Andrews Powers Huskers Past Aggies

Billie Andrews smashed two homers to help hand Texas A&M its second loss of the season as the Nebraska softball team (5-4) picked up the 4-3 win on Saturday afternoon at the TaxAct Clearwater Invitational. Andrews led off with a homer in the first inning and added her second in the bottom of the fifth to secure the win over the Aggies (9-2). 

Courtney Wallace earned the victory after coming in with the game tied at 3-3 in the fourth inning. Wallace pitched 3.2 innings holding the Aggies scoreless and only allowing three hits. 

Shaylee Ackerman recorded the loss for TAMU as she moved to 2-1 on the season. Ackerman entered the game for Emily Leavitt during the first inning after NU took a 3-2 lead. Ackerman pitched 5.1 innings, giving up five hits and one run. 

Offensively, Andrews led the Huskers with two hits and two RBIs while Wallace and Caitlynn Neal each added two hits. Julia Cottrill led the Aggies with two hits while Trinity Cannon and Keely Williams each tallied an RBI. 

The Aggies got out to an early 2-0 lead in the first. Two walks put runners on first and second. It was followed by a single, scoring one. After one strikeout, a fielding error scored a second run, but Harness recorded two strikeouts to get out of the inning. 

The Huskers responded right away, scoring three in the bottom of the first. Billie Andrews led off with a solo shot to left field, marking her fourth lead-off homer this season. With two outs, back-to-back-to-back doubles from Ava Bredwell, Caitlynn Neal and Brooke Andrews added two more NU runs, giving Nebraska the 3-2 advantage. 

Texas A&M tied it up in the fourth inning with one run. Riley Valentine led off with a double. Williams tripled to center field, scoring Valentine. Harness put Allie Enright on first after a walk, but runner interference marked the first out of the day. Wallace came in for Harness and was able to work out of the inning. 

Billie Andrews stepped up to the plate with one out in the bottom of the sixth and smashed her fifth homer of the season with a deep ball to center field. It gave the Huskers the 4-3 lead, and NU was able to hold the Aggies the last two innings to claim the win. 

The Huskers return to action Sunday, Feb. 19 against No. 4 Arkansas. The game will be broadcasted live on SEC Network starting at 8:30 a.m. (CT). Fans can listen to the action live on Huskers Radio Network with the call by Nate Rohr. 

Game Notes 

• Billie Andrews hit her fourth home run of the season in the first inning. Andrews' home run marked the fourth time in nine games this season that she has homered in Nebraska's first at bat of the game.
• Andrews hit her fifth home run of the season in the fifth inning. This marked Andrews fifth career multi-home run game. 
• Andrews' two homers of the day moved her to eighth all-time in Nebraska history with 32 career home runs.