Husker Softball Knocks Six Homers on Record Day
The No. 20 Nebraska softball team broke or tied four school records en route to a dominant 14-1, five-inning victory over the Iowa Hawkeyes on Saturday afternoon in Iowa City.
The Huskers hit six home runs on the day, which tied the school record for the most home runs in a game that was set in 1996 against Creighton. The six home runs also put NU at 76 on the year, which ties for the most home runs in a season in program history. Three homers came from sophomore Samantha Bland, who tied for the program record for home runs in a game. She is now the second Husker this season to hit three home runs in a game and the fourth in school history.
Additionally, the run-rule win marked the Huskers’ 18th run-rule victory of the season, a new school record. NU improved to 28-9 on the season, including 8-2 in Big Ten play. Iowa fell to 21-14 (3-6 Big Ten).
As a team, Nebraska outhit the Hawkeyes 12-2 with 10 extra-base hits and was 6-for-12 with runners in scoring position.
Bland’s three homers led the offense, while Ava Kuszak, Bella Bacon and Lauren Camenzind added one home run apiece. Olivia DiNardo logged two doubles. Bland contributed five RBIs and Bacon had three.
Kylee Magee (4-3) claimed the win in the circle, as she pitched three innings with only one run allowed and four strikeouts. Hannah Camenzind threw scoreless fourth and fifth innings and struck out three. Talia Tretton (6-6) took the loss for Iowa. Bland knocked an inside-the-park home run in the top of the first inning to give the Big Red a 1-0 lead. The Hawkeyes tied it up in the bottom of the first on an RBI single.
In the top of the second, L. Camenzind hit a two-out homer, and the Huskers took the lead back at 2-1. Bahl then walked and stole second before Bland’s second home run of the day extended the Nebraska advantage to 4-1.
Bella Bacon continued the spark for NU in the top of the third, blasting a three-run homer that scored herself, Kacie Hoffmann and Kennadi Williams. Hoffmann singled earlier in the inning and Williams was in to pinch run for DiNardo, who doubled to right field. The Big Red held a 7-1 lead going into the fourth.
Bland hit her third home run in the top of the fourth, a solo bomb that made the score 8-1. DiNardo reached on a fielder’s choice before advancing to second on an error and third on a wild pitch. Kuszak then hit her 14th home run of the year to score herself and DiNardo and extend the advantage to 10-1.
Bacon hit a leadoff double in the top of the fifth and L. Camenzind followed up with a walk. Bahl doubled to score Bacon and send L. Camenzind to third, and a Bland sacrifice fly scored L. Camenzind. H. Camenzind reached first after being hit by a pitch and DiNardo’s second double of the day scored Bahl and H. Camenzind.
NU will close the series with the Hawkeyes Sunday, April 6 at 1 p.m. (CT). The game will be streamed on B1G+ and can be heard across the Huskers Radio Network.