No. 18 Nebraska softball goes 1-1 in Puerto Vallarta Challenge doubleheader
No. 18 Nebraska softball finally found some footing in the dirt. No. 11 Duke dominated the Huskers in a 6-1 win in NU’s first game on Friday. They bounced back strong with a 7-2 win over Long Beach State to capture their first win of the season.
The Huskers were run-ruled by No. 7 Washington on Thursday evening, losing 8-0 after five innings. Their offense continued to struggle as they didn’t get a single hit off Duke right-handed pitcher Jala Wright until the bottom of the seventh.
Shortstop Billie Andrews crushed Wright’s shutout hopes as she sent a bomb to left field for a home run to start the last half-inning. She was the first Husker to score this season.
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Right-handed pitcher Kaylin Kinney started for Nebraska against Duke and pitched in her first game in nearly 12 months. Against the Blue Devils, the senior pitched 5.0 innings and gave up six hits and five runs. She had three strikeouts and walked two batters.
Kinney pitched the final four innings vs. LBSU too. She gave up two hits, no runs and recorded two strikeouts. The righty added an RBI in game two.
Next up, Nebraska softball takes on Utah Valley in its final game of the Puerto Vallarta (Mexico) Challenge. The game, which is at 10:30 a.m. on Feb. 10, can be streamed on FloSoftball and on the Huskers Radio Network.
Duke’s offense stays hot
Duke’s bats stayed hot after beating Iowa State 16-3 in the game right before their game vs. Nebraska.
Kinney walked two batters in her first inning in the circle in nearly 12 months. Those two players were on base when Aminah Vega crushed a double to the right-field fence for 2 RBIs.
After Kelsey Zampa hit a single to start off the second inning, the next three batters for each team were retired.
Duke put two on base in the third due to a fielding error by Katelyn Caneda and a single from Duke’s Claire Davidson. After striking out Vega, Kinney walked Torres after four foul balls. Zampa crushed a grounder to third base that bounced off the bag and past Gray to take a 3-0 lead. Gray capitalized on a foul ball to end the half-inning.
After Duke sat down three straight Huskers again, Kinney and NU returned the favor for the first time in the game in the top of the fourth.
No. 18 Nebraska softball run-ruled by No. 7 Washington after Jordy Bahl goes down in Husker debut
The Blue Devils went back to work after two outs in the fifth. Vega launched a ball to right field where Neal just missed it. She advanced to second on the error and allowed Ana Gold to score. Torres singled to right field and then Zampa earned her 2nd RBI of the game.
After another three Huskers were retired in order, left-handed pitcher Caitlin Olensky started the sixth inning in the circle. The freshman faced two hitters against Washington and gave up a three-run homer and an RBI single.
In the bottom of the seventh, Andrews crushed Wright’s shutout shot and her pitch to left field for a home run. The senior scored Nebraska softball’s first run of the season.
Second baseman Vega led Duke with three RBIs with a double, and Zampa recorded two RBIs.
Nebraska outhits LBSU
Billie Andrews ended one game with a home run and started the next with a triple. Her sister, Brooke Andrews, batted her in on a sacrifice bunt for NU to tie it 1-1.
Brooke made a great sliding catch in center field to send LBSU leadoff hitter Sara Olson back into the dugout. However, Harness walked Makayla Medellin, who then scored after a double by Sinclair Lawhorn.
In the top of the second, the Beach hit back-to-back singles with one out. Billie snatched the ground ball from Perez and gunned it to Caneda on second base for get out catcher Rebekah Durazo. Caneda threw out Selena Perez on first to end the half-inning without a score.
Nebraska’s offense caught fire in the bottom of the third inning. They scored four runs and crushed two doubles. Both Andrews sisters hit a double. Brooke earned three RBIs since the bases were loaded. Freshman first baseman and pitcher Emmerson Cope smacked one down the left-field line for her first career hit and RBI.
Nebraska took a 5-2 lead into the top of the fourth inning.
Kinney took over for right-handed pitcher Sarah Harness after three innings. In her three innings, Harness gave up two hits, two runs and walked one batter. Kinney, who started vs. Duke, came in for Harness and pitched three innings. She recorded zero strikeouts, one walk and gave up five hits and two runs.
As for the Beach, Shannon Haddad got the start. After she gave up three hits and five runs, Eryka Gonzales took over. Gonzales was in the circle for 3.1 innings, allowing two runs and getting three strikeouts. Kate Barnett took over for the last two outs of the game.
The score held until the bottom of the fifth went Nebraska scored two more runs. With two outs, Gray hit a double for an RBI and then Kinney singled to right center for another. NU took a 7-2 lead which stood of the rest of the game.
Bats take two games to catch fire
Nebraska’s offense didn’t score in its first 11 innings of the season.
They were shut out by Washington RHP Ruby Meylan and for six innings against Duke RHP Jala Wright. Wright and her defense didn’t allow a Husker to get on base until the seventh inning. She recorded eight strikeouts and faced 22 batters.
The Huskers were making contact but couldn’t get past the Blue Devil’s strong defense. Kelsey Zampa made several great catches in right field to knock the wind out of NU’s sails early.
Billie Andrews earned NU’s first hit of the season and it was a home run. She continued her momentum with a leadoff triple against LBSU.
Her teammates caught fire as well. NU had eight hits against the Beach after three in their first two games of the season. Brooke and Billie Andrews, Cope and Gray hit doubles. Billie had a triple, two doubles and went 3-for-4 in game two.
This off-season, Revelle talked about the power and depth of NU’s offense and they finally showed that today.
Defense struggles
Nebraska made two fielding errors against the Beach and three against Duke. Caneda had one in each game. Neal came up just short running down a deep hit in left field in game one. Freshman Haidyn Warner came in at catcher and overthrew a runner at second.
Against LBSU, Neal also misjudged the velocity of a deep shot.
However, NU also made a handful of great defensive plays. Brooke Andrews had a few amazing catches in center field. The infielder turned two double plays vs. the Beach and was a millisecond away from a third.
Nebraska’s defense has the potential to be lights out, but they have several things to tighten up before then.
Jordy Bahl update
Nebraska pitcher Jordy Bahl was injured during the Huskers’ 8-0 loss to Washington on Thursday evening. In the third inning, her left leg buckled underneath her immediately after a pitch.
Husker Head Coach Rhonda Revelle said on the Huskers Radio Network that Bahl’s left knee, or her plant knee, suffered the injury. Revelle said they will be “conservative” with Bahl this weekend and will learn more about the injury when returning back to Lincoln.
Bahl was in full uniform and fielded ground balls during warms ahead of Nebraska vs. Duke.
The junior All-American did not play against Duke. Her return for NU’s final games against Long Beach State and Utah Valley are unlikely.
