NU Notes: Huskers win game one over Mavericks, 2-1
The Nebraska softball team (17-8) picked up the first win of a doubleheader against Omaha Wednesday afternoon. The Huskers claimed the 2-1 victory over the Mavericks (13-7).
Caitlynn Neal, Mya Felder and Katelyn Caneda all led the Big Red on offense, each tallying two hits while Ava Bredwell and Brooke Andrews added an RBI. Rachel Weber led the Omaha offense with two of the team's three hits.
Courtney Wallace picked up her 10th win in the circle, pitching the complete game. Wallace held the Mavericks to three hits while striking out four.
Kamryn Meyer (5-5) recorded the loss for Omaha. Meyer pitched 7.0 innings, giving up nine hits and two earned runs.
The Huskers looked to score right away as Neal recorded a one-out double. Neal advanced to third after a ground out, but she was stranded as NU was held scoreless through one.
Neal added her second hit of the day in the third inning with a two-out double to left field, but she was stranded in scoring position.
Omaha reached scoring position in the bottom of the third after two walks put runners on first and second with two outs, but NU worked out of the inning, holding the Mavericks scoreless.
Brooke Andrews got the Big Red on the board with a solo home run to left field in the top of the fourth. The Huskers took the early 1-0 lead.
The Mavericks responded with one in the bottom of the fourth. A single from Rachel Weber put a runner on for Omaha. Marra Cramer hit a triple down the left field line, scoring Weber, and tying the game at 1-1.
The Big Red regained the lead in the fifth with a string of singles. With one out, Neal hit a single up the middle. Felder followed with a single to right field, and Bredwell added a single to left field, driving in Neal. NU went ahead, 2-1.
Nebraska was able to hold Omaha, picking up the 2-1 victory.
The Huskers return to action at approximately 6:30 p.m. (CT) for the second game in a doubleheader against Omaha. Fans can listen to the action live on the Huskers Radio Network and Huskers.com with the call from Nate Rohr. It will also be streamed on omavs.com/watch.
Huskers Run Past Mavericks
The Nebraska softball team (18-8) claimed the run-rule victory in the second game of a doubleheader against Omaha on Wednesday night. The Huskers picked up the win after outscoring the Mavericks (13-8), 11-3, in six innings.
Mya Felder led the Big Red offense, finishing the night 3-for-4 with one home run and four RBI. Billie Andrews added three hits including a solo home run shot while Katelyn Caneda finished the three hits and two runs.
Sarah Harness earned the win in the circle for the Huskers, moving to 7-3 on the season. The junior pitched 3.2 innings, allowing no hits and one run while striking out five. Courtney Wallace added 2.1 innings of work, allowing four hits and two runs.
Sydney Nuismer (6-3) recorded the loss for the Mavericks. Nuismer pitched 5.1 innings, giving up 12 hits and 10 runs.
Billie Andrews put the Huskers ahead early with a leadoff home run in the first inning, putting Nebraska ahead, 1-0.
NU added four more in the third inning. Billie Andrews led the inning off with a single. Neal doubled to right center, putting runners at second and third. Felder smashed a ball to left field, recording a three-run home run as NU took the 4-0 lead.
Omaha had its first runner on base in the bottom of the third. With two outs, Olivia Aden was hit by a pitch. However, a ground out from the next batter stranded Aden, and the Mavericks remained scoreless.
The Huskers added another run in the fourth. Caneda reached first after a leadoff walk. With two outs, Caneda advanced to second after a ground out from Gray. Billie Andrews reached on an Omaha throwing error as Caneda scored, giving NU the 5-0 advantage.
The Mavericks added a run in the bottom of the fourth. With one out, a walk and two hit by pitches loaded the bases. A fielder's choice brought in a run as the runner at second was out. Another walk loaded the bases, but Wallace entered to record a strikeout to get the Huskers out of the inning. NU went into the fifth inning ahead, 5-1.
Omaha threatened in the fifth. With two outs and a runner at first, Rachel Weber doubled down the left field line, putting runners in scoring position. A walk loaded the bases, but NU worked out of the inning with a fielder's choice.
