Huskers Use Homers to Rally for 4-3 Win

Lincoln – The Nebraska softball team used a pair of two-run homers to erase a three-run deficit and rally for a 4-3 victory to complete a doubleheader sweep of Maryland Friday evening at Bowlin Stadium.
 
The Huskers trailed 3-0 heading into the bottom of the fifth inning, but freshman Billie Andrews hit a two-out, two-run homer to cut the lead to one. Two batters later, senior Cam Ybarra launched a two-run homer of her own to give Nebraska the winning margin. Andrews, who had two home runs in the doubleheader, finished 2-for-3, as did Ybarra. Freshman Caitlynn Neal, who doubled ahead of Andrews’ home run, was the only other Husker to produce as hit, as Maryland out-hit Nebraska 7-5.

Junior right-hander Courtney Wallace (8-7) earned the win, allowing only one earned run in 5.1 innings. Senior right-hander Olivia Ferrell picked up her second save of the season by tossing 1.2 innings of perfect relief.

With the win, Nebraska improved to 18-16 on the season. Maryland fell to 14-20, with Jennifer Brann (4-60 taking the loss after allowing four runs in 5.0 innings.

Maryland jumped out to an early lead, using three hits to take a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning.

 

The Terrapins then took advantage of a costly Husker error to score a pair of unearned runs in the third, stretching their lead to 3-0.

 

Nebraska’s first scoring chance came when it loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the fourth on singles from Andrews and Ybarra and a Maryland error. But a strikeout and a fly out kept the Huskers off the scoreboard.

 

NU then broke through in a big way with its four-run fifth. Neal got things started with a one-out double off the fence in center. Then with two outs, Billie Andrews launched a towering two-run homer to left center to cut the lead to one. After senior Tristen Edwards was intentionally walked, Ybarra lined another two-run homer to right to put Nebraska on top, 4-3.

 

 In the top of the sixth, Maryland had runners on first and second with one out before Ferrell entered and quickly retired the next two batters. She then pitched a perfect seventh inning to preserve the victory.

 

Nebraska and Maryland resume their four-game series with a single game Saturday at 3 p.m.