The full range of All-American pitcher Jordy Bahl’s game was on display Saturday as the Huskers earned a pair of run-rule victories, erasing a four-run deficit to defeat Montana in six innings, 13-5, before shutting down Northern Colorado, 10-0 in five innings.
Bahl’s bat was front and center in the comeback win over the Grizzlies, as she was 2-for-4 with her fourth home run of the weekend and an RBI double. In the nightcap against the Bears, Bahl pitched her first no-hitter as a Husker and the 7th no-hitter in her career, not allowing a basehit over five innings while walking two and striking out five.
The day started bumpy for the Huskers. Two errors put two on with none out in the first inning. Sveva Sweeney singled in a run to give Montana the early lead, then Hannah Jablonski followed with a three-run home run, giving the Grizzlies a four-run lead in the first. But the Huskers chipped away. After scoring a run in the second, Samantha Bland, Talia Tokheim and Bella Bacon hit back-to-back-to-back home runs to tie the game at four. Emmerson Cope followed with a single to center. After Ava Kuszak reached on an infield single, Bahl doubled in Cope to give NU the 5-4 lead. Olivia DiNardo followed with a two-run single. Two batters later, Bland drove in a run with a fielder’s choice, capping a seven-run fourth to give Nebraska an 8-4 lead. After the Grizzlies scored one in the top of the fifth, Kuszak and Bahl homered back-to-back in the bottom of the fifth to push the lead to 10-5. Then in the sixth, Kuszak and Bahl drove in runs with a single and an error, respectively, before the 13th run scored on an error to seal the mercy-rule win.
Nebraska and Northern Colorado were scoreless through two innings. But in the third, Ava Bredwell singled to left. After Bacon reached on an error, Hannah Camenzind singled up the middle to score Bredwell and move Bacon to third. Bacon scored on a Kuszak sacrifice fly. With Hannah Camenzind at third, Bahl laid down a squeeze bunt, scoring Hannah Camenzind to push the lead to 3-0, Huskers. Then in the fourth, Lauren Camenzind singled to right. Bland followed with a two-run homer to left. NU loaded the bases and, with Emmerson Cope at the plate, Bacon scored on a passed ball to push the lead to 6-0. Then in the fifth, Nebraska loaded the bases as Cope drew a walk, then Kacie Hoffman and Lauren Camenzind reached on infield singles. Bredwell cashed in those baserunners with a grand slam to left, pushing the lead to 10-0.
The run support was more than enough for Bahl, who allowed just one runner to reach third base. Bahl allowed two walks and hit two batters, but no hits while striking out five, and the Huskers cruised to their sixth mercy-rule win of the season and their fourth in a row.
Nebraska has dominated all weekend long, winning all four games by mercy rule. In 22 innings, the Huskers have outscored their opponents 53-6 while outhitting them 49-12.
Nebraska completes its stay in Las Cruces, N.Mex. with a 10 a.m. matchup against Montana.