No. 8 Nebraska softball ends No. 7 UCLA 22-game win streak
No. 8 Nebraska softball (25-5, 7-0) ends No. 7 UCLA’s 22-game win streak with a one-two pitching punch and a relentless offense.
The Huskers vs. Bruins (28-4, 9-1) could very well be the Big Ten series of the season. They are the top-ranked teams in the conference. The three-game series in Lincoln could eventually decide who wins the Big Ten regular-season title. The first game did not disappoint.
Freshman Alexis Jensen started in the circle against UCLA. In five innings, the left-handed pitcher allowed four hits, one run, struck out six and walked one. Jensen has faced so many top-ranked opponents this season that she didn’t even blink going head-to-head with an outstanding lineup.
Jordy Frahm earned a program-record eighth save. She gave up no hits, no runs and struck out six in two innings. Frahm broke head coach Rhonda Revelle’s single-season save record.
Taylor Tinsley, the Bruins’ ace, gave up five hits and four runs. The senior righty struck out seven and walked seven in six innings.
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Game 1 goes to Huskers
The first five base runners were walked. Jensen walked one batter in the first four innings. Tinsley struggled with control, giving up five walks in four innings. But UCLA kept Nebraska off the board until the fifth inning.
The first hit of the game was by Megan Grant, who singled through the right in the top of the fourth. Grant entered the series with a .557 batting average, the fourth best in the country. Kaniya Bragg‘s single moved Grant to third, and Bri Alejandre‘s single brought the right fielder home for a 1-0 lead.
Nebraska left two runners on base in the second, third and fourth innings. After Ava Kuszak drew her second walk, Hannah Coor singled to left center for NU’s first hit in the fourth. Both were left on base. Tinsley walked two Huskers in the second and third innings. All four were left on base, and three were in scoring position.
Left fielder Natalia Hill robbed Grant of a home run with a great catch at the left-field wall, saving two runs in the fifth. The Huskers carried over the momentum into the offense. Frahm was hit by a pitch to lead off. Hannah Camenzind launched a home run to left field to take the lead 2-1 in the bottom of the inning.
Coor doubled to left center in the sixth. Hoffmann added an insurance run with a single to right center to go up 3-1. Lauren Camenzind singled, and Frahm drew a walk to load the bases. H. Camenzind walked to take a 4-1 lead.
Frahm retired all three Bruins in the top of the seventh to secure its 14th straight win. The one-two punch of Jensen and Frahm is proving to be one of the most dangerous in the country. They halted UCLA, which has a .410 team batting average, to one run and four hits.
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