Huskers sweep the Badgers

The Nebraska softball team traveled to Madison, Wisconsin for a 3 game series with the Wisconsin Badger softball team over the weekend. After a Friday game cancellation due to inclement weather, the series began with a doubleheader on Saturday followed by a Sunday afternoon finale. Big Red swept the Badgers 13 – 5(5), 3 – 2 and 9 – 0(5).

GAME 1

The Huskers dominated game 1 of the doubleheader winning 13 – 5 in a run rule victory. NU combined eight hits, nine walks and 2 HBP to plate 13 runs. The Nebraska offense was spread across the line up. All 9 Husker starters produced an RBI and 10 Huskers scored a run. The big Husker bats led the charge. Sophomore MJ Knighten went 3-for-3 with a walk and 4 RBIs while senior catcher Steph Pasquale added 2 RBIs.

Husker pitchers held Wisconsin to 5 runs. NU right-hander Emily Lockman started in the circle and got tagged with 4 runs (three earned) in 3.0 innings before she was lifted. Sophomore right-hander Cassie McClure came on in relief to earn the win, allowing only 1 earned run in 3.0 innings.

GAME 2

Game two was a pitcher’s duel. Wisconsin scored first, earning their two runs off the arm of

Husker

freshman hurler Kaylan Jablonski in the third inning. She allowed two runs in 6.0 innings.

NU

right-hander Emily Lockman pitched a scoreless seventh inning to earn her first save of the season. The

Big Red

was held scoreless for the first three innings of the game. They came from behind to score a run in innings four, five and six to earn the narrow one run victory. Huskers Dawna Tyson, MJ Knighten and Cassie McClure drove in Nebraska’s three runs.

GAME 3

Big Red earned the sweep Sunday afternoon shutting out the Badgers 9 – 0. It was Nebraska’s 15th run-rule win of the season. Freshman Kaylan Jablonski tossed a superb game for the Huskers for 4 innings, giving up only 2 hits in the bottom of the 1st inning. Junior Emily Lockman entered the game in the 5th to retire all 3 Wisconsin batters.

Offensively, NU Hurler Jablonski helped herself out with 2 hits and 2 RBIs. Sophomore Cassie McClure had 2 hits and junior Alicia Armstrong had 2 RBIs. Last but not least, Husker catcher Steph Pasquale led the team with her 3-run homer!

Nebraska returns home for the last 4 games of the season. They entertain Drake on Tuesday, April 29th in a weather make-up game and play their last conference series against Illinois beginning on Friday, May 1. With a record of 29-19 on the year, the Huskers sit solidly in 3rd place in the Big Ten rankings with a 15-5 record in league play.

Nebraska needs to win all 4 remaining games to hopefully secure an “at-large” bid into NCAA post-season play. Follow your Huskers HERE and as always, GO BIG RED!!