Huskers Win Big Ten Opener at Ohio State
Huskers.com
The No. 21 Nebraska softball team hit three home runs Friday night at Ohio State to open Big Ten Conference play with a 9-5 victory in Columbus.
Nebraska (20-6, 1-0 Big Ten) trailed 3-1 after three innings before scoring eight consecutive runs to take a 9-3 lead into the final half inning. The Huskers then held on after Ohio State scored twice in the bottom of the seventh and brought the tying run to the plate.
Jordyn Bahl (11-3) earned the complete-game victory for Nebraska, which won its seventh straight game. Bahl allowed five runs (two earned) and posted a season-high 12 strikeouts while working around six walks.
Offensively, Bahl,
Hannah Camenzind and
Ava Bredwell each homered for Nebraska.
Hannah Camenzind went 3-for-4 with four RBIs, while her twin sister Lauren drove in two runs. Bahl,
Olivia DiNardo and
Bella Bacon each had two hits for the Huskers, who totaled 13 hits, including four doubles and three homers.
Lorin Boutte (9-4) took the loss for Ohio State, which fell to 18-6-1 on the season and 0-1 in Big Ten play.
Ohio State jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. A leadoff double and a passed ball gave the Buckeyes a runner at third with one out before the game’s first run scored on an RBI ground out.
Nebraska threatened to answer in the top of the second.
Bella Bacon was hit by a pitch with one out and
Hannah Camenzind followed with a single. After a ground out,
Ava Bredwell drew a walk to load the bases with two outs but a strikeout ended the inning.
The Huskers did answer in the top of the third when Bahl blasted a one-out solo home run to tie the game at 1-1.
Ohio State came right back with a two-out RBI double and RBI single in the bottom of the third to take a 3-1 lead.
Nebraska responded again, plating three runs in the top of the fourth to take a 4-3 lead. Bacon led off with a double before
Hannah Camenzind hit a towering two-run homer to center field to tie the game. Bredwell followed with a solo home run two batters later to give Nebraska its first lead of the game.
The Huskers scored for the third straight inning with a two-run top of the fifth.
Samantha Bland got things started with a one-out double and
Olivia DiNardo followed with a single.
Hannah Camenzind then scored Bland and pinch runner
Kennadi Williams with a two-out, two-run double that stretched Nebraska’s lead to 6-3.
Neither team scored in the sixth before Nebraska added three insurance runs in the top of the seventh. Bahl led off with a single and advanced to third on a one-out double from DiNardo. Bacon then put down a perfect bunt that not only drove in Bahl, but Bacon beat the throw for an RBI single.
Lauren Camenzind then scored DiNardo and Bacon with a two-out, two-run double to make it a 9-3 lead for the Big Red. Nebraska nearly added a fourth run in the frame on a two-out single up the middle from
Abbie Squier, but
Lauren Camenzind was thrown out at home attempting to score from second base.
Trailing by six runs, Ohio State loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the seventh on an error and back-to-back walks. The Buckeyes plated one run on an RBI ground out and another on a two-out RBI single. A third walk of the inning brought the tying run up to the plate with two outs before Bahl recorded her 12th strikeout of the night to wrap up the victory.
Nebraska and Ohio State continues their series on Saturday. In a time change due to expected inclement weather, first pitch on Saturday will be at 11 a.m. (Central).
