caneda scored Caitlynn Neal and Bredwell with a two-run double down the right field line.

Olensky then retired the first two batters of the top of the fifth inning, giving her nine consecutive batters retired. But a double and a single put runners on first and third for Saint Francis, which prompted Kinney to enter the game. Kinney was greeted with back-to-back RBI singles as the Red Flash tied the game at 2-2.

In the bottom of the frame, Billie Andrews won a long at bat with a leadoff double. Brooke Andrews followed with a bunt single and a stolen base to put Huskers on second and third with no outs. Gray then gave Nebraska the lead back with a sacrifice fly. Bacon followed with an RBI ground out that put the Huskers on top 4-2.

Kinney quickly retired Saint Francis in order in the sixth inning before running into a jam in the top of the seventh as Nebraska's defense faltered. An error and a bobbled infield single put the tying runners on base with one out before a double cut the Husker lead to 4-3. Kinney came back with a strikeout then coaxed a ground ball to third that Nebraska was unable to come up with resulting in a go-ahead double. Leading 5-4, the Huskers were then unable to come up with a catch on a bloop single that capped the four-run inning and put Saint Francis on top 6-4.

In the bottom of the seventh, Brooke Andrews began the frame with a single before Gray walked. Bacon then singled to right field and on the play, a thorwing error allowed Andrews to score and cut the lead to 6-5. Gray moved up to third on the errant throw and Bacon moved too second base. Gray then tied the game when she scored on an RBI single from Bredwell. With the winning run at third base with no outs, Saint Francis got a big strikeout but a walk to Emmerson Cope loaded the bases with one only one out. Caneda then lined a single into center field to give the Huskers the win.

Nebraska returns to action on Saturday with a rematch against Sain Francis and a second game against South Alabama.