Squier Powers Huskers Past Coyotes

Abbie Squier homered twice and drove in three runs to power the Nebraska softball team to a 9-3 victory over South Dakota in the first of two games Sunday for the Huskers in Lawrence, Kansas. 

Squier produced the first multi-homer game of her career and her three RBIs were a career high. She capped Nebraska's three-run fourth inning that put the Huskers ahead for the first time in the game. Caitlynn Neal got the inning started with her first double on the year to score one. Neal added a triple in the top of the seventh, capping a career high day for the sophomore who tallied 4 RBIs. Neal finished 3-for-4 with a single, double and triple for Nebraska (18-9). 

Olivia Ferrell (10-4) earned her 10th win of the season, tossing five innings, striking out four and giving up six hits. 

Clara Edwards (7-7) took the loss for South Dakota, which fell to 14-11 on the season after losing to the Huskers for the second straight day. Edwards allowed seven runs in five innings with six of the runs being earned. 

The Huskers got on the board first with a run in the first inning. A single from Cam Ybarra and a double from Sydney Gray put runners in scoring position. Kaylin Kinney grounded out, but drove in Ybarra to take an early 1-0 lead. 

South Dakota led briefly, grabbing a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first. A string of singles put runners in scoring position and a double to right field scored both runners. 

Nebraska answered back in a big way in the top of the fourth, scoring three times. Kaylin Kinney led off with a double while Olivia Ferrell advanced Kinney on a sacrifice bunt. Caitlynn Neal followed with a double of her own, scoring Kinney. Abbie Squier topped the inning off with a two-run homer over the right center field fence to make it a 3-2 game. 

The Big Red extended the lead to 7-2 with another three-run inning in the top of the fifth. Cam Ybarra reached on an error followed by a walk for Sydney Gray. Kaylin Kinney singled to load the bases, and Olivia Ferrell was walked for the first run of the inning. Caitlynn Neal singled to bring in two runs to make it 7-2. 

The Coyotes added one more to try and cut the lead in the bottom of the fifth. A lead off double put a runner in scoring position. A walk, strikeout and a fielder's choice but runners at first and third with one out. A throwing error allowed the runner at third to score, making it a 7-3 game. 

Abbie Squier notched her second homer of the game in the top of the sixth with a solo shot over the left field fence to extend the lead to 8-3. 

NU added one more in the top of the seventh. Courtney Wallace led off with a single followed by an RBI triple from Caitlynn Neal to finish with a 9-3 victory. 

The Huskers will play game two of the day at approximately 11:45 p.m. CT against Tulsa. The game will be broadcasted live on the Huskers Radio Network and Huskers.com.