Home Runs Seal Run-Rule Victory for Huskers

The Nebraska softball team (6-4) finished the weekend with a 4-1 record to be named the Troy Cox Classic champions after an 11-1 victory over Southeastern Louisiana (6-2) Sunday morning. The Huskers tallied four home runs including a grand slam from senior Olivia Ferrell and two home runs from sophomore Sydney Gray. 

Courtney Wallace (5-1) pitched a complete game for the Huskers, throwing for six innings and recording 3 strikeouts. 

NU faced four different SLU pitchers. Mary-Cathryn Comeaux (3-1) earned the loss for the Lions. She pitched for 0.1 innings, giving up two home runs, three hits and three runs. 

The Huskers struck first in the bottom of the third inning. Abbie Squier led the inning off with a single to left center. Billie Andrews moved the runner with a bunt, recording the first out of the inning. Cam Ybarra followed it up with a two-run homer, her third deep ball of the weekend. Sydney Gray added one of her own going deep over the fence to make it a 3-0 game. Olivia Ferrell and Courtney Wallace both flied out to end the inning. 

The Lions responded in the top of the fourth. After a ground out, Madison Rayner hit a double down the right field line to be put in scoring position. Madisen Blackford followed with a single to right field, scoring Rayner to make it a 3-1 game. A ground out marked the second out. Bailey Krolcyzk singled to second base, but Cam Ybarra was able to throw out Blackford at home to end the inning. 

Nebraska had a huge fifth inning. Billie Andrews extended her hit streak to seven games in a row with a single to third base. Cam Ybarra followed with a singled to left center. Sydney Gray was walked to load the bases. In her first hit of the weekend, Olivia Ferrell hit a grand slam over the left center fence to extend the lead to 7-1. 

The Big Red finished it off in the bottom of the sixth inning. Camyl Armendariz led the inning off with a walk followed by Abbie Squier reaching base after being hit by a pitch. Billie Andrews reached on a fielder's choice, scoring Armendariz, and Squier advancing on a throwing error from the shortstop. Sydney Gray ensured the run rule win with a three-run homer to finish the game, 11-1. 

The Huskers are back in action at the Wooo Pig Sooie Tournament in Fayetteville, Ark., next weekend, Feb. 25-27. NU will face Kansas and Arkansas on Friday, Louisville and Arkansas on Saturday and finish the weekend playing Southeast Missouri State on Sunday. 

Game Notes 

• Cam Ybarra and Sydney Gray went back-to-back with home runs in the bottom of the third inning. The last time the Huskers went back-to-back with home runs was in the game against New Mexico State on Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022. 
• Billie Andrews' single in the bottom of the fifth inning marked the seventh game in a row that Andrews has recorded a hit. 
• Olivia Ferrell hit her first home run of the year with a grand slam in the bottom of the fifth inning. This marks NU's third grand slam of the weekend. 
• Sydney Gray tallied her second game of the year with two home runs. Gray last had two home runs in a game in the win against Northern Colorado on Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022.
• The Huskers notched 15 home runs on the weekend.