Ferrell Fires One-Hitter in 9-0 Win

Olivia Ferrell tossed a one-hit shutout and Nebraska slugged four home runs as the Husker softball team picked up its fifth straight win with a 9-0 six-inning victory over South Dakota State Friday night at Bowlin Stadium.

Ferrell (5-2) was brilliant in the circle while tossing her second career shutout. She fanned nine batters in only 6.0 innings, one shy of her career high. Ferrell allowed just an infield single and only two balls left the infield all night.

With Ferrell in control in the circle, it was the top of the Husker lineup that did the damage at the plate. Nebraska's Nos. 1-4 hitters combined for eight hits, a triple, four home runs, six RBIs and seven runs scored. Billie Andrews went 2-for-4 with a pair of home runs and three RBIs out of the leadoff spot. She homered for the fourth consecutive game and produced her fourth career multi-homer effort. Cam Ybarra was 2-for-3 with a homer, a triple and an RBI out of the No. 2 spot in the lineup. Sydney Gray, batting third, went 2-for-4 with a homer and two RBIs. Cleanup hitter Mya Felder finished 2-for-3.

Nebraska out-hit South Dakota State 11-1. Seven of the Huskers' 11 hits went for extra-base hits. In addition to the five extra-base hits from the first four hitters in the lineup, Brooke Andrews and Kaylin Kinney each doubled.

With its fifth straight win, Nebraska improved to 11-5 on the season. South Dakota State, a 2021 NCAA Tournament qualifier, fell to 8-6. Tori Kniesche (5-2) was charged with the loss after allowing three runs in 4.1 innings.
 
South Dakota State mounted the game's first scoring threat in the top of the third. A one-out walk, an infield single and a wild pitch put Jackrabbits on second and third, but Ferrell bounced back with a strikeout and a fly out.
 
After being held without a hit for the first three innings, Nebraska came out swinging in the bottom of the fourth, producing three hits in the first four pitches of the inning.  Ybarra gave Nebraska its first hit when she blasted the first pitch of the inning to deep right center for a solo home run. Two pitches later, Gray lined a 1-0 offering just over the fence in left to make it 2-0. Felder then lined the next pitch into center field, but she was eventually stranded at second base, and Kinney was left on first base after a one-out walk.
 
Nebraska added two more runs in the bottom of the fifth. With one out, Billie Andrews sent another shot over the scoreboard in left for her 10th home run of the season. Ybarra followed the homer with a triple and Gray scored Ybarra with an RBI single to right to push the lead to 4-0. Felder then also singled to right before a ground out put Huskers on second and third with two outs. That set the stage for Kinney, who gave Nebraska a 6-0 advantage with a two-run double to left center.

The Huskers ended the game early with three runs in the bottom of the sixth. Brooke Andrews led off the inning with a double, and Caitlyn Neal followed with an RBI single. Ahead 7-0, Billie Andrews ended the night early with her second home run of the day, a two-run shot to right center that accounted for the 9-0 final score. Billie Andrews had three home runs in Nebraska's two games on Friday.
 
Nebraska takes on South Dakota State again tomorrow at 2:30 p.m.
 
Game Notes

• Nebraska won its fifth straight game, the program's longest winning streak since February of 2019 (6 games).
• The shutout was Nebraska's first of the season.
• The Huskers posted their sixth run-rule victory of the season.
• Nebraska became the first team to run-rule South Dakota State since Arkansas accomplished the feat on Feb. 21, 2020.
• The Huskers were the first team to shut out South Dakota State sine March 11, 2020.
• Olivia Ferrell posted her second career shutout and finished with nine strikeouts in six innings, one shy of her career high.
• Cam Ybarra and Sydney Gray hit back-to-back home runs to start the fourth inning. That marked the third time this season the Huskers have hit back-to-back home runs.
• Each of Nebraska's No. 1, 2 and 3 hitters homered against South Dakota State. The Huskers' top three hitters of Billie Andrews (11), Cam Ybarra (3) and Sydney Gray (7) have combined for 20 home runs in 16 games this season.
• Billie Andrews hit her 10th and 11th home runs of the season, producing her fourth career multi-homer game. She has also homered in a career-high four consecutive games.
• Cam Ybarra hit her second career triple in addition to her home run.