HUSKERS SOFTBALL Recap – Did We Save a Few for UCLA?: #5 NEBRASKA 4 MSU 1

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Much like Friday’s game, the Huskers piled up the hits while not converting as many as they would’ve liked into runs.

But this time, it wasn’t for a lack of effort, especially in the later innings. Clinging to a 3-1 lead, at least until Jordy Frahm lowered stress levels by coming on in relief in the 5th, the Huskers did what they could to extend it.

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In addition to racking up 12 more hits and working for 3 walks, in the final 3 innings Nebraska lined out six times and at that point, you just have to keep swinging away and hoping a few of the damn things find some carpet.

Like against UCLA next weekend.

And even though a couple of those wins weren’t as pretty as everyone would have liked, they still came away with a sweep of the outmanned Spartans to move to 6-0 in conference play after the first two weekends.

For about third time this season, Rhonda Revelle made a last second switch in starting pitchers, this time electing to go with Kylee Magee over the currently much better performing Hannah Camenzind who most recently threw four shut-out innings vs Michigan. (If you read the Michigan State weekend preview under HUSKERS LINEUPS, then you know I warned you this might happen.)

It was probably her best start in a Husker uniform and going against the much weaker Spartan lineup certainly helped, but danger still reared its head in the 2nd inning (2 hits, a walk, a hit batsmen, 2 wild pitches), but she escaped disaster only surrendering 1 run and then effectively getting through the next two innings before Frahm entered to close the door.

Before that first run scored, however, Alexis Jensen had already scrambled home on a Kacie Hoffman groundout for a 1-0 lead. They then took the lead in the top of the 3rd, first thanks to a Jesse Farrell solo home run to dead center. Then, after the Huskers loaded the bases, it was Jensen scoring again on a Hannah Coor infield single for a 3-1 lead.

It should have been 4-1, except when Ava Kuszak, running on the crack of the bat and not slowing down when the ball skittered away from the Spartan shortstop, appeared to have avoided the tag on the throw home. Revelle was immediately out of the dugout and, after likely confirming with Kuszak that she was untouched, challenged the play. Even the B1G camera angles showed she was not touched as she reached around the glove.

But the Big 10 is gonna Big 10 sometimes and the call was upheld.

The ensuing innings were scoreless until the 7th when Kuszak singled in Camenzind to extend the lead. The bottom of the 7th suddenly had some drama when Michigan State’s freshman sensation Zoie Bernard doubled into the left field corner to put runners on 2nd and 3rd base and bring the tying run to the plate. However, when Kendall Smiley tried to runny-slap a line-drive over a pulled-in Kuszak, Ava went up the ladder to snag it and the Huskers had a 4-1 victory.

In earning her 7th save of the season after recording 3 scoreless innings of relief, Frahm tied the Nebraska single-season school record in the category matching Coach Revelle’s effort from her playing days.

At the plate three Huskers accounted for 9 of the 12 hits – Coor (4), Kuszak (3) and Jensen (2) – with Coor becoming the second Husker to rack up a 4-for-4 day after Kacie Hoffman reached it the opening game.

With the sweep of the Spartans, the Huskers improved to 24-5 on the season and ran their conference record to 6-0. Today’s victory was their 13th straight.

Corn Nation PLAYERS of the GAMES

I figured I’d just bundle them all here this weekend – here you go:

Game 1 – Jordy Frahm – when the clutch hitting failed, Frahm made sure it didn’t become an issue by throwing a 7-inning 2-hit shutout for her 8th win of the season, striking out 12 while walking only 2. Just as well unreasonably expect from her.

Game 2 – Alexis Jensen – Jensen matched Jordy’s performance with a 6-inning 1-hit shutout for her 11th win, striking out 7 and walking 4. She also had a 2-for-4 day at the plate with a double, a home run and 3 RBI’s. On a day where multiple players were in the POTG running for their hitting, it was Jensen’s pitching which pushed her over the top.

Game 3 – Ava Kuszak – This was a tough one – you saw the hitters above in today’s game. What pushed it over the top for Ava was defense for the game-ending snag with two runners in scoring position.

CONGRATS TO ALL

The Huskers return to Lincoln next weekend for a three-game set with #7 UCLA, which could very well determine the regular season Big 10 Championship. The opening game – for whatever weird reason – will be Friday night at 8pm CST.

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