Nebraska fell 7-1 to USC in the rubber match of the weekend series on Sunday afternoon at Great Park in Irvine, Calif.

Nebraska (10-13, 2-7 Big Ten) scored one run on seven hits and two errors, while USC (14-9, 4-5 Big Ten) totaled seven runs and 11 hits.

Case Sanderson and Dylan Carey led the Big Red at the plate with two hits apiece. Gabe Swansen recorded a double, while Robby Bolin and Will Jesske had one hit each.

Jackson Brockett fell to 0-2 on the season after surrendering four runs, two earned, on six hits and a walk across 3.2 innings. Gavin Blachowicz allowed two runs on three hits across 1.1 innings of work, while Pryce Bender tossed two frames, giving up one run on two hits. Jalen Worthley worked a scoreless eighth inning to conclude the action for the NU pitching staff.

The Trojans scored runs in the first two innings to jump out front 2-0. A misread fly ball fell for a one-out double in the bottom of the first, before an RBI single through the right side broke the scoreless tie.

A one-out single, followed by a fielder’s choice, had a runner on first with two outs for USC in the bottom of the second. The lead doubled to two for the Trojans with an RBI double down the left-field line.

USC capitalized on a one-out throwing error from the Huskers to grow the lead to four in the bottom of the third. A single through the left side and a groundout to first placed runners on and second and third with two outs, setting the table for Richard Tejeda’s two-RBI single to the right-center gap that gave the Trojans a 4-0 advantage.

The NU offense threatened in the top of the fifth when singles by Jesske and Sanderson had runners on first and third with two outs, but the Big Red couldn’t plate their first run and cut into the deficit.

Back-to-back solo homers over the left-field fence to open the bottom of the sixth extended the Trojans’ lead to six, while a one-out solo homer in the bottom of the seventh had USC out front 7-0 through seven innings.

The Huskers plated their lone run of the afternoon in the top of the eighth inning. Riley Silva was plunked to begin the frame, and Sanderson singled through the right side to put runners on first and third with no outs.

Brumbaugh lifted an 0-1 pitch to center field for a sacrifice fly, allowing Silva to come home from third and make it a 7-1 game.

The Big Red had runners on second and third with no outs in the ninth after consecutive hits from Carey and Swansen, but the next three Huskers were retired in order to preserve USC’s 7-1 win on Sunday.

Nebraska travels to Manhattan, Kan., for a midweek matchup at Kansas State on Tuesday, March 25. First pitch between the Huskers and Wildcats is set for 6 p.m. at Tointon Family Stadium.

Huskers Leverage Gopher Errors, Lock Up Series Sweep

The No. 21 Nebraska softball took advantage of six errors to defeat the Minnesota Golden Gophers, 8-2, on Sunday afternoon at Bowlin Stadium.

Five of the Huskers’ eight runs came in the bottom of the third inning, which also consisted of five errors by the Gophers. The Big Red improved to 23-8 on the season with a 4-1 mark in conference competition, while Minnesota fell to 13-18 and 2-5 in Big Ten play.

Kylee Magee (3-2) claimed the win in the circle for Nebraska after allowing no hits in 3.0 scoreless innings. She also notched three strikeouts. Emmerson Cope started for NU and allowed only one run in 2.0 innings. Caitlin Olensky also threw 2.0 innings and allowed just one run on a wind-aided home run. 

Ava Bredwell was 3-for-3 on the day at the plate and notched a double and a pair of RBIs. Samantha Bland was 1-for-2 with two RBIs. Ava Kuszak added two hits and two RBIs and Hannah and Lauren Camenzind logged a hit apiece. 

Minnesota opened up the scoring with an RBI double in the top of the first and a home run in the top of the third to take a 2-0 lead.

NU took advantage of Gopher errors to notch a five-run third inning. Abbie Squier got on base on a fielder’s choice and advanced to third on two errors, which also sent Kacie Hoffmann to second. Lauren Camenzind reached on another error, Hoffmann advanced to third and Squier crossed the plate. L. Camenzind stole second and she and Hoffmann scored on a Bredwell double. Bland singled to send Bredwell to the plate. Bella Bacon reached on the final error of the inning and Bland went to third, and a Kuszak single scored the two as the Huskers took a 5-2 lead. 

The Big Red stretched the lead to 8-2 in the bottom of the fifth, kicked off by a L. Camenind single. Bredwell followed her with another single, which advanced L. Camenzind to third. Bland got to first on a fielder’s choice, Bredwell was out at second and L. Camenzind scored. Bacon reached on a fielder’s choice and Bland went to third on a Minnesota error. Kuszak singled to score Bland, and a Bahl ground out sent Bacon home. 

NU will face off against the Omaha Mavericks in a midweek matchup on Wednesday, March 26 at 5 p.m. (CT). The game can be heard across the Huskers Radio Network. 

Postgame Notes

  • Kennadi Williams made her first start in left field for the Huskers. 
  • Hannah and Lauren Camenzind combined for nine hits across the Huskers’ three-game weekend series. 
  • NU stole four bases to tie its season high.
  • Minnesota’s six errors marked the most by a Husker opponent since Illinois committed eight on March 23, 2024.