Huskers Fall to Knights, 7-3

The Nebraska softball team (14-7) fell to Central Florida in the first game of the day in Long Beach, Calif. The Knights moved to 21-7, extending their win streak to 10.  

Recording the loss, Courtney Wallace (6-3) pitched the complete game and notched a career-high 10 strikeouts. 

For UCF, Gianna Mancha (9-2) picked up the win, pitching 4.1 innings, allowing six hits and striking out seven.  Kama Woodall was awarded the save after pitching 2.2 innings, giving up no hits and striking out two. 

A two-out rally in the top of the first inning put the Knights up 2-0 early. After two strikeouts, Central Florida strung together two singles down the left field line and a walk to put the Knights up 1-0. A hard hit ball to third base scored another before Wallace finished the inning with her third strikeout, but Central Florida took the early 2-0 lead. 

Central Florida extended the lead to 4-0 in the top of the second. A pair of singles and a sacrifice bunt put runners at second and third. A passed ball added one and a stolen base added another. UCF went into the bottom of the second with a 4-0 lead. 

The Huskers got on the board in the bottom of the fifth inning. Ava Bredwell led off with a double to left center field. Cam Ybarra scored Bredwell after a triple to center field. Sydney Gray followed with her second double of the day, scoring Ybarra. Mya Felder had a hard hit ball to right field, scoring Gray. NU went to the top of the sixth down, 4-3. 

UCF responded in the top of the sixth, putting runners in scoring position after two singles. A walk loaded the bases, and a ground out scored one. With two outs, Wallace came in clutch, striking out her ninth batter of the day, a personal best for the senior. The Huskers headed into the bottom of the sixth down, 5-3. 

The Knights added two more in the top of the seventh inning. A leadoff double put a runner in scoring position. A single to center field put another runner on, and the throw from center missed target, bringing in one run. With two base runners on for UCF, a single to right field extended the lead to 7-3.

Nebraska fell to Central Florida, 7-3. 

The Huskers will finish the day against host school Long Beach State at approximately 4 p.m. CT. The game will be broadcasted live on the Huskers Radio Network and Huskers.com with the call from Nate Rohr.

Game Notes

• Courtney Wallace's 10 strikeouts sets a career-high. Wallace's previous career-best was eight which was set at Georgia Tech in 2020. 
• Billie Andrews' hit in the bottom of the third marked her 18th game in a row recording a hit. 
• Nebraska recorded four doubles from three different players. Billie Andrews and Ava Bredwell each notched a double while Sydney Gray tallied two for NU. 
• Cam Ybarra smashed a triple to center field during the bottom of the fifth. This marked her second triple of the year.