Three Homers Help Huskers Top Wildcats, 6-2

Nebraska  6 2 Northwestern
Box Score

Inning-by-Inning
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7		R	H	E
Nebraska	3	0	1	0	2	0	0		0	0	0
Northwestern	0	1	0	0	0	0	1		0	0	0

Pitching
	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
W - O. Ferrell (7-3)	4.0	2	1	1	2	2
L - M. Newport (10-4)	0.1	2	3	3	1	0
S - K. Jablonski (5)	3.0	2	1	1	2	1

Individual Leaders
	AB	R	H	RBI	2B	HR
Laura Barrow	4	2	3	3	0	2
Kaylan Jablonski	3	1	1	2	0	1
Alyvia Simmons	4	1	3	1	2	0

Game Notes

Laura Barrow extended her hitting streak to six games after going 3-for-4, with two runs, three RBIs and two home runs. Laura Barrow started the season with three career home runs. She had two today against the Wildcats and now has three on the season.   Laura Barrow set a career best in home runs (two) and a season high in RBIs (three). She also tied her career best with three hits.  Alyvia Simmons had three hits, marking the fifth straight game she's recorded a hit and the seventh straight game she's reached base.  Madi Unzicker was hit by a pitch three times against Northwestern. She was also the last Husker to be hit by a pitch more than once in the same game (Penn State in 2016).  Kaylan Jablonski earned her fifth save of the season. She now ranks third in the Nebraska senior saves record book. As a staff, the Husker pitchers have eight saves this season, which is tied for third in program history.

Evanston, Ill. - Laura Barrow hit two home runs and Kaylan Jablonski had one to help the Nebraska softball team (25-10, 3-1 Big Ten) defeat Big Ten foe Northwestern (20-11, 3-3 Big Ten) on Friday afternoon by a score of  6-2.

Barrow finished 3-for-4, with two runs and three RBIs, while Jablonski went 1-for-3 with one run and two RBIs. Alyvia Simmons also had an impressive day at the plate, going 3-for-4 with one run, one RBI and two doubles. The trio combined for all of Nebraska's seven hits.

Olivia Ferrell improved to 7-3 on the season. She pitched 4.0 innings, gave up one run on two hits. She also had two walks and two strikeouts. Jablonski picked up her fifth save of the season and now ranks third in the senior record books. She pitched 3.0 innings, gave up one run on two hits. She also had one strikeout. 

Northwestern's Morgan Newport (10-4) only lasted 0.1 innings. She gave up three runs on two hits and also had one walk. 

Nebraska sent all nine batters to the plate in the first inning and took a quick 3-0 lead. Barrow hit a solo homer to give Nebraska a 1-0 lead. Edwards drew a walk and Jablonski hit another homer to give the Huskers two more runs. A hit batter and two walks loaded the bases for the Huskers with two outs, but Northwestern retired the next batter to leave three on base. 

The Wildcats put a runner in scoring position with no outs after a walk and a stolen base. A hit batter put two on with one outs, but the Husker defense came in clutch, getting out of the inning with a double play. 

In the second, two hit batters and a walk loaded the bases with two outs for the Huskers, but a strikeout left three runners stranded for the second straight inning. 

Northwestern got two runners in scoring position with a one-out walk and a double. A fielder's choice that kept a runner from scoring, but also didn't get a runner out. With the bases loaded, one run scored on a sacrifice fly.

Back-to-back walks in the top of the third set up a good offensive opportunity for Nebraska, but Northwestern made a great defensive play and turned a bunt attempt into a double play. The 'Cats got the lead runner out at third and the runner out at first. With a runner on second and two outs, Simmons doubled to right center to score another run for Nebraska and extend the Husker lead to 4-1. 

In the fifth, Simmons got a leadoff double and Barrow hit her second homer of the day to give Nebraska a 6-1 lead. 

In the top of the seventh, the Wildcats loaded the bases with no outs after a pair of singles and a fielder's choice that didn't get a runner out. A sacrifice fly cut the Husker lead to 6-2, but the Huskers retired the next two batters to end the game.

The Huskers and the Wildcats will continue the series tomorrow at 1 p.m. The game will be avail2018)

Box Score 2018 Nebraska Softball Nebraska at Northwestern Mar 30, 2018 at Evanston, Ill. (Drysdale Field)

Nebraska 6 (25-10,3-1 Big Ten)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Alyvia Simmons rf........ 4 1 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 Laura Barrow 2b.......... 4 2 3 3 0 0 1 2 0 Tristen Edwards ss....... 2 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 Kaylan Jablonski dp/p.... 3 1 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 Madi Unzicker 1b......... 1 0 0 0 0 1 6 0 0 Taylor Otte cf........... 3 0 0 0 0 2 4 0 3 Alexis Perry ph......... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Gina Metzler lf.......... 2 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 2 Lexey Kneib 3b........... 2 1 0 0 2 0 4 2 0 Olivia Ferrell p......... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Ally Riley ph/dp........ 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Bri Cassidy c............ 1 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 3 Totals................... 26 6 7 6 6 3 21 5 9

Northwestern 2 (20-11,3-3 Big Ten)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ S Rabin cf............... 3 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 2 M Panko ss............... 2 0 0 1 1 1 4 1 0 R Lewis 2b............... 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 M Nelson lf.............. 4 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 3 B Marquez rf............. 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 S Nettling c............. 1 1 0 0 2 0 4 2 0 L Novak 1b............... 3 0 2 0 0 0 4 0 1 M Newport p/dp........... 3 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 A Boyd pr............... 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 K Wilkey dp/p............ 2 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 M Dunlap 3b.............. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Totals................... 24 2 4 2 4 3 21 6 8

Score by Innings R H E ----------------------------------------- Nebraska............ 301 020 0 - 6 7 0 Northwestern........ 010 000 1 - 2 4 2 -----------------------------------------

E - M Panko(11); R Lewis(4). DP - Cornhuskers 1; Wildcats 2. LOB - Cornhuskers 9; Wildcats 8. 2B - Simmons 2(9); L Novak 2(9). HR - Barrow 2(3); Jablonski(8). HBP - Edwards; M. Unzicker 3; R Lewis. SF - M Panko(1); K Wilkey(2). SB - S Rabin(20).

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Olivia Ferrell...... 4.0 2 1 1 2 2 13 17 76 Kaylan Jablonski.... 3.0 2 1 1 2 1 11 14 50

Northwestern IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- M Newport........... 0.1 2 3 3 1 0 3 4 17 K Wilkey............ 6.2 5 3 3 5 3 23 32 112

Win - Ferrell (7-3). Loss - M Newport (10-4). Save - Jablonski (5). HBP - by K Wilkey (M. Unzicker); by Ferrell (R Lewis); by K Wilkey (Edwards); by K Wilkey (M. Unzicker); by K Wilkey (M. Unzicker). PB - Cassidy(2). Pitches/strikes: Ferrell 76/42; Jablonski 50/24; M Newport 17/7; K Wilkey 112/65. Umpires - HP: Cody Little 1B: Perry Owens 3B: Marty Abezetian Start: 3:02 pm Time: 2:18 Attendance: 219 Weather: Brilliant sun. Brilliant! Game: NEB35