Kenny Larabee, NRG Media
Behind a career-high-tying 16 strikeouts from Jordy Frahm, No. 1 Nebraska softball advanced to the NCAA regional finals with a 2-0 shutout win over Grand Canyon Saturday at Bowlin Stadium/Rhonda Revelle Field. 89 percent of regional champions start a regional 2-0, so this game was pivotal to position the Cornhuskers (48-6) to advance to Super Regionals, as Nebraska now needs just one win to move on to the NCAA’s round of 16.
Frahm dominated in the circle for the Huskers, allowing one hit while matching her career high in strikeouts with 16. She’d previously struck out 16 in a 2022 game against Tennessee while pitching as a freshman for Oklahoma. Frahm’s dominance went beyond the strikeout and hit numbers, though. Of the 23 batters Frahm faced, 20 started down in the count 0-1. 13 of 23 hitters were down in the count 0-2. Only one hitter was ahead in the count 2-0, and one other was ahead 2-1.
Frahm’s pitching performance was necessary as the Nebraska bats struggled against Lopes (53-9) starting pitcher Taryn Batterton. She allowed just two runs, just one earned through five innings, and the Huskers only broke through in the top of the fifth with two outs. Frahm reached on a fielders choice with two outs. Then Hannah Coor lined a triple to right field, scoring Frahm to get NU on the board. Hannah Camenzind followed with a grounder to shortstop. The throw from GCU shortstop Haley Wilkinson was wild, allowing Coor to score Nebraska’s second run.
That was more than enough for Frahm, who retired the last 15 batters she faced, 10 by strikeout. Frahm ended up needing just 86 pitches to finish the victory. The win ran the Huskers’ winning streak to 23 games, tying a school record for longest winning streak.
Nebraska now advances to the regional finals Sunday at Bowlin Stadium/Rhonda Revelle Field. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m., with the pregame coverage beginning at 1:45 p.m. on B-107.3.