NU Takes Game One From Purdue, 8-1

The Nebraska softball team scored early and often in an 8-1 win over Purdue in the first game of a doubleheader Saturday afternoon in Leesburg, Fla.

The Huskers scored a season-high eight runs and produced a season-high 12 hits. Nebraska (5-5) scored in four innings, producing multiple runs in three frames. 

Senior Cam Ybarra paced the attack with a 2-for-4 day that included a pair of doubles and a career-high four RBIs. Senior Tristen Edwards reached base in all four of her plate appearances, finishing 2-for-2 with a double, an RBI, a walk and a hit by pitch. Senior Ally Riley went 2-for-3 with a double. Senior Rylie Unzicker also doubled, drew a pair of walks and scored twice as part of a 2-for-3 day, and freshman Caitlynn Neal finished 1-for-4 with a pair of RBIs and two runs scored.

In the circle, senior right-hander Olivia Ferrell (2-4) earned the win. Ferrell went the first 6.0 innings and allowed only one run on just two hits while striking out five. Freshman right-hander Kaylin Kinney pitched a scoreless bottom of the seventh, working around a two-out single.

Alex Echazarreta (0-1) took the loss for Purdue (3-8), which used five pitchers to try and slow the Husker offensive attack. Echazarreta gave up four runs on three hits in 1.1 innings.

Nebraska wasted little time getting going on offense, scoring two runs just three batters into the game. Unzicker began the game with a walk before Edwards brought her home with an RBI double to right center. Ybarra then grounded the very next pitch down the right field line for another RBI double that scored Edwards and gave Nebraska a 2-0 lead. Following a walk to Kinney and a pair of stolen bases – one by sophomore pinch runner Brooke Andrews – the Huskers had a chance to add to the lead with runners on second and third with one out but were unable to bring another run home.

NU then loaded the bases with one out in the top of the second. Neal reached on an error, Unzicker followed with a double and Edwards walked. Ybarra then lined a two-run double to right field to push the lead to 4-0. Nebraska again missed a chance to add to its lead, stranding runners at second and third for the second straight inning.

Purdue got a run back in the bottom of the third with a two-out rally. The first two batters were quickly retired before an infield single and an RBI double cut the Husker lead to 4-1.

In the top of the third, Riley led off with a double. Freshman Abbie Squier pinch ran for Riley and Squire advanced all the way to third base on a sacrifice bunt from Ferrell. Squier's hustle paid off one batter later when she scored on a sacrifice fly from freshman Billie Andrews.

Leading 5-1, Nebraska got a one-out single from Edwards and a two-out single from Kinney in the top of the fourth but did not score, stranding runners at second and third for the third time in four innings.

The Huskers got two more singles in the top of the fifth when Riley led off with a single and Billie Andrews reached on a one-out single. Freshman pinch runner Camyl Armendariz and Andrews then pulled off a double steal to move into scoring position for Neal, who delivered a two-run single to right for her first career hit and RBIs. The 7-1 lead forced Purdue to bring on its fourth pitcher of the game and Unzicker greeted the new hurler by drawing her second walk. Edwards was then hit by a pitch – her fourth time reaching base in the game – to load the bases with only one out. That brought Purdue's fifth pitcher of the game in to face Ybarra, who drove the first pitch she saw into center field for a sacrifice fly that scored Neal to stretch the lead to 8-1, which proved to be the final score.