Huskers Open Season With 8-5 Win Over Washington

The No. 10 Nebraska softball team used a pair of four-run innings to open its season with an 8-5 victory over Washington in the first of two games Friday at the UTSA Invitational in San Antonio, Texas.

Nebraska (1-0) erased an early one-run deficit with a four-run second inning to grab a 4-1 lead. Washington (0-1) came back to take a 5-4 lead before the Huskers scored four runs in the bottom of the fifth, rallying for a non-conference victory over a Washington squad ranked in three of the four major preseason polls.

Freshman left-hander Alexis Jensen (1-0) earned the win for Nebraska in her collegiate debut. Jensen allowed five runs (three earned) in 5.0 innings and struck out 10. Jordyn Frahm earned the save with 2.0 scoreless innings of one-hit relief.

Offensively, Jesse Farrell went 2-for-2 with a home run and and two RBIs in her Husker debut, while Lauren Camenzind hit a three-run homer. Frahm and Hannah Camenzind each had two hits for the Big Red.

Morgan Reimer (0-1) took the loss for Washington.

Washington opened the scoring with a solo home run in the top of the second. 

The Huskers struck back immediately, as Farrell knocked her solo homer to tie the score at 1-1 before Kacie Hoffmann walked and Samantha Bland reached base on a throwing error that also sent Hoffmann to third. L. Camenzind sent herself, Hoffmann and Bland to the plate with a three-run homer to left center. 

The Huskies made the score 4-2 on another solo shot in the third.

UW then evened the score at 4-4 on a two-out, two-run homer from Gabi Toney following a Husker error. A solo home run gave Washington the lead in the top of the fifth.

Nebraska took an 8-5 lead in the bottom of the fifth. Emmerson Cope was hit by a pitch and Katelyn Caneda came in to pinch run. H. Camenzind singled to advance Caneda and the two eventually went to second and third, respectively, on a wild pitch. Farrell reached on an error to score Caneda and H. Camenzind, and Farrell herself advanced to third. Bland walked and stole second before L. Camenzind reached on a fielder’s choice. Coor also went to first on a fielder’s choice that also scored Farrell, and a Frahm single scored Bland. 

NU will continue UTSA Invitational play against No. 1 Texas tonight at 6:05 p.m. The game will be streamed on ESPN+ and can be heard across the Huskers Radio Network. 

Notes

• Jesse Farrell homered in her first at bat at Nebraska. She is the first Husker to accomplish that feat since Cassie McClure in 2015. McClure was a transfer from Texas Tech.
• Alexis Jensen is the first Nebraska freshman to start in the season opener since Lindsey Walljasper in 2019.
• Jensen is the first Husker freshman to have double-digit strikeouts in her career debut since Ashley Hagemann in 2009.