Huskers Rally For 5-4 Win

The Nebraska softball team was down to its last strike in game two of Saturday’s doubleheader at Northwestern, but Cam Ybarra delivered the game-winning two-run single with two outs in the top of the seventh inning to lift the Huskers to a 5-4 come-from-behind victory over the Wildcats.
 
Nebraska scored all five of its runs over its final three innings, rallying after trailing by as many as three runs. It was the Husker freshmen who set the stage for Ybarra’s game-winner. Trailing 4-3 entering the seventh inning, Nebraska loaded the bases when freshman pinch hitter Abbie Squier was hit by a one-out pitch, freshman Caitlynn Neal followed with a single and freshman Billie Andrews drew a two-out walk. Ybarra then fell behind in the count 0-2 before lining a single to right that scored senior pinch runner Rylie Unzicker with the tying run and Neal with the winning run.
 
The game-winner was Ybarra’s third hit of the day, as she finished 3-for-4 with three RBIs. Billie Andrews joined Ybarra with a multi-hit game, as she finished 2-for-3 with a walk. Trailing 3-0, Nebraska got back into the game on back-to-back home runs from junior Peyton Glatter and sophomore Brooke Andrews in the fifth inning.
 
The comeback made a winner of junior right-hander Courtney Wallace, who delivered a fine performance in the circle. Wallace (11-8) tossed a complete game, allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits.
 
The win was the first for Nebraska (22-21) when trailing after six innings since March 10, 2018.
 
All-American Danielle Williams (16-6) took the loss for Northwestern (28-15), allowing five runs on eight hits.
 
Northwestern grabbed a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning. Following a leadoff single, Wallace retired the next two batters. But a two-out RBI double by Jordyn Rudd plated the game’s first run and Morgan Newport followed with an RBI single on the next pitch.
 
After a pair of errors led to a Northwestern run in the bottom of the fourth inning, Nebraska got back in the game thanks to the back-to-back homers from Glatter and Brooke Andrews in the fifth inning, which trimmed the Wildcat lead to 3-2.
 
Another defensive miscue allowed Northwestern to stretch its lead to 4-2 in the bottom of the fifth. After the first two batters were retired, Rachel Lewis drew a walk. A single put runners on first and third before the runner at first took off for second. Nebraska attempted to cut off the throw to second, but the throw briefly got away but Lewis pounced on the opportunity, racing home before Nebraska could recover in time to throw her out.
 
The Huskers nearly tied the game in the top of the sixth. Billie Andrews led off with a single, advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on an RBI single from Ybarra, who advanced to second on the throw home. Trailing 4-3, freshman Camyl Armendariz pinch ran for Ybarra representing the tying run and Armendariz moved up to third with one out on a wild pitch. Senior Olivia Ferrell then lined a ball that appeared headed to left field for a game-tying RBI single, but Northwestern shortstop Maeve Nelson made a nice catch to rob Ferrell of a hit. A strikeout then ended the inning.
 
But that missed chance would not matter after Nebraska’s rally in the seventh inning, which helped the Huskers snap a five-game losing streak and claim their first win of the series.
 
Nebraska wraps up its 2021 season with the final game of the Northwestern series on Sunday at 1 p.m. on the Big Ten Network.