The Nebraska softball team opened the Troy Cox Classic with a win against New Mexico State on Thursday afternoon, topping NMSU (0-4) by a score of 14-4.
Five home runs including a back-to-back-to-back showing in the top of the fourth inning lifted the Huskers to a six-inning win. Sophomore Billie Andrews led the Big Red with two homers while Mya Felder, Camyl Armendariz and Courtney Wallace each added one.
In the circle, senior Courtney Wallace pitched five innings, keeping the Aggies scoreless until the fourth inning. Wallace (3-1) earned her third win of the season.
For the Aggies, Felicia De La Torre, Kayla Bowen, Jordin King and Laurali Patane all saw time in the circle. De La Torre (0-3) faced seven batters, giving up three hits and three runs. King pitched 3.1 innings, giving up nine hits and nine runs. Patane pitched one inning, giving up three hits and two runs (two unearned).
The Huskers were hot from the start as Billie Andrews had a lead off single to center field to start the first inning. Billie Andrews stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch that eventually led Brooke Andrews to reach first on a walk. Abbie Squier hit a sacrifice fly to right field to bring in the first run of the day and advance Brooke Andrews to third. Sydney Gray was walked, forcing New Mexico State to switch pitchers in the first inning. Olivia Ferrell reached first on a fielder’s choice while Gray was out at second. NU ended the top of the first up 2-0 after Brooke Andrews scored while Ferrell was tagged out in a pickle.
The Big Red struck again in the top of the second inning. Peyton Glatter led off with her fourth double of the season. Caitlynn Neal came in for Glatter as a pinch runner. Felder singled to shortstop to reach first, but the junior was out on the next play as Wallace reached on a fielder’s choice. New Mexico State switched pitchers for the second time before Camyl Armendariz made her first appearance at the plate this season, grounding out but scoring Neal. The Aggies switched pitchers again to face Billie Andrews, who grounded out. The Huskers went into the bottom of the second inning, ahead 3-0.
Kayla Bowen recorded the first hit for the Aggies in the bottom of the second inning with a single to third base. Paige Knight followed with a single to center field. Knight was caught stealing while the next batter was walked. Riley Carley reached on a fielder’s choice, but Bowen was out at third. Wallace recorded her second strikeout of the day to leave two Aggies stranded.
Nebraska extended their lead with a big inning in the top of the fourth. Felder led the inning off with a single to left field. Wallace notched a two-run homer over the center field fence. Armendariz followed suit with another homer, the first of her career. Billie Andrews made it a back-to-back-to-back home run show, making it a 7-0 lead going into the bottom of the fourth.
New Mexico State added two of their own runs in the bottom of the fourth. After a ground out to start, Bowen hit a single to left center. The senior advanced to second on a wild pitch while Knight grounded out. With two outs, Maya Martinez hit an RBI single to right field to put the Aggies on the board. Carley recorded an RBI double to right center to cut the lead to 7-2. NMSU added another hit in the inning, but Wallace was able to record a strikeout for the final out of the inning.
In the top of the fifth inning, Mya Felder notched the fourth home run of the day with a two-run homer over the left center fence. This marked Felder’s first home run as a Husker and the 20th of her career. After two ground out hits, Billie Andrews added the fifth home run of the day with a deep ball over the left center fence for her second homer on the day.
The Aggies responded with a two-run homer of their own in the bottom of the fifth. Lopez’s deep ball over the left field fence cut the lead to 10-4.
The Big Red offense continued to stay hot in the top of the sixth with a lead off double from Abbie Squier. Gray followed with an RBI single to center field. Cam Ybarra recorded her first hit of the season with a single down the right field line while Glatter followed with a single to score Gray. Felder loaded the bases, after reaching on an error. Wallace added a double, scoring Glatter and Ybarra, extending the lead to 14-4.
Kaylin Kinney came in to finish in the circle, going three up three down to finish the game in six innings.
The Huskers return to action Friday, Feb. 18 at 12:30 p.m. CT to face Southeastern Louisiana.
Husker Softball 10-runs New Mexico State
