The Nebraska softball team has had no shortage of late-game drama this season.
From walk-off wins to late collapses, Nebraska has just about seen it all — and its Friday series opener might’ve been the Huskers’ most dramatic game yet.
Nebraska nearly won the contest with a go-ahead solo home run in the eighth inning, only for Michigan to tie the game and hit a walk-off home run of its own. The Wolverines narrowly edged Nebraska 4-3 for the nine-inning win in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
The back-and-forth drama only began late following a pitcher’s duel for much of the contest. Nebraska (25-17, 8-4 Big Ten) managed just five base hits overall, three of them coming in the eighth inning alone during a difficult hitting matchup against Michigan (31-14, 12-3) ace Lauren Derkowski.
In a game broadcast nationally on FS1, Michigan struck first with an RBI groundout in the first inning. Nebraska’s first base hit of the game was a crucial one, though, when third baseman Sydney Gray lashed a two-RBI double into the outfield for a 2-1 Nebraska lead.
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That big hit came in the fourth inning, and Nebraska would not record another hit until the game reached extra innings. In the meantime, Michigan squandered opportunity after opportunity against Nebraska pitchers Sarah Harness and Kaylin Kinney.
Harness started the game strong but ran into trouble in the fourth inning, loading the bases with one out. Kinney entered in relief, walking in a run to tie the game before recording a strikeout to strand three runners on base.
That was hardly the last time Michigan would leave the bases loaded during an excellent scoring threat.
Kinney loaded the bases with zero outs and escaped without allowing a run in the sixth inning, then shut down bases loaded opportunities in the seventh and eighth innings as well. The senior recorded four strikeouts during her five innings in the circle.
Nebraska finally got through to Derkowski in the eighth inning when freshman outfielder Samantha Bland crushed a go-ahead solo home run. The Huskers even had Michigan down to its final out, only for a bloop single into the outfield to undo their hard-earned lead.
Right fielder Caitlynn Neal’s diving catch attempt narrowly missed and NU’s relay throw into catcher Ava Bredwell was offline, resulting in a game-tying run coming across the plate.
Michigan’s Ava Costales soon ended the game with a towering solo home run to center field to secure the Wolverines’ walk-off win. Still undefeated at home this season, Michigan had just earned two walk-off victories in its most recent weekend series against Iowa.
Had Nebraska won the game, the Huskers would’ve claimed Michigan’s second-place spot in the Big Ten standings.
Instead, Nebraska dropped to fourth in the conference ahead of another crucial game against the Wolverines. The series resumes at 1 p.m. on Saturday.