Courtesy Nebraska Athletics
Two runs in the first and second inning propelled No. 10 Nebraska softball to a 5-2 win over Michigan Friday at Bowlin Stadium in the Big Ten opener for both teams. The Cornhuskers (19-5, 1-0 Big Ten) have won eight in a row and 15 of their last 16 games. Their 19-5 record matches the program’s best through 24 games. The 2013 team, which is the last NU squad to advance to the Women’s College World Series, was also 19-5 through 24 games.
Nebraska took the lead in the bottom of the first inning. Jordy Frahm singled to center to lead off the inning. Samantha Bland followed with a single to left, then Bland advanced to second and Frahm to third on a Wolverines’ (19-7, 0-1 Big Ten) error. Hannah Camenzind drove in Frahm with a single to left to score Frahm and move Bland to third. Bland then scored when Camenzind was caught trying to steal second, making it 2-0 Huskers.
Then in the second, Alexis Jensen lined a two-run home run to center, boosting the lead to 4-0 Nebraska. Jensen (9-2) made that score hold up in the circle, throwing six innings while allowing four hits and two runs with eight strikeouts. Michigan finally got to Jensen in the sixth, pushing across two runs to shrink the Huskers’ lead to 4-2. But in the bottom of the sixth, Jensen got one of the runs back with an RBI single to center.
Frahm pitched into, and then out of trouble, to earn her sixth save of the season. The Wolverines loaded the bases to start the inning with a walk, an error and a single. But then Indiana Langford lined to third and Frahm struck out Jenissa Conway and Lauren Putz to end the game and clinch the win.
Jensen was 2-for-2 with three RBI and a home run to lead the Huskers’ offense. Frahm and Bland added two hits each. Kat Meyers took the loss for Michigan, allowing four runs (two earned) in 3.2 innings pitched.
Nebraska closes its three-game series with the Wolverines Saturday with a doubleheader at Bowlin Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.