On Saturday, Husker bats stayed relatively quiet, especially until the 6th inning of Game 2 of their doubleheader.
Things went a little differently on Sunday.
On Saturday, they scattered runs across five of the seven innings slowly pulling away for a 5-1 victory in the opener of the doubleheader. In Game 2, they appeared primed to have their 16-game winning streak snapped until they exploded for 9 runs in the final two innings to win 10-4.
On Sunday, they just picked up where left off jumping to a 3-0
lead in the top of the opening frame by delivering 3 hits with Ava Kuszak delivering the big blow, a 2-run double which scored the Hannah’s – Coor and Camenzind. Before that, Penn State helped the Husker cause with a fielding goof. With Jordy Frahm and Coor aboard, pitcher Brevyn Kellepouris caught a Camenzind grounder and tried to peg Frahm at third but threw it away allowing Jordy to score and Coor to cruise to third.
In the 5th inning, Jesse Farrell led off by smacking a solo shot, her second homer of the weekend. With the bags full of pinch runners and Sammie Bland who bunted them full by running through the tag causing their first baseman to drop the ball, up came Lauren Camenzind. Lauren, who had been clutch all season with 33 RBI’s out of the 9-spot in the order, delivered once again, this time with a 2-run double to center scoring Katelyn Caneda and Skarlett Jones. Then Frahm sac-flied Bland in and Coor singled home Lauren.
8-0 Huskers and the show was basically over as the teams traded a few runs the rest of the way but the Huskers answered every time.
Kylee Magee in a spot start immediately surrendered a 3-run homer and after that and after 8 baserunners allowed in 3 innings, it was another early exit. Alexis Jensen came on to finish and was a little off herself again for the third time in 4 starts allowing 2 runs and a homer. She hasn’t been shelled but could this be concerning as the post-season approaches? We’ll find out.
However, it should be noted she helped her own cause with a 2-run homer in the 6th after the Nittany Lions closed it to 10-4.
Also re-sparking a bat which had been a little quiet – at least for her (8 for her last 27) – was Frahm who went 4-for-4 with 2 HR’s, 3 RBI’s and 3 runs scored. Coor, Farrell and Kacie Hoffman also turned in 2-hit games with 2 RBI’s each. The team totaled 15 hits, just two short of their combined total from the previous two games. While making those type of comparisons, let’s add that their 4 home runs on Sunday doubled Saturday’s 2-game total 4-2.
Along with the Big 10 regular season championship, today’s win gave them a final conference record of 23-1 which ties for the best finish ever by a Big 10 team. They won by the league by 3 games after Oregon and UCLA, who tied for 2nd, both finished 20-4. Oregon will receive the #2-seed after winning their series this weekend.
Nebraska, with the #1-seed will play Thursday at 3:30PM CST on the B1G+ app against the winner of Wednesday’s game between the #8 and #9 seeds. Ohio State appears to have locked up the #8 but tiebreakers will have to be sorted for the #9 slot. The tournament will take place at Maryland.
Other than that, nothing left to be said except see you next in College Park.
