Nebraska softball hit the road to take on Ohio State for game two of its weekend series. The Huskers dropped the game to the Buckeyes 5-4. Nebraska has now lost four out of its last five games after an 18-game winning streak earlier in the season.
Sophomore pitcher Kaylin Kinney got the start in the circle for the Huskers. She went four innings pitched, allowing four earned runs off of seven hits and two strikeouts. She also added a 1-for-3 performance from the plate with two RBIs.
Senior pitcher Courtney Wallace went two and 1/3 innings pitched, allowing four hits and four earned runs along with two strikeouts.
Neither team found any offensive rhythm in the contest, but the Huskers struck first in the top of the fourth. Senior designated player Peyton Glatter singled up the middle to get things started for the Huskers.
Glatter stole second to put herself in scoring position. Sophomore center fielder Caitlynn Neal singled, putting runners on the corners. Neal then attempted to steal second, but was caught. During Neal’s steal, though, Glatter advanced home to give the Huskers a 1-0 lead over the Buckeyes.
The Buckeyes responded right away in the bottom of the fourth. Senior first baseman Niki Carver singled to right field to lead off the inning. Sophomore third baseman McKenzie Bump also singled, putting two runners on base.
Later in the inning, senior pinch hitter Kaitlynn Coffman hit a three-run home run to right center field, capturing a 3-1 Buckeye lead.
Nebraska responded in the top of the fifth. Sophomore shortstop Billie Andrews singled through the left side. Kinney followed Andrews’ single with a two-run home run, tying the contest but Nebraska wouldn’t do much more the rest of the fifth.
Ohio State responded once again in the bottom of the fifth. Freshman right fielder Melina Wilkison led off the inning with a single through the left side. Wilkison then advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by senior left fielder Jaycee Ruberti.
Junior designated player Sam Hackenbracht came up big for the Buckeyes with an RBI-single to retake the lead, 4-3, heading into the sixth inning.
The Huskers would tie things up in the top of the seventh. Sophomore third baseman Sydney Gray seventh inning left field solo-shot tied up the contest at four.
In the bottom of the seventh, Wilkison delivered one of the final punches, singling through the left side to put the winning run on first for the Buckeyes. Ruberti singled to left field, putting runners on second and first.
Hackenbracht put the game away with a walk-off RBI-single throughout the left side, defeating Nebraska with a final score of 5-4.
The Huskers fall to 34-13 and 14-4 in Big Ten Play after Saturday’s loss and come back in action Sunday for the final game of the weekend series against the Buckeyes. First pitch is set at 11 a.m, all of the action can be seen on Big Ten Network Plus or heard on Huskers Radio Network.