For the first time in the program’s history, No. 8 Nebraska softball has defeated two different No. 1-ranked teams in the same season. They accomplished this feat after closing out the weekend, taking down No. 1 Texas Tech.
The Huskers were challenged all weekend with tough play, having to face four different ranked opponents.
On Thursday, Nebraska started the invitational strong with a shutout 6-0 victory over No. 10 LSU. Freshman pitcher Alexis Jensen was lights out on the bump. The left-hander threw four scoreless innings, only allowing one hit. Jensen also threw seven strikeouts, which included four consecutive strikeouts, which occurred in the first and second inning.
This started out as a defensive game until senior infielder Lauren Camenzind laced a single down the right field line. This led to a Jesse Farrell two-out double, which scored Camenzind and gave the Huskers a 1-0 lead.
The fourth inning is where Nebraska took over. Senior infielder Katelyn Caneda scored on a throwing error. Shortly after, junior Samantha Bland hit a sacrifice fly, which scored Kacie Hoffman.
To round up the inning, seniors Jordy Frahm and Hannah Camenzind hit back-to-back RBI doubles to give the Huskers a 5-0 lead. Frahm delivered once again in the sixth inning, batting in another run. Frahm closed out the final three innings, cementing the Husker 6-0 shutout victory over the Tigers.
Later that day, Nebraska lost in a nail-biter to No. 17 Georgia 6-5. Georgia’s Kierston Roose started the game with a leadoff bomb to deep right-center field, giving the Bulldogs an early 1-0 lead. Jensen then gave up a two-run homer in the second inning, making it an early three-run lead for Georgia. The Huskers came crawling back in the top of the third thanks to an RBI double by Jesse Farrell and an RBI single by Ava Kuszak. On Kuszak’s hit, Farrell attempted to score but was caught short after being thrown out by Georgia left fielder Jaydyn Goodwin.
The Bulldogs responded in the bottom of the inning, adding three more runs to the scoreboard and taking a 6-2 lead. The gritty Husker team slowly came back thanks to a sacrifice fly by junior outfielder Malia Thoms in the fourth inning, and a solo home run by Farrell in the fifth. In the seventh inning, Frahm got the offense going with a one-out triple. Hannah Camenzind drove in Frahm to make it a one-run game. Kuszak was then drew a walk and put runners on first and second. Head coach Rhonda Revelle chose to pinch run sophomore Nessa McMillen for Camenzind and pinch hit redshirt freshman Carlie Muhlbach for Emmerson Cope. Muhlback delivered with a two-out base hit to left field. McMillen got sent home and got thrown out by Goodwin in left. Goodwin threw out two Huskers at home, and that ultimately decided the game.
In Friday’s matchup, the Huskers fell in disappointing fashion to No. 3 Tennessee. In the third inning, senior outfielder Hannah Coor led off the inning with a walk. Shortly after, Bland laced a base hit down the right field line, advancing Coor to second. A passed ball would advance both runners and lead Coor to score on a sacrifice fly by Jesse Farrell which gave the Huskers a 1-0 lead.
The hit by Bland would end up being the only one for Nebraska as they went hitless the rest of the game. Tennessee went on to score one run in the fourth and three in the fifth inning. The Huskers had no response and were defeated with a final score of 4-1.
Saturday’s matchup against UCF was the Frahm game. She was the clear difference maker in the Huskers’ 6-0 shutout victory. In the game, Frahm hit two home runs. Frahm hit a leadoff bomb to deep left-center field. In the fourth inning, Frahm hit a two-run home run to left field to boost the lead to 5-0. In the seventh inning, Caneda laced a double to the left field wall, achieving her 100th career hit.
Frahm looked just as elite on the mound as she did at the plate. Frahm threw a complete game shutout, only allowing three hits and striking out seven batters, and secured the win for the Huskers.
On Sunday, Nebraska defeated a No. 1-ranked team for the second time this season, taking down No. 1 Texas Tech in a 3-2 victory.
Texas Tech started with an early two-run lead, scoring in the first and third inning. It wasn’t until the bottom of the fourth inning that the Huskers’ bats caught fire. Jesse Farrell hit a two-run bomb to deep left-center field to tie the game.
Later in the inning, Muhlbach reached first base on a single. Senior Dakota Carter entered the game to pinch run for Muhlbach. Carter made an immediate difference, stealing second base. Carter ended up scoring thanks to an RBI double by Coor, giving the Huskers a 3-2 lead. That run was the difference maker as Frahm threw three scoreless innings, leading Nebraska to victory.
The Huskers had a gauntlet of a schedule in Clearwater, Florida, facing four ranked opponents. Nebraska finished the invitational with a 3-2 record.
Next weekend, Nebraska will travel to Cathedral City, California, where it will compete in the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic.