Nebraska suffered an 11-3 setback at UCLA on Saturday afternoon at Jackie Robinson Stadium in Los Angeles.

Nebraska (7-10, 1-4 Big Ten) scored three runs on eight hits and an error, while UCLA (15-4, 4-1 Big Ten) totaled 11 runs, 13 hits and an error.

Robby Bolin paced the Husker offense with a 3-for-4 afternoon with an RBI. Tyler Stone had an RBI double, while Case Sanderson, Riley Silva, Dylan Carey and Devin Nunez tallied a hit each.

Ty Horn fell to 0-3 on the season after allowing six runs, three earned, on six hits across four innings while striking out a season-high six batters and walking two. Jalen Worthley surrendered three runs on two hits with a strikeout and a walk in 0.2 innings.

Pryce Bender pitched 2.1 shutout innings, while Ryan Harrahill and Blake Encarnacion combined to pitch the final inning.

The Huskers plated the game’s first run of the afternoon to grab an early 1-0 lead in the opening frame. Max Buettenback was plunked on an 0-2 count and raced around the bases on Stone’s third extra-base hit of the weekend. Stone lifted a 2-0 pitch off the left-center wall for an RBI double to break the scoreless deadlock.

Horn struck out the side in the bottom of the first and worked around two singles in the second inning with a pair of punchouts to keep the Huskers’ 1-0 lead through two innings.

Consecutive singles from Carey and Nunez, joined with a Bruin error had runners on second and third with two outs in the top of the fourth, but a groundout to second prevented the NU offense from adding on to the lead.

UCLA plated three runs on one hit and an error to take a 3-1 lead through four innings. A leadoff two-base fielding error and a two-out walk had runners on first and third, while a three-run homer to right-center off the bat of AJ Salgado gave the Bruins a two-run lead.

The Huskers threatened in the fifth with consecutive one-out singles from Bolin and Sanderson, but a flyout and strikeout kept the Big Red off the board.

The Bruins erupted for six runs on four hits in the bottom of the fifth to blow the game open at 9-1. A leadoff solo homer started the scoring for UCLA, while a single and a pair of walks loaded the bases with no outs.

An RBI single through the left side, followed by an RBI groundout to first tacked on two more runs to the UCLA lead. Salgado’s second three-run homer of the afternoon made it a 9-1 game through five innings.

Nebraska stranded two baserunners in each of the fifth, sixth and seventh innings, while UCLA left the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh to keep it a 9-1 game going into the final two innings.

A pair of walks, followed by a two-out RBI single to center off the bat of Bolin plated Nebraska’s second run of the afternoon in the top of the eighth inning. Hayden Lewis was hit by the pitch to load the bases with two outs, but the Huskers weren’t able to add any more runs in the inning.

UCLA responded immediately with two runs on four hits in the bottom half of the eighth to send an 11-2 game into the top of the ninth. A one-out double, followed by an RBI single through the left side scored the first run in the inning, while a second RBI single through the left side tacked on another run.

Silva opened the ninth with a single to center and later came around to score on a sacrifice fly from Carey to make it an 11-3 game.

Nebraska and UCLA conclude the weekend series tomorrow afternoon at Jackie Robinson Stadium in Los Angeles. First pitch of the series finale between the Huskers and Bruins is set for 3 p.m. CT on B1G+.

Huskers Drop Slugfest Against Buckeyes

The No. 21 Nebraska softball team fell to the Ohio State Buckeyes by a score of 13-12 on Saturday in Columbus, Ohio.

The game was an offensive standoff, as at least one team scored in every inning but the seventh and both teams had an inning with more than five runs scored. The Huskers, who moved to 20-7 (1-1 Big Ten) on the season, out-hit Ohio State 13-12, but the Buckeyes had nine extra-base hits. Both teams added four home runs on the day. 

Emmerson Cope led the Husker bats, going 2-for-3 with two homers and four RBIs. Jordyn Bahl (two hits) and Kacie Hoffmann (three hits) each knocked a home run, while Hannah Camenzind added two doubles. 

Cope (4-1) took the loss for the Big Red despite being the most effective in the circle. She pitched 3.1 innings of relief and allowed two runs. Hannah Camenzind started in the circle and allowed five runs, and Bahl pitched 0.1 innings and allowed six runs. Layna Gerhard (3-0) grabbed the win for OSU. 

Ohio State plated its first run with a pair of doubles in the bottom of the first and took a 1-0 lead.

The Buckeyes then took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second on a Taylor Cruse home run.

NU’s offense sparked in the top of the third inning, as it scored six runs on six hits and two walks. Ava Kuszak kicked off the inning with a single, then advanced to second on a passed ball. Bahl knocked a two-run homer to tie the score at 2-2. Olivia DiNardo reached first on a walk, and Bella Bacon came in to pinch run for her. Hannah Camenzind doubled to score a run and went around to home on a respective throw and error. Kacie Hoffmann homered before Lauren Camenzind doubled to center field. An Ava Bredwell single sent Lauren Camenzind to the plate, and the Big Red led 6-2 going into the bottom of the third.

Ohio State tied it, 6-6, in the bottom of the third on a three-run double and grabbed an 8-6 lead on a two-run homer. OSU extended the advantage to 11-8 on its fourth home run of the day.

Bahl walked to lead off the top of the fourth and Cope hit a two-run homer to bring NU within three at 11-8.  

In the top of the fifth, Kuszak reached on a fielder’s choice and Bahl singled to advance Kuszak to third. Bland got to base on an error that also scored Kuszak and sent Bahl to third, and Bahl went home on a wild pitch. Cope homered, the Huskers’ fourth of the day, to score herself and Bland and give NU the lead back at 12-11. 

The Buckeyes scored on a sacrifice fly and an RBI single in the bottom of the sixth and held a narrow 13-12 lead going into the final inning of the day. Nebraska was then retired in order in the top of the seventh.

NU will close out the series with the Buckeyes on Sunday in what will be a non-conference game. The game will be streamed on B1G+ and can be heard across the Huskers Radio Network. 

Postgame Notes

  • Jordyn Bahl extended her hitting streak to 11 games with two hits.
  • Bahl homered in the third inning and is now at 11 home runs on the season. She has homered in two straight games and five of her last seven.
  • The home run was Bahl’s 24th extra-base hit of the season in only 26 games. Entering the week, Bahl was tied for the national lead in extra-base hits.
  • Nebraska has now scored six or more runs in 10 innings this season. 
  • The Huskers hit four home runs in the game. The Huskers – who are leading the nation in home runs per game – have hit at least three home runs in a game 11 times this season.
  • NU has scored 10+ runs in 14 games this season.
  • Today’s game was the first game that Nebraska lost when it hit a home run (20-1). 
  • Today marked the seventh game this season that NU has hit four or more home runs. 
  • Emmerson Cope tied her career highs with four RBIs, two home runs and two runs scored.
  • Today was the second multi-homer game of Cope’s career. 
  • Hannah Camenzind tied her career high with two doubles.
  • Kacie Hoffmann tied her career high with three hits.