Kaylin Kinney homered twice and drove in six runs to power the Nebraska softball team to a 12-4 six-inning victory over Wichita State in the first of two games Friday for the Huskers at Bowlin Stadium.
Kinney produced the second multi-homer game of her career and her six RBIs were a career high. She capped Nebraska’s seven-run second inning with her first career grand slam. While Kinney’s blast capped the seven-run second inning, Billie Andrews got it started with a three-run shot. It was Andrews’ third consecutive game with a home run and her ninth home run in the season’s first 15 games. Andrews finished 2-for-3 with a walk and Caitlynn Neal added two RBIs for Nebraska (10-5), which picked up its 10th win of the season.
Courtney Wallace (6-2) earned the win, tossing a complete game and allowing four runs in 6.0 innings.
Alison Cooper (2-1) took the loss for Wichita State, which fell to 10-6 on the season after losing to the Huskers for the second straight day. Cooper allowed seven runs in just 1.2 innings, but only two of the seven runs she allowed were earned.
Wichita State led briefly, grabbing a 1-0 lead in the top of the second. Wallace quickly retired the first two batters but a two-out single was followed by an RBI double to plate the game’s first run.
Nebraska answered back in a big way in the bottom of the second, scoring seven times. Peyton Glatter reached on a one-out error to start the rally and Ava Bredwell walked. Billie Andrews then blasted a 1-2 pitch over the scoreboard in left field for a three-run homer that put the Huskers on top 3-1.
Cam Ybarra followed the walk with a single before a fielder’s choice erased Ybarra and marked the second out of the inning. But the Huskers were not done as Felder and Squier drew back-to-back walks to load the bases before Kinney lined her grand slam to right field, putting the Huskers in front 7-1.
Wichita State got a run back with another two-out, RBI double in the top of the third inning, cutting the Husker lead to 7-2.
The Huskers were held off the scoreboard in the third before Kinney struck again in the bottom of the fourth. Gray began the frame with a walk and Felder followed with a single. Wichita State then turned its third double play of the game before Kinney launched a two-run homer to deep left center field, giving Nebraska a 9-2 advantage.
The Shockers cut into the deficit with a pair of runs in the top of the fifth. A one-out double was followed by an RBI triple and a Husker error that cut the lead to 9-4.
Nebraska wrapped up the run-rule victory with three runs in the bottom of the sixth. Felder got things started with a double for her second hit of the day. Squier followed with her second walk and Kinney walked to load the bases. Neal, who came on as a defensive replacement, then stepped up to the plate for the first time and lined a single into center field on the first pitch she saw. Her single scored a pair and an error on the Shocker center fielder allowed the game-ending run to score.
Olivia Ferrell tossed a one-hit shutout and Nebraska slugged four home runs as the Husker softball team picked up its fifth straight win with a 9-0 six-inning victory over South Dakota State Friday night at Bowlin Stadium.
Ferrell (5-2) was brilliant in the circle while tossing her second career shutout. She fanned nine batters in only 6.0 innings, one shy of her career high. Ferrell allowed just an infield single and only two balls left the infield all night.
With Ferrell in control in the circle, it was the top of the Husker lineup that did the damage at the plate. Nebraska’s Nos. 1-4 hitters combined for eight hits, a triple, four home runs, six RBIs and seven runs scored. Billie Andrews went 2-for-4 with a pair of home runs and three RBIs out of the leadoff spot. She homered for the fourth consecutive game and produced her fourth career multi-homer effort. Cam Ybarra was 2-for-3 with a homer, a triple and an RBI out of the No. 2 spot in the lineup. Sydney Gray, batting third, went 2-for-4 with a homer and two RBIs. Cleanup hitter Mya Felder finished 2-for-3.
Nebraska out-hit South Dakota State 11-1. Seven of the Huskers’ 11 hits went for extra-base hits. In addition to the five extra-base hits from the first four hitters in the lineup, Brooke Andrews and Kaylin Kinney each doubled.
With its fifth straight win, Nebraska improved to 11-5 on the season. South Dakota State, a 2021 NCAA Tournament qualifier, fell to 8-6. Tori Kniesche (5-2) was charged with the loss after allowing three runs in 4.1 innings.
South Dakota State mounted the game’s first scoring threat in the top of the third. A one-out walk, an infield single and a wild pitch put Jackrabbits on second and third, but Ferrell bounced back with a strikeout and a fly out.
After being held without a hit for the first three innings, Nebraska came out swinging in the bottom of the fourth, producing three hits in the first four pitches of the inning. Ybarra gave Nebraska its first hit when she blasted the first pitch of the inning to deep right center for a solo home run. Two pitches later, Gray lined a 1-0 offering just over the fence in left to make it 2-0. Felder then lined the next pitch into center field, but she was eventually stranded at second base, and Kinney was left on first base after a one-out walk.
Nebraska added two more runs in the bottom of the fifth. With one out, Billie Andrews sent another shot over the scoreboard in left for her 10th home run of the season. Ybarra followed the homer with a triple and Gray scored Ybarra with an RBI single to right to push the lead to 4-0. Felder then also singled to right before a ground out put Huskers on second and third with two outs. That set the stage for Kinney, who gave Nebraska a 6-0 advantage with a two-run double to left center.
The Huskers ended the game early with three runs in the bottom of the sixth. Brooke Andrews led off the inning with a double, and Caitlyn Neal followed with an RBI single. Ahead 7-0, Billie Andrews ended the night early with her second home run of the day, a two-run shot to right center that accounted for the 9-0 final score. Billie Andrews had three home runs in Nebraska’s two games on Friday.
Nebraska takes on South Dakota State again tomorrow at 2:30 p.m.
