Michigan Tops Nebraska Softball Saturday, 6-5

The Nebraska softball team lost a one-run game at Michigan for the second straight day Saturday as the Wolverines held off the Huskers for a 6-5 victory.

Michigan led 5-0 after three innings, taking advantage of a Husker error to score three unearned runs in a four-run second inning. Down by five, the Huskers pulled to within one at 5-4 with a four-run third inning. Michigan then scored what proved to be the winning run in the bottom of the third when a runner scored from second base on a sacrifice fly.

Nebraska scored one run over its final four innings but the Huskers had chances for more runs. In the fourth inning, Nebraska had two on and no outs but could not score. Then in the fifth, the Huskers had a runner thrown out at home plate to end the inning. NU did score a run in the sixth to trim the lead to one but Nebraska was unable to do anything with a leadoff double in the top of the seventh as Michigan held on for the win.

Emmerson Cope did all she could to keep Nebraska in the game. The freshman hit a three-run homer and had the leadoff double in the seventh inning. Cope went 2-for-3 off the bench with a double, a homer and three RBIs.

Cope also shined in the circle, where she allowed two runs in 4.2 innings of relief. She shut out the Wolverines over the final three innings to give Nebraska a chance.

Sarah Harness (5-4) started and took the loss for Nebraska, allowing four runs (two earned) in 1.1 innings. Hannah George (4-1) earned the win for Michigan, as she allowed only an unearned run in 4.0 relief innings.

Nebraska fell to 25-18 overall with the loss and fell to 8-5 in conference play. Michigan improved to 32-14 and remained in second place in the Big Ten standings with a 13-3 record in conference play.

Michigan took a 1-0 lead with a leadoff home run in the bottom of the first inning. The Wolverines had a chance for more by recording another hit and three walks in the inning, but a double play helped the Huskers escape the inning without any further damage.

The Wolverines then scored four times in the second inning, aided by a Husker error. Michigan had a runner at second before an error put runners on the corners with one out. An RBI single made it 2-0 before Cope came on and got a ground out for the second out. But the error that extended the inning loomed large when Keke Tholl hit a three-run homer to give Michigan a 5-0 lead.

Nebraska came back with four runs of its own in the top of the third. Brooke Andrews was hit by a pitch to start the inning and Bella Bacon followed with a single. The runners moved up to second and third on a ground out and then with two outs, Sydney Gray hit an RBI single to put the Huskers on the board. Cope followed with a three-run homer that cut the lead to 5-4.

Michigan got a run back in an unusual way in the bottom of the third. A leadoff walk and a sacrifice bunt gave the Wolverines a runner at second base with one out. Caitlynn Neal then made a nice catch reaching up above the wall in right field for the second out, but she was late throwing the ball back to the infield and the Michigan runner tagged up and scored all the way from second.

In the top of the fourth, Ava Bredwell and Neal began the inning with consecutive hit by pitches. The pair moved to second and third with one out before a line out marked the second out of the inning. Katelyn Caneda then was ruled out at first base on a bang-bang play which would have scored a run had she been safe.

Nebraska had another near run in the top of the fifth. Gray reached on a one-out error and was at second with two outs. Samantha Bland then beat out an infield single and Gray tried to score from second on the play but was thrown out at home.

The Huskers finally did get a run on another close play in the top of the sixth. An error gave Nebraska a base runner with one out. Brooke Andrews then walked and two batters later Caneda walked to load the bases with two outs. Billie Andrews came to the plate and hit a chopper to shortstop. Brooke Andrews narrowly avoided colliding with the shortstop and Billie Andrews just beat out the throw to first for an RBI single that cut the lead to 6-5. 

In the bottom of the inning, Michigan loaded the bases with one out. But Cope escaped the jam with a ground ball back to the circle which she turned into an inning-ending double play.

Cope then led off the top of the seventh inning with a double.

Nebraska and Michigan wrap up their three-game series on Sunday at Noon.