Husker Comeback Bid Not Enough Against No. 7 Bruins

The No. 9 Nebraska softball team hit back-to-back home runs and loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the seventh, but fell, 6-5, to the No. 7 UCLA Bruins on Saturday afternoon at Bowlin Stadium.

The Big Red drew a program-record crowd of 3,123 fans, which marked the highest-attended game in Nebraska softball history. 

The series between NU and UCLA is now tied at one game apiece with the deciding game set for tomorrow, March 29. The Huskers are now 25-6 (7-1 Big Ten) on the season, while UCLA sits at 29-4 (10-1 Big Ten). 

Jordy Frahm logged two RBIs, along with one of the back-to-back homers in the seventh. Lauren Camenzind also hit a homer in the seventh, and Ava Kuszak and Alexis Jensen each provided an RBI on the day. Hannah Coor had two hits. As a team, the Huskers drew nine walks.

Frahm (8-4) took the loss in the circle. She threw a complete game with six earned runs, eight hits and seven strikeouts. Taylor Tinsley (16-3) grabbed the win for the Bruins.

UCLA knocked a three-run homer in the top of the first to grab a 3-0 lead before the Huskers fought back in the bottom of the first to make it 3-2. Frahm and Coor walked, and Hannah Camenzind reached on a fielder’s choice and Jesse Farrell walked to load the bases. Kuszak walked in an RBI and Jensen reached on a fielder’s choice that scored H. Camenzind.

Both teams went scoreless for the second, third and fourth innings before a Frahm solo shot evened the score at 3-3. 

UCLA used a walk, double and home run to take a 6-3 lead into the seventh inning.
L. Camenzind and Frahm led off the bottom of the seventh with back-to-back homers to pull the Huskers within one. Coor and H. Camenzind walked before Farrell struck out to put the first out on the board. Kuszak walked to load the bases, but Jensen flied out and Samantha Bland lined out to end the game.

The third game between Nebraska and UCLA is set for tomorrow, March 29 at 12 p.m. (CT). The contest will be televised on Nebraska Public Media and streamed on B1G+ and can be heard across the Huskers Radio Network.