Will Walsh belted his second homer of the weekend, as Nebraska completed its series sweep of Nicholls with an 11-4 win in the series finale on Sunday afternoon at Hawks Field at Haymarket Park.

Winners of 10 of their last 12 games, the Huskers (13-5) scored 11 runs on 14 hits and committed an error. Nicholls (17-6) totaled four runs, six hits and three errors.

Walsh led the Big Red at the plate, going 2-for-5 with a home run, three RBI and two runs in a game where every Husker in the starting lineup recorded a hit. Rhett Stokes drove in a pair of runs after going 2-for-5 with two doubles and a team-high three runs. Gabe Swansen and Josh Caron had a two-hit day with a double apiece, while Dylan Hufft went 2-for-3.

Riley Silva tallied a two-RBI single, while Joshua Overbeek posted a double and Cayden Brumbaugh and Cole Evans each had a single.

Ty Horn pitched two innings in the start, allowing three runs on two hits and three walks. Jackson Brockett moved to 1-0 on the season after pitching a pair of scoreless frames. Kyle Froehlich pitched two scoreless innings, before Bobby Olsen allowed one run on one hit in an inning of work. Rans Sanders took the mound for the final two innings and dealt a pair of scoreless frames to maintain the 11-4 win for the Huskers.

Nicholls grabbed its first lead of the weekend after a pair of walks and sacrifice fly in the second.

A walk and a double set up MaCrae Kendrick’s two-RBI single to right-center in the third, expanding the lead for the Colonels to 3-0.

The Huskers burst onto the scoreboard with four runs on five hits and an error in the bottom of the fourth. Nebraska had runners on second and third with no outs after Evans’ single and a double from Caron. Walsh cleared the bases and tied the game with a three-run blast into the left-field berm for his second roundtripper of the series.

Stokes reached on a fielder’s choice and came around to score and give the Huskers a 4-3 lead in the fourth after the Colonels’ outfielder misplayed Hufft’s single, allowing the ball to roll all the way to the wall in right.

Froehlich quieted the Colonel offense in the fifth and sixth innings, while the Huskers plated five runs on five hits in the sixth to blow the game open at 9-3. An infield single by Walsh, followed by a one-out RBI double to left from Stokes doubled the Big Red’s advantage to 5-3.

Hufft was plunked on the first pitch, before a wild pitch moved Stokes and Hufft to second and third with one out. Silva came through and stretched the lead to four with a two-RBI single through the right side. A wild pitch scooted Silva to second, while an RBI double from Overbeek put the Huskers in front 8-3.

Evans drew a full-count walk to put runners on first and second with two outs, setting up Caron’s RBI single to right that plated Overbeek and made it a 9-3 game through six innings.

Olsen replaced Froehlich in the seventh and had the first two Colonels reach with a walk and a single to put runners on first and third with no outs. The Brown transfer induced a 1-6-3 double play that scored Nicholls’ final run of the day but put an end to the momentum of the Colonel offense.

Nebraska responded quickly with two more runs in the bottom of the seventh to expand the lead to 11-4. Back-to-back doubles from Swansen and Stokes to begin the inning plated the Big Red’s 10th run of the game. The Huskers capped the scoring on the afternoon after Case Sanderson lifted a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Stokes.

Sanders fired scoreless frames in the eighth and ninth innings to clinch the series sweep for the Huskers.

Nebraska continues its homestand at Hawks Field at Haymarket Park with a pair of midweek games against Omaha and North Dakota State. The Huskers welcome the Mavericks on Tuesday, March 19, before hosting the Bison on Wednesday, March 20.

HUSKERS FINISH UNDEFEATED AT BIG RED SPRING CLASSIC

The Nebraska softball team won its fifth straight game with a 12-4 six-inning victory over Northern Colorado Sunday at Bowlin Stadium.

With the win, the Huskers finished 4-0 at the Big Red Spring Classic and improved to 16-12 on the season.

The Andrews sisters powered the victory going 8-for-10 with nine RBIs and six runs. Billie went 3-for-5 with four RBIs and four runs, becoming the first Husker to score four times in a game since 2019. Billie also hit the 54th home run of her career, tying the Nebraska all-time home run record.

Not to be outdone, Brooke went 5-for-5 with five RBIs while becoming the first Husker to have five hits in a game since 2006.

Ava Bredwell and Katelyn Caneda also had multiple hits for Nebraska. Bredwell went 2-for-3 with a home run and Caneda was 2-for-2 with a pair of walks, and she scored three times.

In the circle, Kaylin Kinney earned her 10th win of the season. Kinney (10-7) allowed two runs in 4.1 innings of relief. Sarah Harness started and gave up two runs in 1.2 innings.

Grace Algrim (0-4) took the loss for Northern Colorado (15-17), allowing seven runs (six earned) in 3.2 innings.

Northern Colorado used a pair of walks and an RBI double to take a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. 

Nebraska answered back with three runs in the bottom of the frame. Billie Andrews reached on an error and scored on an RBI double from her older sister Brooke. Two batters later, Bredwell launched a two-run homer to give Nebraska a 3-1 lead.

Northern Colorado got a run back in the top of the second without a hit. A one-out walk was followed by a stolen base, a wild pitch and and an RBI ground out to cut the lead to 3-2.

The Huskers then scored a pair of two-out runs in the bottom of the second. After the first two Huskers were retired, Caneda and Billie Andrews recorded back-to-back singles before Brooke Andrews grounded a two-run single up the middle to push the lead to 5-2.

In the top of the fourth, the Bears had runners on second and third with no outs. An RBI ground out cut the Husker lead to 5-3 before an RBI single made it a one-run game.

Nebraska got both runs back in the bottom of the inning. Caneda singled with one out before Billie Andrews reached on a fielder's choice and Caneda was out at second. Andrews then stole second and scored on an RBI single from Brooke Andrews. Sydney Gray followed with a single and Bredwell walked to load the bases. Samantha Bland drew another walk to score Brooke Andrews and push the Husker lead to 7-4. 

The Huskers added three more runs in the fifth to make it 10-4. Caitlynn Neal reached on an error and Caneda walked before Billie Andrews hit a three-run homer to right to tie the Nebraska career home run record.

Nebraska ended the game early with two runs in the bottom of the sixth. Pinch hitter Ashley Smetter walked with one out and was a third with two outs. Caneda then drew her second walk of the game to put runners at first and third before Billie Andrews had an RBI single to score Smetter. Brooke Andrews then had an RBI single of her own to score Caneda and wrap up the 12-4 win.

Nebraska continues its homestand on Wednesday, when the Huskers host Omaha.

Post-Game Notes

• Nebraska has won five straight games, its longest winning streak of the season.
• The Huskers went 4-0 at the Big Red Spring Classic and 5-1 on the week.
• Billie Andrews hit a two-run homer in the fifth inning. The home run was the 54th of her career, tying Nebraska's career home run record.
• Billie Andrews scored four runs on Sunday, becoming the first Husker to score four times in a game since Tristen Edwards against Pittsburgh on Feb. 17, 2019.
• Billie Andrews also tied her career high with four RBIs.
• Three times in the first four innings, Brooke Andrews had a base hit to score her younger sister Billie.
• Brooke Andrews finished with five RBIs, tying her career high.
• Brooke Andrews went 5-for-5 in the game, becoming the first Husker to have five hits in a game since Lizzy Rock had five hits against Illinois on Feb. 24, 2006.
• Together, the Andrews sisters went 8-for-10 with nine RBIs and four runs.
• Malia Thoms had a double for her first career extra-base hit.
• Katelyn Caneda tied her career high with three runs scored.