Huskers Open Home Series with 12-4 Win

The Nebraska softball team stretched its winning streak to eight games and opened up the three-game Big Ten Conference series with a 12-4 win over Rutgers at Bowlin Stadium. 

The Huskers improved to 23-9 on the season and moved to 3-0 in league play. Senior Courtney Wallace earned the win to move to 11-4 on the season while senior Olivia Ferrell was credited with her first save of 2022. 

Offensively, six Huskers produced a hit and five drove in at least one run. Sophomore Abbie Squier went 3-for-4 with three hits including two homers and three RBIs. Junior Brooke Andrews was 1-for-3 including a timely home run in the bottom of the second to put the Big Red up 5-3. Sophomore Sydney Gray was 1-for-4 adding three RBIs while sophomore Billie Andrews drew four walks to tie the school record. 

Rutgers (23-13) moved to 1-3 in conference play. Kyleigh Sand led the Scarlet Knights, going 2-for-3. In the circle, Jaden Vickers (14-4) recorded the loss after pitching 5.2 innings, giving up nine hits and walking five. 

The Scarlet Knights were the first to score, taking an early 3-0 lead. After a single, an error and a passed ball, RU had a runner at second and third. The next batter was hit by a pitch to load the bases. With one out, a single to left and a bobbled ball, scored two. A fielder's choice recorded the second out, but another Rutgers' runner scored to make it an early 3-0 lead.

The Huskers responded in the bottom of the first. Billie Andrews led off with a walk. With two outs, Mya Felder hit a single up the middle, scoring Andrews to cut RU's lead to 3-1. 

Nebraska had a big second inning, scoring four. With one out and Caitlyn Neal at first, Peyton Glatter hit a double to left field. Ava Bredwell followed with a sacrifice fly, scoring Neal. Billie Andrews was intentionally walked to put runners at first and second. Brooke Andrews followed with a deep ball over the right-center field fence to take the lead, 5-3. 

Rutgers added one in the top of the third with a solo home run from Gabrielle Callaway, but Abbie Squier responded with a solo homer of her own in the bottom of the third, to extend the lead to 6-4. 

A six-run sixth inning sealed the run-rule victory for the Huskers. A pair of singles from Neal and Glatter and a walk for Billie Andrews loaded the bases to start the inning. With one out, Brooke Andrews reached on an error, scoring Neal. Sydney Gray followed with a bases-clearing double to left center while Squier notched her second homer of the game for the 12-4 victory. 

The Huskers return to action Saturday, April 2, for game two of a three-game series against Rutgers. The annual Bark at the Park game at Bowlin Stadium will start at 1 p.m. (CT).  Fans can listen to the game live on the Huskers Radio Network and Huskers.com with the call from Nate Rohr and Mattie Fowler Burkhardt. It will also be streamed live on BTN+ (subscription required). 

Game Notes

• Billie Andrews drew four walks in the game, tying the school record. The last time a Husker drew four walks was April 17, 2016 when MJ Knighten was walked four times at Northwestern. 
• Abbie Squier notched two homers in today's game. This marks the second time this season she has recorded two home runs in one game. 
• The Huskers have tallied eight straight wins. The last time NU did so was in 2017. 
• This was Nebraska's eighth run-rule victory of the season. The last time the Huskers had eight run-rule wins in a season was in 2016. 
• NU scored 12 runs which marks the ninth time Nebraska has scored double digits this season.