It was an eventful seventh inning for the Nebraska softball team Friday against Saint Francis as the Huskers saw their two-run lead evaporate in the top of the seventh only to walk off with a 7-6 victory in the bottom of the inning.
Nebraska led 4-2 entering the seventh but Saint Francis scored four unearned runs - including three with two outs - to take a 6-4 lead into the bottom of the inning. The Huskers tied the game just four batters into the bottom of the seventh and loaded the bases with one out for Katelyn Caneda, who capped a terrific day with a walk-off single on the first pitch of her at bat.
Caneda went 2-for-3 against Saint Francis and drove in three runs. She helped Nebraska (10-10) to a 2-0 record on Friday by going 4-for-8 with six RBIs on the day. Ava Bredwell had the game-tying RBI single while Sydney Gray and Bella Bacon also drove in a run for the Big Red. Brooke Andrews got the seventh-inning rally started with a single, her third hit of the day as part of a 3-for-4 performance. Billie Andrews doubled and extended her hitting streak to 15 games.
Kaylin Kinney (6-6) got the win after not allowing an earned run in 2.1 innings of relief. Caitlin Olensky started and was charged with two runs on just three hits in 4.2 innings.
Grace Vesco (5-5) took the loss, allowing seven runs (six earned) in 6.0-plus innings for Saint Francis (11-9).
Neither team mounted much of an offensive threat until Nebraska scored twice in the bottom of the fourth inning. A walk, an error and a ground out put Huskers on second and third with two outs before Caneda scored Caitlynn Neal and Bredwell with a two-run double down the right field line.
Olensky then retired the first two batters of the top of the fifth inning, giving her nine consecutive batters retired. But a double and a single put runners on first and third for Saint Francis, which prompted Kinney to enter the game. Kinney was greeted with back-to-back RBI singles as the Red Flash tied the game at 2-2.
In the bottom of the frame, Billie Andrews won a long at bat with a leadoff double. Brooke Andrews followed with a bunt single and a stolen base to put Huskers on second and third with no outs. Gray then gave Nebraska the lead back with a sacrifice fly. Bacon followed with an RBI ground out that put the Huskers on top 4-2.
Kinney quickly retired Saint Francis in order in the sixth inning before running into a jam in the top of the seventh as Nebraska's defense faltered. An error and a bobbled infield single put the tying runners on base with one out before a double cut the Husker lead to 4-3. Kinney came back with a strikeout then coaxed a ground ball to third that Nebraska was unable to come up with resulting in a go-ahead double. Leading 5-4, the Huskers were then unable to come up with a catch on a bloop single that capped the four-run inning and put Saint Francis on top 6-4.
In the bottom of the seventh, Brooke Andrews began the frame with a single before Gray walked. Bacon then singled to right field and on the play, a thorwing error allowed Andrews to score and cut the lead to 6-5. Gray moved up to third on the errant throw and Bacon moved too second base. Gray then tied the game when she scored on an RBI single from Bredwell. With the winning run at third base with no outs, Saint Francis got a big strikeout but a walk to Emmerson Cope loaded the bases with one only one out. Caneda then lined a single into center field to give the Huskers the win.
Nebraska returns to action on Saturday with a rematch against Sain Francis and a second game against South Alabama.
Post-Game Notes
- Nebraska had two stolen bases against Saint Francis. The Huskers stole six bases in two games Friday after entering the day with seven stolen bases in their first 18 games.
- Katelyn Caneda had a big day on Friday, going 4-for-8 in two games against Northern Iowa and Saint Francis with six RBIs. She went 2-for-4 with three RBIs in each game.
- Brooke Andrews tied her career high with three hits, and she reached base in five of her eight plate appearances on Friday while scoring four runs.
- Bella Bacon, Ava Bredwell and Sydney Gray each had at least one RBI in both games on Friday. Bacon finished with three RBIs in the two games while Bredwell also had three RBIs and Gray drove in two runs.
- Billie Andrews doubled to lead off the fifth inning. The double extended her hitting streak to 15 games and gave her an extra-base hit in nine of her last 10 games.
- Kaylin Kinney earned the win in both games Friday. She has been the winning pitcher in six of Nebraska's 10 victories this season.