The Nebraska softball team used a five-run fourth inning to claim a 7-6 victory at Minnesota Friday night in the opening game of the final Big Ten series of the year.
The Huskers led 2-0 early before Minnesota scored the next four runs to take a 4-2 lead. Nebraska regained the lead at 7-4 with its big fourth inning, then held off a two-run rally by the Gophers in the bottom of the seventh.
With the win, Nebraska improved to 28-21 on the season. The Huskers moved up to third place in the Big Ten standings with an 11-8 conference record.
Sarah Harness (7-4) earned the win by allowing only two runs in 5.1 innings of relief. Kaylin Kinney started and was charged with four runs (three earned) in 1.2 innings.
Offensively, Sydney Gray, Billie Andrews and Ava Bredwell each had two hits for the Big Red while Samantha Bland doubled and drove in a pair of runs. Gray and Emmerson Cope both homered as Nebraska produced 11 hits, including four extra-base hits.
Minnesota fell to 26-23 on the year and dropped to 12-9 in Big Ten play. Jacie Hambrick (6-9) took the loss, allowing seven runs in 4.0 innings, but only two of the runs were earned.
Nebraska grabbed a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning on back-to-back two-out home runs from Gray and Cope.
In the bottom of the inning, an error and a walk put Gophers on first and second with no outs. Gray then turned a nice double play but Minnesota used a two-out, RBI single to cut the lead to 2-1.
In the top of the second Katelyn Caneda singled and was at second base with two outs. Bredwell then lined an infield single off the pitcher but Caneda was thrown out at home attempting to score on the play.
Minnesota struck again with two outs in the bottom of the second. After the first two hitters were retired, the next four hitters all reached on either a walk or a hit-by-pitch to force in the tying run. Harness then came on in relief with the bases loaded and was greeted with a two-run single through the right side that gave the Gophers their first lead at 4-2.
In the top of the third, Nebraska scored five runs to take a 7-4 lead. Cope led off with a ground ball that hit the third base bag and caused the third baseman to misplay the ball. Peyton Cody followed with a double to put runners on second and third. Bella Bacon then came through with an RBI single to score pinch runner Mckinley Malecha and cut the Minnesota lead to 4-3. Brooke Andrews was up next and put down a squeeze bunt to score pinch runner Caitlynn Neal with the tying run. An error left Andrews safe at first base as the Huskers had runners at first and third with one out. Billie Andrews then hit an RBI infield single with two outs to give Nebraska the lead back at 5-4. Bland capped the inning with a two-run double that pushed the lead to 7-4.
The lead remained three until the bottom of the seventh inning. Minnesota got a pair of one-out singles before Nebraska recorded the second out of the inning. A two-out, two-run double then cut the Husker lead to 7-6 with the tying run on second base but Harness retired the next batter on a soft pop up to Billie Andrews at shortstop to end the game.
Nebraska and Minnesota continue their series on Saturday at 2 p.m.
