The Nebraska softball team was unable to come up with the clutch hit it needed in a 5-3 loss to Northern Colorado Tuesday afternoon at Bowlin Stadium.
The Huskers stranded 10 base runners in the game and were 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position and 0-for-4 with the bases loaded. Nebraska had a base runner in every inning but one with multiple base runners in five of its seven innings.
Nebraska was also just 2-for-15 with runners on base with one of those two hits being a two-run homer from Billie Andrews. Andrews finished 2-for-4 to extend her hitting streak to 18 games. Kaylin Kinney also had two hits for the Big Red, while Bella Bacon added Nebraska’s other RBI.
Kinney (7-7) took the loss for Nebraska, allowing four runs in 4.0 innings. Caitlin Olensky pitched the final 3.0 innings and gave up only one run.
Isabelle DiNapoli (4-4) earned the win, allowing three runs (two earned) in 5.0 innings. Erin Caviness picked up her first save with 2.0 scoreless innings of relief.
In the bottom of the first, Nebraska loaded the bases with one out on a double from Brooke Andrews, a walk to Sydney Gray and a Northern Colorado error. Bacon then hit a ground ball to first and Northern Colorado threw home but was unable to get Andrews who scored the game’s first run. Leading 1-0, Nebraska still had the bases loaded with one out but a strikeout and a lineout ended the inning.
In the top of the third, Northern Colorado loaded the bases with no outs. A sacrifice fly tied the game at 1-1. A two-out, two-run single then gave the Bears a 3-1 lead.
The Bears loaded the bases with no outs again in the top of the fifth. An RBI single stretched the lead to 4-1 before Olensky retired the next three batters to prevent further damage.
In the bottom of the inning Gray singled to lead off and Ava Bredwell followed with a walk. Bacon then hit the ball hard but lined into a double play. The next two Huskers reached to load the bases with two outs but a fly out ended the inning.
Northern Colorado then used three singles in a span of four batters to take a 5-1 lead in the top of the sixth.
In the bottom of the inning, Kinney led off with a single before Billie Andrews launched a two-run homer to left to cut the lead to 5-3.
Both teams were then retired in order in the seventh inning.
The Huskers rebounded with a 10-0 five-inning shutout of Maine in game two.
