The 18th-ranked Nebraska softball team opened its season with an 8-0 five-inning loss to No. 7 Washington Thursday night in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.
Jordyn Bahl (0-1) took the loss in her Husker debut, starting and going 2.1 innings before leaving the game with an injury. Bahl was charged with three runs on two hits in her 2.1 innings, and she struck out three. Freshman Caitlin Olensky was thrust into her collegiate debut following Bahl’s injury, and Olensky gave up three runs, two of which were earned. Sarah Harness pitched the final 1.2 innings and allowed two runs.
Offensively, Ava Bredwell went 2-for-2, producing Nebraska’s lone hits in the game. Ruby Meylan (1-0) fired a two-hit shutout for Washington (1-0).
After a scoreless first inning, a hit batter, a stolen base and a wild pitch gave Washington a runner at third base with no outs in the bottom of the second. The next batter walked and stole second to put two Huskies in scoring position before Jadyn Glab reached on an infield single to plate the game’s first run. Nebraska limited the damage to just one run by cutting down a runner at the plate on a fielder’s choice and then retiring the next two batters.
Washington hit its first ball out of the infield with a leadoff single in the bottom of the third that was followed by a walk and a sacrifice bunt. With runners at second and third and one out, Bahl was hurt delivering a pitch that went to the backstop allowing a run to score. Olensky entered the game for her collegiate debut and gave up an RBI single that made it 3-0. Following an error, Glab cleared the bases with a three-run homer that put Washington on top 6-0. Harness then entered the game and retired the first two batters she faced to end the inning.
The Huskies added to their lead with a two-out, two-run double in the bottom of the fourth inning that pushed the lead to 8-0.
Needing a run to extend the game, Meylan retired Nebraska in order in the top of the fifth, the only time the Huskers failed to have a base runner in an inning.
Nebraska returns to action on Friday with a pair of games at the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge. The Huskers take on No. 11 Duke at 12:30 p.m. (Central) before facing Long Beach State at 3 p.m. (Central).
Post-Game Notes
- Billie Andrews started at shortstop, marking her 160th straight start at the position. Andrews has started every game at short since the first game of the 2021 season.
- Ava Bredwell went 2-for-2, producing her 16th career multi-hit game.
- Jordyn Bahl saw her scoreless innings streak – which dated back to last season – snapped at 28.1 innings after she gave up a run in the second inning.
- Three players made their first career start for Nebraska: Bella Bacon, Jordyn Bahl and Samantha Bland.
- Other players making their Husker debuts included: Emmerson Cope and Caitlin Olensky.
