Jordy Bahl struck out 11 and drove in five runs in leading No. 21 Nebraska to an 11-1 mercy-rule win over the three-time defending Big Ten champion Northwestern Saturday in Evanston. The mercy-rule win was the Cornhuskers’ (30-10) 19th of the season, an ongoing school record.
Nebraska took control of the game during an eight-run top of the second inning in which the first nine batters reached base. Kacie Hoffmann led off the inning with a double. Ava Kuszak followed with a walk. Bella Bacon laid down a bunt which Wildcats’ pitcher Lauren Boyd fielded and threw wildly toward first base, allowing Hoffman to score and Kuszak to head to third. An Ava Bredwell walked loaded the bases ahead of Lauren Camenzind, who also drew a walk to drive in Kuszak. Bahl followed with a two-run double to left-center. A Samantha Bland single to center drove in Bahl and Lauren Camenzind, and Hannah Camenzind capped the inning with a two-run home run to left field to make it 8-0.
A Kaylie Avvisato homer in the third cut it to 8-1 for the Wildcats (20-13-1), but in the top of the fifth, Bahl hammered a three-run home run to boost the lead back to 10 and bring the mercy rule into effect.
Bahl (17-4) made sure that lead held up in the circle, striking out 11 while allowing just one run, two hits and five walks. Bahl also led the Huskers at the plate, hitting 3-for-4 with five RBI, a double and a home run.
Nebraska faces Northwestern in game two of the series Sunday at 4 p.m. in Evanston.