For the third straight game, the No. 21 Nebraska softball team scored eight runs. For the third straight game, it was more than enough to beat Minnesota, as the Huskers (23-8, 4-1 B1G) finished a three-game sweep of the Golden Gophers (13-18, 2-5 B1G) with an 8-2 win Sunday at Bowlin Stadium. Nebraska’s high-powered offense has scored 51 runs in its last six games.
Minnesota took the early lead when Nani Valencia singled in Taylor Krapf in the first inning. The lead grew to 2-0 in the top of the third when Krapf homered to right-center, taking advantage of a 25-mile per hour wind blowing across the field, left to right. But in the bottom of the third, the Gophers’ shaky defense wobbled for five errors, four with two outs. With runners at second and third and two outs, Lauren Camenzind hit a ball booted by Minnesota first baseman Cameron Chard, allowing Abbie Squier to score the first run for NU. Ava Bredwell followed with a two-run single to center to give the Cornhuskers a 3-2 lead. Samantha Bland followed with a single to center to score Bredwell to make it 4-2. After Bella Bacon reached on an error to put runners at first and third, Ava Kuszak singled to right to drive in Bland and push the Nebraska lead to 5-2. In all, the Gophers committed five errors in the inning, resulting in five unearned runs.
The Huskers offense re-ignited in the sixth. Lauren Camenzind led off the inning with a single to right. She went to third on Ava Bredwell’s single up the middle. Camenzind scored on Bland’s fielder’s choice grounder to short. Bacon followed with a fielder’s choice grounder to the shortstop, Margaret Tobias. A wild throw to second allowed Bland to move to third. Kuszak followed with an RBI single to push the lead to six.
Kylee Magee (3-2) earned the win for Nebraska, throwing three no-hit innings of relief. The outing matched her longest as a Husker. Natalie Susa (1-2) took the loss for Minnesota, allowing five unearned runs in 1.1 innings pitched.
Nebraska hits the road for its next-to-last midweek game Wednesday at Omaha. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m. at Connie Claussen Field.