A lack of clutch hitting cost the Nebraska softball team Saturday in a 6-3 eight-inning loss to Saint Francis at the Razorback Rumble.
Nebraska, which led 2-0 after five innings, was just 2-for-18 with runners on base and 2-for-15 with runners in scoring position. The Huskers had multiple chances to extend their lead prior to extra innings, including the bottom of the sixth when Nebraska failed to capitalize on a leadoff triple. The Huskers stranded 10 base runners in the game.
Saint Francis (13-9) took better advantage of its scoring chances, going 4-for-11 with runners in scoring position, including a three-run double in the top of the eighth inning. Rachel Marsden (7-4) earned the complete-game victory, allowing three runs (two earned).
Sarah Harness (1-2) took the loss for Nebraska (10-11). Harness started and tossed 5.0 scoreless innings, allowing only two hits. Emmerson Cope pitched the sixth and seventh innings, allowing two runs on three hits. Harness then re-entered the game and pitched the eighth inning, giving up four runs (three earned). In total, Harness was charged with four runs (three earned) in a season-best 6.0 innings.
Offensively, Ava Bredwell went 2-for-3 with a double, a triple and a walk. Bella Bacon had a pair of RBIs while Billie Andrews doubled to extend her hitting streak to 16 games.
Nebraska took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Brooke Andrews singled with one out, advanced to second on a ground out and scored on a two-out RBI single from Bacon.
The Huskers added to their lead with another run in the bottom of the third. Billie Andrews began the inning with a double and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt from her older sister Brooke. Peyton Cody was then hit by a pitch to put runners at first and third with one out. Bacon followed with a ground ball to first and Billie Andrews beat the throw home to make it 2-0.
Saint Francis tied the game with a pair of runs in the top of the sixth. In the bottom of the frame, Bredwell led off with a triple to put the go-ahead run on third base with no outs. But Nebraska could not bring Bredwell home as the game headed to the seventh inning tied 2-2.
In the top of the seventh, Saint Francis had the go-ahead run on second base with one out following a hit by pitch and a wild pitch. Cope then coaxed a ground out for the second out before Samantha Bland made a terrific catch in left field to end the inning. Nebraska was then retired in order in the bottom of the seventh.
Each team started the eighth inning with a runner on second base with the tiebreaker rule in use. Harness re-entered the game and walked the leadoff hitter before a bloop single loaded the bases with no outs. A strikeout marked the first out of the inning before an RBI single gave the Red Flash a 3-2 lead. A bases-clearing double then gave Saint Francis a 6-2 advantage.
In the bottom of the eighth, Sydney Gray was placed on second base to begin the inning. She moved to third with one out on a ground out and scored on an RBI double from Bredwell that cut the lead to 6-3. But the next two Huskers were retired to end the game.
Sydney Gray homered twice and Kaylin Kinney tossed Nebraska’s first complete game of the season as the Husker softball team won its final game at the Razorback Rumble with a 5-1 victory over South Alabama Saturday.
Gray, who went 3-for-4 with a double and two home runs, drove in three runs for Nebraska (11-11). Gray was the star at the plate while Kinney delivered the Huskers’ best pitching performance of the season.
Kinney (7-6) scattered six hits and allowed only one run in a complete-game effort. She held South Alabama to a season-low one run, while earning her third victory of the weekend.
Madison Lagle (1-1) took the loss for South Alabama (13-7-1), allowing two runs in 2.0 innings. The Jagaurs, who own three victories over ranked opponents this season, threw three different pitchers at Nebraska’s hitters and the Huskers scored against all three.
Nebraska scored all the runs Kinney would need with a two-run first inning. Brooke Andrews got things started with a one-out double. She scored on a two-out RBI single from Bella Bacon and Gray followed with an RBI double that brought Bacon home and gave Nebraska a 2-0 lead.
Gray then led off the fourth inning with a home run to stretch the Husker lead to 3-0.
South Alabama manufactured a run to trim the lead to 3-1 in the bottom of the fifth. A leadoff a walk eventually turned into a run on a sacrifice fly. The Jaguars went on to have runners at second and third before Kinney had a clutch strikeout to end the inning.
Nebraska immediately got the run back in the top of the sixth when Gray led off with her second home run of the game. Leading 4-1, Caitlynn Neal followed with a double and Katelyn Caneda singled and stole second to put Huskers on second and third with no outs. Alina Felix then scored Neal with an RBI fielder’s choice to make it 5-1 After a strikeout, Billie Andrews was hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out but the next two Huskers were retired.
Kinney then retired South Alabama in order in the sixth and seventh to wrap her seventh win of the season.
Nebraska returns home for a pair of games on Tuesday at Bowlin Stadium. The Huskers will take on Northern Colorado (Noon) and Maine (5 p.m.) in a pair of games that feature free admission after the games were just added to the schedule last week.
