Red Defeats White in Fall Scrimmage

Lincoln – The Nebraska softball team held an intrasquad scrimmage on Sunday afternoon at the Doris Bair Complex, with the Red team defeating the White, 18-4.

The scrimmage featured situational hitting, as both teams began the first and fifth innings with a runner on first base, the second and sixth frames with a runner on second, the third and seventh innings with a runner on third base and the fourth inning with the bases loaded.

Freshman right-hander Kaylan Jablonski earned the win for the Red, pitching the first 4.0 innings. Jablonski allowed four runs, but none of the runs were earned as every runner that scored was placed on base to begin the inning. Jablonski allowed three hits and walked two in her 4.0 innings, while striking out one. Junior right-hander Emily Lockman, a two-time first-team all-region selection, took the loss for the White team. In 4.0 innings, Lockman allowed nine runs (three earned), surrendering six hits and one walk. Freshman right-hander Caitlin Bartsch pitched the final 3.0 innings for the White, allowing nine runs (seven earned). Bartsch pitched a scoreless seventh inning, holding the Red team without a run for the only time in the game.

Offensively, junior Kiki Stokes and sophomore Austen Urness each had three hits and three RBIs for the Red, while sophomore MJ Knighten was 2-for-3 with a home run and five RBIs. Freshman Gina Metzler, sophomore Rachel Arthur and senior Kylee Muir each produced a hit and an RBI for the White.

The Red team jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Stokes led off with a double to put runners at second and third after a runner began the inning on first base. Following a ground out, sophomore MJ Knighten grounded the 10th pitch of her at bat just inside the third base bag for a two-run single.

The White team took advantage of the runner placed on second base to begin the top of the second inning. Senior Stephanie Pasquale drew a four-pitch walk to put runners on first and second before a double play marked the first two outs. Arthur then hit a shallow pop up on the right side of the infield that dropped for an RBI single in between Jablonski and former Husker Taylor Edwards, who was playing first.

The Red used team offense to get the run back in the bottom of the second and take a 3-1 lead. With Knighten on second to start the inning, a pair of ground outs scored her with two outs.

With a runner on third to start the top of the third, sophomore Kat Woolman pulled the White squad to within one with a sacrifice fly to left. Muir followed with a single and Pasquale walked to put runners on first and second with only one out, but Jablonski escaped the jam with a fly out and a strikeout.

In the bottom of the frame, the Red team scored its runner placed on third with a one-out RBI ground out from Urness. Jablonski then helped herself with a two-out, RBI single to left center that stretched the Red’s lead to 5-2.

The White team began the fourth inning with the bases loaded and Metzler slapped an RBI infield single to lead off the frame. Trailing 5-3 with the bases still loaded and one out, Muir lofted a fly ball to deep center that Stokes caught against the fence, but the sacrifice fly plated junior Dawna Tyson to trim the lead to one. With runners on second and third and two outs, Pasquale lined a ball into right field, but former Husker Tatum Edwards fielded the one hopper and threw a strike to first base to rob Pasquale of a two-run single.

In the bottom of the fourth, Lockman coaxed a ground ball back to the circle and threw home for the first out. But a wild pitch allowed a run to score before Stokes laced a two-run double to right center that stretched the Red lead to 8-4. A two-out error allowed a fourth run to score in the inning.

The White team was held scoreless in the top of the fifth before the Red team added to its lead with a run in the bottom of the frame on an RBI fielder’s choice from sophomore Lotte Sjulin.

Knighten made it 12-4 Red when she launched a one-out, two-run homer in the bottom of the sixth. The Huskers then got three consecutive doubles from Urness, Jablonski and freshman Taylor Otte to stretch the lead to 10-4. Sjulin then lined a single to left before Stokes recorded an RBI infield slap single. A walk to freshman Laura Barrow loaded the bases with one out before Knighten drove in her third run of the inning with a sacrifice fly to deep right. Urness then doubled for the second time in the inning, driving in two to cap the eight-run inning and stretch the lead to 18-4.

Nebraska plays its first exhibition games of the fall, when the Huskers host South Dakota for a doubleheader on Sunday, Sept. 28 beginning at 1 p.m. at Bowlin Stadium. Admission into both games is free.