Huskers Shut Out Lobos in Final Game of Weekend

The Nebraska softball team moved to 9-6 on the season after shutting out New Mexico in the final game of the Troy Cox Classic on Sunday morning. The Huskers only needed one to pick up the win over the Lobos (6-9), 1-0. 

Sarah Harness and Kaylin Kinney combined for the shutout, holding New Mexico to five hits. Harness (3-2) earned the win while Kinney recorded her first save of the season. 

Amber Linton (4-3) pitched the complete game for the Lobos,  giving up one run and four hits while striking out six. 

Offensively, all it took was a two-out double from Mya Felder to secure the win. Ava Bredwell added a double while Brooke Andrews and Caitlynn Neal each tallied a single.

The Lobos led off with a double from Peyton Robinson, but a strikeout, interference call and a fly out stranded one runner in the first inning for New Mexico. 

The Big Red threatened in the bottom of the second. Felder led off, reaching on a New Mexico fielding error. With one out, Bredwell was walked, putting Felder in scoring position at second. But, two ground outs got the Lobos out of the inning as the score stayed at 0-0. 

New Mexico looked to score in the third after NU committed a fielding error with two outs, putting Rachael Hathoot at second, but the Huskers held the Lobos, going into the bottom of the inning tied at 0-0. 

The lone run of the game came in the bottom of the third inning. Sydney Gray led off with a walk. With one out, Brooke Andrews singled to center field. Neal reached on a fielder’s choice, as Andrews was out at second and Dakota Carter, who pinch ran for Gray, advanced to third. Felder doubled down the left field line, driving in Carter for the only run of the day, and taking the 1-0 lead. 

New Mexico reached scoring position in the top of the fourth after two walks and a fielder’s choice, but Harness recorded her second strikeout of the day to hold the Lobos scoreless through four. 

NU looked to extend its lead in the bottom of the fourth after Katelyn Caneda and Abbie Squier were both hit by pitches with one out, but a fly out and a strikeout kept the score at 1-0. 

Kinney entered the game in the top of the fifth inning. New Mexico’s Keyannah Chavez led off with an infield single and worked her way around the bases after two ground outs. A fly out stranded Chavez as the score remained, 1-0. 

Kinney worked out of a bases loaded situation in the top of the sixth. A single put the first runner on while a fielder’s choice recorded the first out. Back-to-back singles loaded the bases but a strikeout and a ground out got the Big Red out of the inning, holding the Lobos scoreless. 

In New Mexico’s final at bat, Hathoot reached third after a fielding error and a ground out, but a final fly out clinched the 1-0 victory for the Huskers. 

The Huskers return to action next weekend, March 3-5, at the Wildcat Invitational in Tucson, Ariz. NU will take on Weber State, TAMU Commerce, No. 13 Arizona and CSUN. 

Game Note

• The win marked the seventh shutout for NU this season.