Huskers Run-Rule Terps to Complete Sweep

Lincoln – The Nebraska softball team completed a four-game sweep of Maryland with an 8-0 five-inning victory in the series finale Sunday in the final home game of the season at Bowlin Stadium.
 
On Senior Day, it was a pair of juniors and two freshmen who lifted the Huskers to their ninth straight victory over Maryland.

In the circle, junior right-hander Courtney Wallace tossed her first career shutout. In 5.0 innings, Wallace (9-7) allowed only three hits, did not walk a batter and retired 13 of the final 14 hitters.

Offensively, freshmen Kaylin Kinney and Billie Andrews and junior Cam Ybarra each homered. Kinney finished 2-for-2 with a three-run homer, giving her three home runs in the final two games of the series. Andrews and Ybarra were each 1-for-2 and hit back-to-back home runs in the fourth inning. Senior Tristen Edwards added two hits of her own, while senior Rylie Unzicker drove in a pair of runs.

The big performances powered Nebraska to its first-ever four-game sweep in conference play. With the win, the Huskers improved to 20-16 on the season. Haley Ellefson (1-3) took the loss for Maryland, which fell to 14-22 on the season.

 

In the top of the first inning, Nebraska escaped a jam that proved to be Maryland’s only scoring threat. A passed ball on a strikeout and a bloop single that landed just fair put runners on first and second with no outs. Following a force out at third, a single up the middle looked like it might score the game’s first run, but Unzicker threw out the runner at home plate.

 

The Huskers then scored three times in the bottom of the first. Edwards led off with a single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt from Unzicker. Ybarra then drew a four-pitch walk ahead of Kinney’s three-run homer.

 

Nebraska used another two-out rally in the second to stretch the lead 5-0. Freshman Abbie Squier drew a one-out walk before Edwards doubled with two outs – her school-record 49th career double. With runners on second and third and two outs, Unzicker delivered a two-run single through the right side.

 

The Huskers added another run in the bottom of the third, pushing the lead to 6-0. Kinney led off with a single and senior Ally Riley followed with another single. A third single from Squier loaded the bases with one out, and Kinney scored on a sacrifice fly from sophomore Brooke Andrews.

 

Nebraska brought the run-rule into effect with a two-run fourth inning after Billie Andrews and Ybarra blasted back-to-back home runs to make it an 8-0 game.

Wallace the retired the side in order in the seventh to wrap up her shutout.

 

With its home schedule complete, Nebraska travels to Iowa for a four-game series next weekend.