The Huskers tallied six runs on seven hits in the sixth. Caneda led off with a double. The freshman scored after Squier doubled to right field. Dakota Carter entered as a pinch hitter, recording her first career hit with a single to right field. Billie Andrews hit a single to the pitcher, loading the bases. Neal hit a sacrifice fly, scoring Squier. Felder added a single, scoring another. With one out, Brooke Andrews hit a single up the middle, scoring two. Caneda added her second hit of the inning with a single up the middle, scoring Andrews and giving the Big Red the 11-1 lead.
The Mavericks added three in the bottom of the sixth off of two hits and a walk, but it was not enough as Nebraska claimed the run-rule win, 11-3.
The Huskers return to action Sunday, March 19 against Kansas City in Lawrence, Kan. First pitch is set for 11 a.m. (CT). Fans can listen to the action live on the Huskers Radio Network and Huskers.com with the call from Nate Rohr.
Game Notes
- Billie Andrews hit her 10th home run of the season and fifth in her leadoff at bat.
- Caitlynn Neal and Ava Bredwell extended their hitting streaks to 14 consecutive games.
Huskers Take on Nicholls in Kansas
NEBRASKA vs. NICHOLLS
March 16-17, 2023
Tointon Family Stadium | Manhattan, Kan.
Thursday, March 16 – 11 a.m. CT
Pitching: LHP Jackson Brockett (1-0, 1.04 ERA) vs. LHP Michael Quevedo (0-0, 6.23 ERA)
TV/Streaming: None
Radio: Huskers Radio Network – Lincoln (1400 AM), Omaha (590 AM), Huskers.com, Huskers App
Friday, March 17 – 2:30 p.m. CT
Pitching: LHP Emmett Olson (2-1, 3.97 ERA) vs. LHP Tyler Theriot (2-2, 2.53 ERA)
TV/Streaming: None
Radio: Huskers Radio Network – Lincoln (1400 AM), Omaha (590 AM), Huskers.com, Huskers App
Friday, March 17 – Approx. 5 p.m. CT
Pitching: RHP Jace Kaminska (3-0, 2.25 ERA) vs. TBA
TV/Streaming: None
Radio: Huskers Radio Network – Lincoln (1400 AM), Omaha (590 AM), Huskers.com, Huskers App
Nebraska continues play with a three-game series against Nicholls on Thursday and Friday in Manhattan, Kan.
First pitch between the Huskers and Colonels is set for 11 a.m. on Thursday, while the two teams are scheduled to play a doubleheader on Friday beginning at 2:30 p.m. Game one of the doubleheader is set for seven innings, while game two will be a nine-inning game.
There is no stream available for this weekend's games, while fans can listen to Greg Sharpe and Ben McLaughlin call the action on the Huskers Radio Network, which can be heard on KLIN (1400 AM) in Lincoln and KXSP (590 AM) in Omaha. Every game this season can be heard for free on Huskers.com and the Official Nebraska Huskers App for both iOS and android devices.
Nebraska vs. Nicholls
• Nebraska and Nicholls have met four times on the diamond, with the Huskers holding a 3-1 advantage in the all-time series.
• The two teams played a three-game series in Lincoln in 2016, with the Big Red taking two of three games against the Colonels.
• In their first meeting, Nebraska had a 10-2 win against Nicholls on Feb. 19, 1999 in Houston, Texas.
2-For-.400
• Nebraska is one of 13 teams nationally with two everyday starters hitting at least .400 this season at the plate.
• Anderson is hitting .426 with eight doubles, two triples, a homer, 16 RBI and 10 runs, while Matthews is adding six doubles, four home runs, 18 RBI and 17 runs with a .411 hitting clip.
• Other teams with at least two players hitting above .400 and have started every game this season include Alabama State, Auburn, Fairfield, Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan State, New Mexico, Pacific, The Citadel, UTSA and Virginia.
Matthews Meets Familiar Foe
• Brice Matthews takes on a familiar foe this weekend, as Matthews was a high school teammate of Nicholls junior infielder MaCrae Kendrick.
• Matthews and Kendrick played under coach Eric Matthews at Atascocita High School in Texas.
• Kendrick has appeared in 12 games this season for the Colonels, hitting .200 with three doubles, two home runs, nine RBI and six runs scored.
