NU Comeback Falls Just Short In 4-3 Loss at Nebraska

4/28/2017 9:24:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

LINCOLN, Neb. – Northwestern staged a furious rally after falling behind Nebraska by four runs Friday night at Bowlin Stadium, but the Wildcats comeback effort came up just short in a 4-3 loss to the Huskers.

Northwestern now is 20-25 on the season, 6-10 in the Big Ten. Nebraska is 22-25, 11-7 B1G.

SCHEDULE UPDATE: Due to the weather forecast, the two teams will attempt a doubleheader at 1 p.m. Saturday. The first game will be covered on BTN Plus while the second will feature Huskers audio only (provided by the incomparable Nate Rohr). Links can be found here.

Next week, the Wildcats close out their home schedule by welcoming Illinois to The J for a 2 p.m. CT doubleheader Wednesday, May 3.

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Northwestern put a pair of runners on in the top of the first with one out courtesy of a Krista Williams walk and a Marissa Panko single. Nebraska's starter Kaylan Jablonski was able to strike out the next two Wildcats to end the inning. NU also got a runner in scoring position in the second when Kenzie Ellis singled with one out and pinch runner Abbey Boyd advanced on a Brooke Marquez groundout, but again it was to no avail.

Northwestern starter Kaley Winegarner faced the minimum in the first trip through the order. In the first, she issued a two-out walk but Sammy Nettling threw that runner out trying to steal. Then, in the third, the leadoff Husker beat out an infield single. With one out, Panko at short reached low to glove a dipping line drive and quickly fired to Alcy Bush at first for an inning-ending double play.

It was the Huskers breaking through the pitching duel in the bottom of the fourth. Nebraska followed a one-out seeing-eye single with a two-run home run, staking the home team to a 2-0 lead.

The Huskers extended their edge in the fifth, plating one run and then loading the bases with two outs. Morgan Newport took over in the circle for Winegarner, and hit the first batter she faced to force another run home. She then fanned the next batter to leave the bases loaded with the score 4-0.

Northwestern battled back in the sixth, starting with Sabrina Rabin reaching and getting to second base on a leadoff error. One out later, Panko shot a single into center that plated Rabin to put NU on the board. Anna Petersen then put a ball in play that also was mishandled for an error, giving the Wildcats a pair of base runners.

With two outs, Morgan Nelson ripped a ball past third base that allowed not only Petersen to score, but Nettling -- on first following a fielder's choice grounder -- to race all the way around from first and cut the Wildcats deficit down to a single run, 4-3.

Newport tossed a scoreless bottom of the sixth, then NU ran into some hard luck in its final inning. Marquez scorched a pitch to right field to start the frame, but it was right at the fielder. Bush then ripped a pitch to dead center that on any other night might have left the park, but with a wind howling in it was killed and caught just in front of the track for the second out. Rabin picked up her first single of the game to give NU a two-out base runner, but that was all for the #B1GCats in this one.

Winegarner (6-6) took the loss, throwing 4.2 innings and surrendering four runs on five hits and three walks with four strikeouts. Newport threw the final 1.1 frames, fanning one.

Panko had two hits for NU at the plate while Nelson knocked in a pair.