Huskers Falter in Game Three at Ohio State
The No. 21 Nebraska softball team fell to the Ohio State Buckeyes on Sunday by a score of 12-6 in Columbus, Ohio. OSU claimed the series victory as it took two wins on the weekend. Today’s game did not count toward the Big Ten standings.
Kylee Magee (2-2) took the loss in the circle for the Huskers, who moved to 20-8 (1-1 Big Ten) on the season. She started and allowed four earned runs. Emmerson Cope came in for 1.1 innings and also allowed four earned runs, before Caitlin Olensky threw 0.2 innings with one earned run. Hannah Camenzind finished the game in the circle and pitched 3.0 innings with two earned runs and three strikeouts. Lorin Boutte (10-4) grabbed the win for OSU (20-6-1, 1-1 Big Ten).
Ava Bredwell led the Husker offense, going 2-for-2 with a homer and three RBIs. Olivia DiNardo added a home run of her own and Emmerson Cope logged a double.
Ohio State struck first in the top of the first with a two-RBI single to take a 2-0 lead.
Cope doubled to right field to kick off the top of the second and Samantha Bland pinch ran for her. A Bredwell sacrifice fly sent Bland to the plate and made the score 2-1.
The Buckeyes extended their lead to 4-1 in the bottom of the second with an RBI single and a sacrifice fly.
DiNardo knocked a leadoff home run in the top of the third. Jordyn Bahl reached first on a fielder’s choice, and a Hannah Camenzind double advanced her to third and put two runners in scoring position. A Cope sacrifice fly scored Bahl and brought the Huskers within one at 4-3.
OSU made the score 7-3 in the bottom of the third behind a three-run homer from Taylor Cruse. It extended the advantage to 9-3 on another home run.
The Buckeyes were threatening a run-rule win in the bottom of the fifth, but Samantha Bland turned an unassisted double play and Hannah Camenzind posted a strikeout to end the inning.
In the top of the sixth, Kacie Hoffmann singled and Bredwell hit a two-run homer to cut the OSU lead to 9-5.
Ohio State extended its lead yet again in the bottom of the sixth behind a home run that plated two and made the score 11-5. The Buckeyes added another run to extend the lead to 12-5 on a Husker error.
Bahl singled in the top of the seventh, reached second on a wild pitch and went to third on a Bella Bacon fly out. Bahl scored on another wild pitch. However, it was not enough and Ohio State claimed the 12-6 win and the series.
NU will host its first conference series when it welcomes Minnesota from March 21-23. Friday’s game will start at 5 p.m. (CT) and will be streamed on B1G+. It can also be heard across the Huskers Radio Network.