Nebraska Holds Off Northwestern In Opener, 6-2

3/30/2018 5:30:00 PM | Softball

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EVANSTON, Ill. – Nebraska scored three runs in the top of the first and was able to keep Northwestern largely at arm's distance the rest of the way in taking the first game of the teams' Big Ten series, 6-2, Friday at Sharon J. Drysdale Field.

Northwestern now is 20-11 overall on the season, 3-3 in the Big Ten. Nebraska is 25-10, 3-1 in the conference.

NU and Nebraska resume festivities at 1 p.m. CT tomorrow, Saturday, March 31 at Sharon J. Drysdale Field.

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Nebraska got on the board in the top of the first with a one-out solo home run against Northwestern starter Morgan Newport. Prior to the blast, the leadoff Husker reached on an error but Sammy Nettling picked her off at first to make sure the homer was of the one-run variety. Still, after a walk, Nebraska notched another home run that was a two-run shot, making it a 3-0 score right off the bat. Kenna Wilkey entered in immediate relief only to see the Huskers load the bases with two outs, but the first-year got a pinch hitter to harmlessly foul out to keep it a three-run game.

Wilkey escaped a bases-loaded situation in the second with the help of a double play she started herself, then got NU on the board in the bottom half of the frame. Sammy Nettling started the rally with a walk, then raced around to third on a Lily Novak double. After everyone was safe on a bases-loading Newport fielder's choice, Wilkey lifted a fly ball into center that was caught deep enough for Nettling to scoot home to make NU's deficit two, 3-1.

Nebraska pushed its lead back out to three, 4-1, on a two-out RBI double in the third, but not before Mac Dunlap fielded a sacrifice bunt attempt at third and somehow managed to turn it into a 5-6-3 double play, which most definitely mitigated the damage from that late double.

A two-out rally in the fifth made it a 6-1 game when the Cornhuskers followed a double with a home run. After that score, Nebraska made a pitching change to begin the bottom of the fifth, putting Kaylan Jablonski into the circle in favor of starter Olivia Ferrell. NU got a two-out walk from Marissa Panko, who moved to second on a passed ball but that was all the further she got.

Wilkey chucked 1-2-3 innings in both the sixth and seventh frames to keep the deficit at five. Then, in the bottom of the seventh, Newport and Wilkey each led off with singles. Abbey Boyd ran for Newport while Dunlap flexed into the lineup to run for Wilkey. Sabrina Rabin put a ball in play to the shortstop, and the fielder attempted to tag Boyd as she ran by but whiffed, leaving everybody safe on the fielder's choice.

Panko then stepped up and drive a liner into left-center where it was caught, and Boyd raced home to make it a 6-2 contest. With two on, one out and a full count, Rachel Lewis lined a ball just a foot foul off the wall in left field, and Nebraska survived the scare to retire Lewis on the next pitch. A pop-up then ended the game.

Newport was charged with three runs in one-third of an inning in the start, taking the loss to fall to 10-4 on the year. Wilkey went 6.2 innings in relief, giving up three runs on five hits and five walks with three strikeouts.

Novak recorded two hits to lead NU at the plate. Rabin reached base twice in the contest, but neither came on hits, ending her active batting streak at 13 games, just one shy of her career record. Likewise, Nettling's 7-game hitting streak ended despite reaching base twice.