NEB SB: Huskers Lose to Wichita State, #14 Missouri on Saturday

NEBRASKA FALLS TO WICHITA STATE

A pair of seven-run innings powered Wichita State to a 17-4 six-inning victory over the Nebraska softball team in the first of two games for the Huskers Saturday at Bowlin Stadium.

Wichita State scored in three of its six innings while Nebraska scored in four of its six innings. But the Huskers were held to single runs in each of their four run-scoring innings while Wichita State scored three runs in the first, seven in the second and seven more in the sixth.

Sarah Harness (1-1) took the loss, as she started and re-entered the game as a reliever. Over her two stints, Harness allowed 11 runs in 5.0 innings. Emmerson Cope allowed six runs (five earned) in 1.0 inning of relief.

Offensively, Brooke Andrews went 2-for-3 and hit one of Nebraska's four doubles. Billie Andrews went 1-for-3 with a double to extend her hitting streak to 11 games. Ava Bredwell also doubled and had an RBI, while Alina Felix drove in one run.

Alex Aguilar (3-1) earned the win for Wichita State (9-4). Aguilar tossed 5.0 innings and allowed four runs (three earned).

Wichita State took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on a single followed by three consecutive walks. An RBI single made it 2-0 and with the bases still loaded, the Huskers turned a double play but a run scored to stretch the Shocker lead to 3-0.

Billie Andrews led off the bottom of the first with a double. She scored two batters later on an RBI double from Bredwell that cut the lead to 3-1.

The Shockers came right back and scored seven in the top of the second inning. A pair of three-run homers made it 9-1 lead before a one-out RBI single pushed the lead to 10-1. 

In the bottom of the second, an error and back-to-back singles from Sydney Gray and Brooke Andrews loaded the bases with no outs. Felix scored Gray with an RBI ground out before a walk to Billie Andrews loaded the bases again with one out. But Nebraska had to settle for just one run, as Wichita State led 10-2 after two innings.

The Huskers got another run back in the bottom of the third. Samantha Bland led off with a double, moved to third on a ground out from Bella Bacon and scored on a sacrifice fly from Katelyn Caneda.

Nebraska scored another run in the bottom of the fourth. Brooke Andrews, who robbed a home run with a catch in center field in the top of the inning, led off the bottom of the frame with a double. She moved up to third on a ground out from Felix and scored on a two-out wild pitch to make the score 10-4.

After being shut out for three consecutive innings, Wichita State scored four runs in the top of the sixth. A leadoff double and a pair of one-out walks loaded the bases before an RBI single and an RBI ground out gave the Shockers an 12-4 lead. A two-out, two-run double pushed the lead to 14-4. An RBI double and a two-run homer capped the inning.

Nebraska was then retired in order in the bottom of the sixth.

NEBRASKA RALLY FALLS SHORT VS. NO. 14 MISSOURI

The Nebraska softball team fought back against No. 14 Missouri Saturday but the Husker comeback fell short in a 10-6 loss at Bowlin Stadium.

Missouri (15-2) was three outs away from a five-inning victory, as the Tigers took a 9-1 lead into the bottom of the fifth inning. Nebraska came back to score five times in the fifth and had the tying runs on base and go-ahead run at the plate. After Missouri added an insurance run in the sixth inning, Nebraska brought the tying run to the plate twice in the bottom of the seventh but could not score a run.

Cierra Harrison (5-0) earned the victory as the Tigers improved to 15-2. Harrison allowed six earned runs in 4.1 innings after entering the game having allowed only one earned run in her first 30.0 innings this season. Marissa McCann picked up her first save of the year by tossing a scoreless sixth and seventh inning. 

Kaylin Kinney (4-6) took the loss for Nebraska, allowing 10 runs (seven earned) in 5.0 innings. Emmerson Cope threw the final 2.0 innings and did not allow a run.

Cope also led the Huskers at the plate, finishing 2-for-3 with two RBIs. Billie Andrews also drove in two runs while pushing her hitting streak to 12 games.

Missouri scored on a Husker error to take a 1-0 lead in the top of the first but the Huskers matched the run in the bottom of the frame. Brooke Andrews doubled with one out in the bottom of the first and scored on a two-out RBI single from Cope.

The Tigers then scored six times in the top of the second to take a 7-1 lead. Missouri loaded the bases with one out on an error, a single and a hit batter. The Tigers took a 5-1 lead on back-to-back two-run doubles. A run-scoring Husker error and an RBI ground out pushed the lead to 7-1.

Missouri added single runs in both the third and fourth innings to stretch its lead to 9-1.

Needing to score at least one run to extend the game in the bottom of the fifth, Nebraska exploded for five runs. Ashley Smetter got the rally started with a leadoff single before Kinney walked. Caitlynn Neal then doubled to score Smetter with the first run of the inning. Billie Andrews followed with a two-run double that cut the lead to 9-4. Then with runners on first and third with one out, Cope delivered an RBI single up the middle. Katelyn Caneda capped the inning with a sacrifice fly that made it a 9-6 game. The Huskers had a chance for more with the bases loaded but a strikeout ended the inning.

Missouri got a run back in the top of the sixth. A leadoff double marked the end of the night for Kinney and following a sacrifice bunt, an RBI ground out pushed the Tiger lead to 10-6.

In the bottom of the seventh, the tying run came to the plate with one out after Cope walked and Bella Bacon reached on an error. But the next two Huskers were retired to end the game.

Nebraska wraps up its weekend with another game against Missouri on Sunday at 1:30 p.m.