Huskers Open Series With Dominant Win

Behind a balanced offense and a one-hit shutout from Jordyn Bahl, the No. 21 Nebraska softball team only took six innings to down the Minnesota Golden Gophers, 8-0, on Friday night at Bowlin Stadium.

Seven different athletes notched at least one hit for the Huskers (21-8, 2-1 Big Ten), including two from both Hannah and Lauren Camenzind and Kacie Hoffmann. Hoffmann’s came in the form of a three-run homer in the bottom of the third, her fifth home run of the season. 

Bahl claimed the win in the circle to move to 11-3 on the season. In 6.0 innings, she allowed only an infield single while striking out seven batters. Natalie Susa (1-1) took the loss for the Gophers, who moved to 13-16 on the season (2-3 Big Ten). 

NU had 10 hits on the day, including eight with runners on base. Bahl and the Husker defense held Minnesota to just 1-of-18 at the plate. 

The Big Red took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Ava Kuszak walked to open the inning and H. Camenzind reached first on a hit up the middle. Olivia DiNardo got to first, an error sent H. Camenzind to second and Kuszak went to third to load the bases. Kuszak got out on a throw home, but Hoffmann reached to keep runners on every base. A L. Camenzind single scored H. Camenzind and Hoffmann crossed the plate on a Gopher error.

Hoffmann knocked a three-run homer in the bottom of the third to score H. Camenzind, who walked, and Katelyn Caneda, who pinch ran for DiNardo. NU led 5-0 going into the fourth.

The Huskers extended the lead to 7-0 in the bottom of the fifth. Hoffmann singled and Kennadi Williams came in to pinch run. She was then scored by a L. Camenzind double. A Bland groundout advanced L. Camenzind to third and a Bacon single sent her to the plate. 

Nebraska wrapped up the run-rule victory in the bottom of the sixth. Kuszak walked to get to first and advanced to third on a H. Camenzind double. DiNardo singled to center field to score Kuszak, and the Big Red clinched the 8-0, six-inning victory.

NU will face off against the Gophers again tomorrow, March 22 at 1 p.m. (CT). The game will be televised on Nebraska Public Media, streamed on B1G+ and heard across the Huskers Radio Network. 

Postgame Notes

• Jordyn Bahl extended her hitting streak to 13 games with a single in the third inning.
• Bahl allowed no runs for the fifth start this season and zero earned runs for the eighth start.
• Kacie Hoffmann has five home runs this season, including two three-run homers. 
• The Huskers are now 21-2 when they hit at least one home run. 
• Nebraska is now up to 15 run-rule victories this season. The most run-rule wins by a Husker team is 17 in 2015. 
• Samantha Bland tied her career high with six assists.