Third Time's the Charm
• Third-inning at-bats have proven to be successful for NU pitching and hitting, as the Huskers are outscoring opponents 16-1 in the third inning this season.
• On the mound, the NU pitching staff holds a 0.60 ERA with 14 strikeouts and just eight hits allowed in the third inning of games.
• Offensively, the Huskers are hitting .317 with four doubles, three home runs, 14 RBI and 16 runs in the third frame.
Out of the Gate
• NU starting pitching has stifled opponents in the last five games, leading the Huskers to a 4-1 mark in the five-game stretch.
• Nebraska starters hold a 3-0 record and a 1.66 ERA with one shutout in 21.2 innings of work.
• Opponents have scored four runs and struck out 21 times against NU starters while hitting .190 at the plate in the 21.2 innings.
Matthews, Caron a Constant on the Base Path
• Brice Matthews and Josh Caron have been a constant on the base paths for the Huskers recently, as both enter this weekend's series having reached base safely in 15-plus games.
• Matthews comes into the series with the Colonels with an 18-game reached base streak, while Caron has reached base safely in 16 straight games.
Numbers to Know
5 – The NU offense has produced five consecutive games with at least 10 hits, including three of those games with five or more extra-base hits.
20 – Jace Kaminska enters the weekend with a 3-0 record and 2.25 ERA in 24 innings of work. With the three victories in four starts, Kaminska is tied for 20th nationally in wins this season.
13 – Nebraska is one of 13 teams nationally with at least two everyday starters hitting above .400 this season.
9 – Shay Schanaman has climbed to ninth all-time in program history with 200 career strikeouts. Schanaman is 12 strikeouts shy of tying Bob Sebra in eighth.
17 – Max Anderson is 17th nationally with eight doubles on the season, which is one behind Michigan State's Trent Farquhar for the conference lead.
Wilson Named Big Ten Field Athlete of the Year
Nebraska track and field senior thrower Jonah Wilson was a unanimous selection as the Big Ten Men's Field Athlete of the Year by the league's head coaches on Wednesday.
Wilson earned the shot put silver medal at the NCAA Indoor Championships on Saturday after a personal-best throw of 68-7 1/4 (20.91m). It was the No. 2 throw in school history and the best finish by a Husker men's track and field athlete at the NCAA Indoor Championships since 2018.
A four-time USTFCCCA All-American, Wilson was also the Big Ten champion in the event in his first year in the conference after transferring from Washington. Following the meet, he was named the Big Ten Men's Field Athlete of the Championships.
This marks the second year in a row a Husker thrower has won the Big Ten Men's Indoor Field Athlete of the Year honor, as Burger Lambrechts Jr. earned the distinction in 2022.
Big Ten Indoor Track and Field Awards
Men's Track Athlete of the Year: Jackson Sharp, Wisconsin
Men's Field Athlete of the Year: Jonah Wilson, Nebraska (unanimous vote)
Men's Freshman of the Year: Handal Roban, Penn State
Women's Track Athlete of the Year: Olivia Howell, Illinois
Women's Field Athlete of the Year: Adelaide Aquilla, Ohio State
Women's Freshman of the Year: Haley Kitching, Penn State
Hietaranta Takes Home Big Ten Athlete of the Week
Lincoln, Neb. – Roni Hietaranta was named the Big Ten Men's Tennis Athlete of the Week as the conference announced the award on Wednesday afternoon. Hietaranta is the third straight Husker to win the award, with William Gleason and Shunya Maruyama having won the previous two weeks. The honor is the second of Hietaranta's career, as he was also named the Big Ten Men's Tennis Athlete of the Week on Jan. 25, 2022.
The Lappeenranta, Finland, native went 2-0 this week in a strong performance against Omaha. Partnered with Maruyama, Hietaranta clinched the doubles point for NU with a 6-3 victory on Court 3. In singles, Hietaranta also sealed the overall victory for the Big Red on Court 1 with a 6-4, 6-4 win.
Hietaranta moves to 13-7 in singles play this season and 11-6 in doubles.
He looks to continue his impressive season as the Huskers open conference play against No. 68 Michigan State on Friday, March 24, at 5 p.m. CT at the Sid and Hazel Dillon Tennis Center.
