Husker Comeback Falls Short Against No. 1 Longhorns

The No. 10 Nebraska softball team fell to the No. 1, defending national champion Texas Longhorns on Friday night by a score of 15-10.

The Huskers answered a pair of big innings from Texas but it was not enough. After the Longhorns scored five runs in the top of the fourth, NU answered with five runs in the bottom of the frame. The Longhorns then broke open a 10-7 game with five runs in the top of the seventh, only to see Nebraska battle back to score three runs and leave the bases loaded. 

Jordy Frahm (0-1) took the loss in the circle after allowing five earned runs and six hits in 3.0 innings. Hannah Camenzind allowed four earned runs in three innings of relief while Emmerson Cope allowed two runs in 1.0 inning. Citialy Gutierrez (1-0) grabbed the win for Texas and Hannah Wells claimed the save.

Offensively, newcomers Hannah Camenzind and Jesse Farrell both went 3-for-4 on the day. Both tied their career highs with their three hits. Coor knocked a three-run homer and Farrell knocked a solo shot of her own. Frahm, Cope, Hoffmann and Alina Felix added a hit apiece and Carlie Muhlbach and Lauren Camenzind each contributed an RBI.

Nebraska got on the board first with Farrell’s solo homer in the bottom of the first. She has now homered in both games she’s played as a Husker.

Texas knocked a two-run homer to take a 2-1 lead in the top of the second. The Longhorns extended the advantage to 4-1 on a double and a sacrifice fly in the third.

Coor reached first on a UT error in the bottom of the third and advanced to second before scoring on a Frahm single to make the score 4-2. 

Texas made its lead 9-2 with five runs on just four hits in the top of the fourth.

The Big Red used a six-hit bottom of the fourth to cut the lead to 9-7. H. Camenzind hit a leadoff single and Cope singled right after her to put runners on first and third. Katelyn Caneda pinch ran for Cope and went to second on a Kacie Hoffmann single that scored H. Camenzind. Samantha Bland reached base on a fielder’s choice and Caneda went to third. Caneda crossed the plate on a L. Camenzind RBI. Bland, L. Camenzind and Coor scored on a three-run shot by Coor.

The Longhorns added another run on an RBI single in the sixth.

Texas added five runs in the top of the seventh and grabbed a 15-7 lead.

In the bottom of the frame, Carlie Muhlbach drew a bases-loaded walk to score Frahm and make the score 15-8. A Felix single scored Farrell, who singled earlier in the inning, and Nessa McMillen, who pinch ran for Muhlbach. The Huskers pulled within five at 15-10, but UT ultimately pulled out the win.

The Huskers will play two games again tomorrow, Feb. 7. NU will take on Texas for the second time this weekend at 3:35 p.m. (CT) and face host UTSA at 6:05 p.m. (CT). Both games will be streamed on ESPN+ and can be heard across the Huskers Radio Network.

Notes

• With her home run in the first inning, Jesse Farrell has now homered in her first two games as a Husker.
• Farrell and Hannah Coor each tied their career highs with three hits.
• The 10 runs are the most Nebraska has ever scored against a No. 1-ranked team.