Huskers Conclude Opening Weekend with Win Over Omaha

Nebraska  4 3 Omaha
Box Score

Inning-by-Inning
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7		R	H	E
Nebraska	0	4	0	0	0	0	0		4	6	1
Omaha	0	0	2	0	1	0	0		3	7	1

Pitching
	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
W - C. Wallace (1-0)	2.0	2	1	1	0	0
L - S. Hampton (0-0)	7.0	6	4	3	2	3
S - R. Mergele (1)	2.0	0	0	0	0	0

Individual Leaders
	AB	R	H	RBI	2B	HR
Rylie Unzicker	2	1	2	1	1	1
Madi Unzicker	3	1	1	3	0	1

Game Notes
Madi Unzicker hit a three-run homer in the top of the second, marking her first home run of the season.  Rylie Unzicker hit her first-career home run against Omaha. Rylie Unzicker went 2-for-2 with two walks and an RBI. It was her first-career multi-hit game.

Houston, Texas. --- The Nebraska softball team (3-2) finished its opening weekend with a 4-3 win over Omaha (0-5) on Sunday morning.

Nebraska had six hits on the day and was led by Rylie and Madi Unzicker. Rylie Unzicker went 2-for-2 with a double and a home run. It marked the first multi-hit game of her career. She also had one run, one RBI and drew two walks. Madi Unzicker had one hit – a three-run homer. Courtney Wallace, Bri Cassidy and Lexey Kneib also had hits for the Huskers. 

In the circle, Wallace pitched 2.0 innings of relief for Nebraska and earned the first win of her career. She gave up one run on two hits. Regan Mergele earned her second save of the season, pitching 2.0 innings of relief. She allowed just one hit and had three strikeouts. Lindsey Walljasper started the game in the circle for the Huskers. She pitched 3.0 innings and gave up two runs on four hits. She also had one strikeout. 

Nebraska took the lead in the top of the second. Cassidy hit a leadoff double to get things started. Alyvia Simmons reached on an error and moved Cassidy to third. Simmons then stole second to put two runners in scoring position with no outs. Madi Unzicker then smacked a ball over the center field wall to put the Huskers up 3-0. Rylie Unzicker then followed suit, hitting a solo home run to give NU a 4-0 lead.

In the bottom of the inning, Omaha threatened with a runner at third with one out. However, the Husker defense stepped up. Walljasper got a big strikeout. Cassidy caught the runner off guard and threw to Sarah]Yocom at third to get the double play and end the inning. 

Omaha scored two runs in the bottom of the third to cut the Huskers’ lead in half. A pair of singles and a double scored one run and put two more in scoring position. A sacrifice fly scored another run. 

In the fifth, Omaha singled and reached on a fielder’s choice to put two runners on with no outs. Another single brought one run in to cut the lead to 4-3. With runners on second and third with no outs, Kneib caught a line drive and flipped it to Tristen Edwards at second for a big double play. A groundout got the Huskers out of the inning without giving up the lead. 

In the bottom of the sixth, the Mavericks had the tying run on third, but the Huskers didn’t allow the runner to score. Mergele gave up just one hit in the inning and recorded two strikeouts. 

In the seventh, Mergele retired the first three batters to seal the win. 

The Huskers are back in action next weekend when they travel to Raleigh, N.C. for the ACC/Big Ten Conference. Nebraska and Wisconsin will represent the Big Ten at the site, while NC State and Pittsburgh will represent the ACC.