2022-23 Big Ten Athletes of the Week
Jan. 18: Trice Pickens, Gr., NU
Jan. 24: Patrick Maloney, Sr., MICH
Feb. 1: Andrew Fenty, Sr., MICH
Feb. 8: James Trotter, Sr., OSU
Feb. 15: Justin Boulais, Sr., OSU
Feb. 22: Patrick Maloney, Sr., MICH | James Trotter, Sr., OSU
March 1: Shunya Maruyama, Sr., NEB
March 8: William Gleason, Gr., NEB
March 15: Roni Hietaranta, So., NEB
Three Huskers Earn All-Conference Honors
Three Nebraska women's gymnasts were named All-Big Ten, as the conference office announced regular-season awards on Wednesday. Emma Spence earned First-Team All-Big Ten honors while Kinsey Davis and Sophia McClelland were named to the second team.
Spence, a sophomore from Cambridge, Ontario, has led the Huskers throughout the 2023 season, competing in the all-around at all 10 meets. She earned 14 individual event titles in 2023, including five all-around titles. She is ranked seventh in the Big Ten in the all-around heading into the Big Ten Championships this weekend. Spence has posted scores of 9.925 or better in all four events in 2023. She has team-high scores in all four events, including the all-around.
Davis, a junior from Huntersville, N.C., has competed in all 10 meets on vault and uneven bars, earning Second-team All-Big Ten honors. This season, she has earned a career-high score of 9.900 on vault three times while claiming two individual titles on the event. On uneven bars, she notched a season best 9.925 during each of the final two meets of the regular season. Davis has also earned two individual titles on the event in 2023. This is Davis' second all-conference honor.
McClelland, a junior from Camarillo, Calif., made an immediate impact for the Huskers as a transfer from BYU. She was named Second-Team All-Big Ten after finishing seventh in the Big Ten on beam with a national qualifying score of 9.890. McClelland has earned six individual titles this season, including four on beam. She tied Spence for the team-best score on both balance beam (9.925) and floor exercise (9.925).
The Huskers will travel to Iowa City this Saturday, March 18, for the Big Ten Championships. Nebraska will compete in Session I with No. 20 Minnesota, No. 22 Maryland, No. 24 Illinois, Penn State and Rutgers beginning at 11 a.m. on the Big Ten Network.
Session II will feature No. 2 Michigan, No. 9 Michigan State, No. 15 Ohio State and No. 25 Iowa, beginning at 4:30 p.m.
NU Hosts Michigan, Travels to MSU to Start Big Ten Play
To open conference competition, the Nebraska women's tennis team (10-2, 0-0 Big Ten) hosts #3 Michigan on Friday at 11 a.m. before traveling to Michigan State for a matchup on Sunday at 10 a.m.
Both matches are in central time and streaming/stats information will be on huskers.com. Updates for the matches will also be posted on Twitter at HuskerWTennis.
Scouting Michigan (9-2, 1-0 Big Ten)
• Michigan finished the 2021-2022 season with an overall record of 20-6, including a 10-1 conference record.
• This is Ronni Bernstein's 16th season as the head coach of the Wolverines.
• Michigan is currently ranked #3 in the ITA Tennis Team Rankings.
• The Wolverines have five ranked players in the ITA Player Rankings.
• Michigan has a roster of two freshmen, one sophomore, four juniors and two seniors.
Series History with Michigan
• Nebraska has an all-time record of 0-9 against Michigan. The last time the teams met on the court was in 2022, and the Huskers lost the match 4-1.
Scouting Michigan State (7-5, 0-1 Big Ten)
• Michigan State earned a 9-14 overall record in the 2021-2022 season, including a 1-10 conference record.
• This is Head Coach Kim Bruno's seventh season with the Spartans.
• The Spartans have five freshmen, two sophomores, two juniors, three seniors and one graduate student on their roster.
Series History with Michigan State
• Nebraska and Michigan State have an overall record of 3-6. The last time Nebraska matched up against Michigan State, Nebraska won 4-1.
Up Next
The Huskers will come back home to host a match against Creighton at the Sid and Hazel Dillon Tennis Center on March 22 at 4 p.m. CT.