No. 20 Nebraska softball clinched a Big Ten series win with a 6-0 win over Purdue Sunday night at Bowlin Stadium in Lincoln. The victory was the Huskers’ (26-8, 6-1 B1G) sixth straight and their 13th in the last 15 games.
The game was a pitchers’ duel for the first five innings. Nebraska pushed ahead 1-0 in the bottom of the first when Olivia DiNardo singled in Ava Kuszak, who had led the inning off with a single. The Cornhuskers’ starting pitcher, Hannah Camenzind, made that run hold up, retiring 10 of 11 batters at one point.
But in the fifth, the Boilermakers (17-16, 2-7 B1G) mounted their best scoring threat. Jordyn Ramos was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, then moved to second base when the next batter, Maura Condon, drew a walk. Ramos moved to third and Condon advanced to second when pinch hitter Ryen Ross grounded out for the second out of the inning. But Camenzind kept Purdue off the scoreboard when Khloe Banks ended the inning with a groundout to second base.
Jordy Bahl was summoned from the bullpen and struck out all three batters in the top of the sixth. Then, in the bottom of the sixth, Nebraska blew the game open. Ava Bredwell tripled to right field, then scored when Olivia DiNardo singled to left-center. Kacie Hoffmann followed with a single up the middle, which moved DiNardo’s pinch runner, Kennadi Williams, to third. Williams scored on a single up the middle by Lauren Camenzind. Two batters later, Samantha Bland lined a double to left, scoring two runs. Bahl then lined a ball of the pitcher’s leg, allowing Bland to score the fifth run of the inning. Bahl pitched around a leadoff walk in the seventh to finish off the shutout and clinch the series victory.
Hannah Camenzind (5-2) earned the win in the circle, allowing just two hits and a walk in five innings pitched. Bahl earned her second save of the year with two no-hit innings with five strikeouts. Julia Gossett took the loss, allowing five runs (four earned) in five innings pitched.
DiNardo led the Nebraska offense, hitting 2-for-3 with two RBI. DiNardo has driven in nine runs in the Huskers’ last three games.
Nebraska will try to sweep the series from Purdue Monday at Bowlin Stadium, where NU is now 9-0 on the season. First pitch is slated for 4 p.m.