HUSKER SOFTBALL: Nebraska Rallies in Extra Innings to Beat Wisconsin

MADISON, WI–(NU Athletics Mar. 31)–The Nebraska softball team remained undefeated in Big Ten play with a 5-4 come-from-behind victory in nine innings Sunday at Wisconsin.

Brooke Andrews keyed the comeback with the game-tying RBI in the seventh inning and the game-winning RBI in the ninth.

Nebraska led 3-2 before Wisconsin hit leadoff home runs in the fifth and sixth innings to take a 4-3 lead. The Huskers forced extra innings when Brooke Andrews delivered a sacrifice fly in the top of the seventh. Then in the ninth, Brooke came through again with an RBI double that scored her sister Billie with the winning run.

Brooke finished 2-for-4 with two of Nebraska’s four RBIs while Billie scored three of the Huskers’ five runs. Ava Bredwell (2-for-4 with two doubles) and Caitlynn Neal (2-for-2 with a double) also produced multiple hits for the Big Red.

The win was Nebraska’s 10th victory in its past 11 games. The Huskers moved to 21-13 on the season and stayed perfect in Big Ten play with a 5-0 record.

Kaylin Kinney started and then re-entered the game to earn the win in relief. Kinney (14-8) pitched a total of 6.0 innings on Sunday, allowing two runs (one earned) while tying her season high with five strikeouts. Kinney gave up both runs in her first 4.0 innings. She then re-entered the game in the bottom of the eighth and did not allow a run over her final 2.0 innings.

Emmerson Cope gave up two runs on one hit in 2.2 innings of relief. Sarah Harness faced three batters in the fifth inning and was charged with one run in one-third of an inning.

Tessa Magnanimo (5-9) took the loss for Wisconsin, which fell to 12-20 on the season and 1-5 in Big Ten play.

Nebraska grabbed a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Billie Andrews led off with a walk, Brooke Andrews singled and Bredwell put down a successful sacrifice bunt to put Huskers on second and third with one out. Samantha Bland then hit a chopper back to the circle and pitcher Gabi Salo threw wildly to home plate, allowing both Andrews sisters to score and give Nebraska a 2-0 lead.

Wisconsin scored twice in the bottom of the second inning to tie the game. A one-out triple and an RBI single cut the lead to 2-1. After recording the second out, a single and an error loaded the bases and extended the inning. A bases-loaded walk then brought home the tying run.

Nebraska came back to regain the lead in the top of the third inning. Bredwell led off with a double and scored on a one-out single from Sydney Gray to give the Huskers a 3-2 lead.

Wisconsin tied the game in the bottom of the fifth when Ava Kuszak hit a leadoff home run.

Another leadoff home run in the bottom of the sixth from Peyton Bannon gave Wisconsin a 4-3 lead.

Billie Andrews then led off the top of the seventh with a triple down the right field line. She scored one batter later on a sacrifice fly from her older sister Brooke.

After Wisconsin stranded a runner in the bottom of the seventh, Neal reached on a two-out double in the top of the eighth inning. Pinch hitter Malia Thoms then lined a ball to deep center but Bannon made a leaping grab to end the inning.

In the bottom of the eighth, a leadoff walk and a one-out double put Badgers on second and third. But Kinney escaped the jam with a strikeout and a ground out.

In the top of the ninth, Billie Andrews reached on a one-out single before Brooke hit an RBI double off the very top of the wall in center that scored Billie with the go-ahead run.

In the bottom of the ninth, Kinney quickly retired the first two batters before a pair of two-out singles put the tying and go-ahead runs on base. But Kinney came back with a three-pitch strikeout to wrap up the victory.