Harness Leads NU in 10-2 Win

Sarah Harness allowed one hit and Nebraska tallied 11 hits as the Husker softball team picked up the 10-2 run-rule victory over Missouri State on Saturday afternoon at the Shocker Classic. 

Harness (6-3) pitched the complete game, holding Missouri State to one hit and two runs while tallying four strikeouts through five innings. 

Offensively, the entire Husker lineup recorded a hit while seven of the nine added a run. Billie Andrews went 2-for-3 with one home run, one RBI and three runs. Caitlynn Neal went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI. 

With the win, Nebraska improved to 15-7 on the season, Missouri State, a 2022 NCAA Tournament qualifier, fell to 8-11. McKenzie Vaughn (1-3) was charged with the loss after allowing six runs in 2.0 innings. 

The Bears took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. A throwing error and two walks loaded the bases with no outs. A sacrifice fly from Tess Weakly scored one. On a fly out, the runner at third looked to score, but Talia Tokheim threw home, getting the runner out at home.

The Huskers responded quickly in the first with five runs. Billie Andrews led with a walk. With one out, Mya Felder doubled to left field, putting runners at second and third. Ava Bredwell was walked to load the bases. Katelyn Caneda singled up the middle, scoring Andrews and Felder. Brooke Andrews reached on a Missouri State fielding error, loading the bases. Tokheim doubled down the left field line, scoring Caneda and Bredwell. Abbie Squier added a sacrifice bunt, scoring Andrews, as the Huskers took the 5-1 lead. 

NU added another run in the second inning with a solo home run shot from Billie Andrews. The Huskers went into the third inning ahead, 6-1. 

After a quiet third inning, the Big Red added three runs in the fourth. With one out, Billie Andrews and Neal each added a single. Felder was walked to load the bases. Bredwell singled to left field, scoring Andrews. Caneda followed, reaching on a fielder’s choice, scoring Neal. With two outs, Brooke Andrews singled, scoring the third run of the inning as NU extended the advantage to 9-1. 

Missouri State tallied one run in the top of the fifth. With one on after being hit by a pitch, Ellie McCoy recorded the first hit of the day for the Bears with a double to right center. A wild pitch allowed one run to score. NU went into the bottom of the fifth up, 9-2. 

Squier led off with a single to left field in the bottom of the fifth inning. Haidyn Warner followed with her first career hit as a Husker with a single up the middle, moving Squier to third. With one out, Neal hit a sacrifice fly, scoring Squier, and securing the run-rule victory, 10-2. 

The Huskers return to action at approximately 2:30 p.m. to face No. 23 Wichita State. Fans can listen to the action live on the Huskers Radio Network and Huskers.com with the call from Nate Rohr. The game will also be streamed live on ESPN+ (subscription required). 

Game Notes

• Today’s win marked its fifth run-rule victory of the season. 
• Haidyn Warner made her first career start behind the plate as the catcher in today’s game. Her single in the bottom of the fifth also marked her first career hit as a Husker. 
• Ava Bredwell, Mya Felder and Caitlynn Neal all recorded a hit in today’s game. This marked their ninth-consecutive game with a hit.