Nebraska softball takes down No. 7 UCLA in a statement series. Here are four major takeaways from the Top 10 showdown.
The ninth-ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers let the softball world know that they are for real, beating the No. 7 UCLA Bruins 8-4 on Sunday and clinching the series with the victory. After beating the Bruins on Friday, freshman pitcher Alexis Jensen spun another gem on Sunday and beat UCLA for a second time.
Jensen pitched 6.0 innings and allowed four runs on six hits, to go along with five strikeouts. Jordy Frahm closed the game with a scoreless seventh inning. At the plate, the Nebraska bats were hot. Hannah Camenzind, Ava Kuszak, Jensen and Frahm all homered with three of the four leaving the park in the second inning. UCLA got on the scoreboard in the top of the first, loading the bases with one out but Jensen limited the damage to just one run.NU took over in the second, scoring six runs on three homers. Jesse Farrell reached on a single and Jensen followed with a 273-foot blast into the parking lot beyond the centerfield wall. Frahm singled, Hannah Coor walked and Hannah Camenzind extended the lead to five with a three-run shot to center. Kuszak followed with a solo shot to give NU a 7-1 advantage.UCLA got two runs back in the seventh before head coach Rhonda Revelle made the change in the circle, going with Frahm. A strikeout of Bri Alejandre ended the game and the series.The Gretna, Neb., native continues to impress in her first season of college softball. She has a knack for delivering in big games and the series against UCLA was no different than her wins over top-ranked Texas and Texas Tech earlier in the season. "She's a dog and I mean that in the best way," Revelle said. "D-A-W-G. “She’s a fighter and she just gave us everything she had all weekend long."11.0 IP, 10 H, 5 ER, 11 K, 4 BB, 1 HBPJensen appeared in two games and pitched 11.0 innings. She only allowed 10 hits, five earned runs , and five free passes while holding UCLA's Megan Grant and Jordan Woolery to 3-for-12. Both Bruins have at least 20 home runs and did not have any against the lefty. What might have been more impressive than her pitching was the thunderous home run Jensen hit on Sunday afternoon. The 273-foot bomb left the yard at 83 m.p.h. and cleared the back fence. Who knows if it has actually landed yet? Jensen and Frahm were the only two pitchers to see time in the circle for the Huskers in the three games.UCLA entered the series averaging nearly 12 runs per game , and the Huskers' one-two punch held the Bruins to 11 runs in three games. “They’re a great tandem,” Revelle said. “When the year started, I didn’t know it would go like this, but the first game we did that , it was like, ‘Oh, there’s something going here.’”“It’s the one-two punch, as you would say, or the two-one punch, whatever people want to call it,” Jensen said. “We complement each other so well.”The senior outfielder, who transferred in from Oklahoma, has been a steady presence for the Huskers. Coor isn't the home run hitter that some of her teammates are, even though she does have three on the season, but she consistently delivered for NU against UCLA. The centerfielder was 4-for-7, including 4-for-4 through the first two games. She reached base eight times, earning four walks in the series."My favorite thing about softball is playing defense and we have a phenomenal outfield," Coor told Jessica Coody of the Huskers Radio Network. "We just have fun. It's a joy to be out there with those girls and anything that's hit out there, we are going to catch it."Revelle set the schedule this season with the intent of hosting Regionals and Super Regionals. If the series against UCLA was an audition, NU definitely got the callback. All the Huskers have to do is perform the rest of the season. “Nobody will remember in a Super Regional if you lost game two if you win game three,” Revelle said. “I’m not trying to jump ahead and think that we’ve got one, but if you get a dress rehearsal at something like that against a team like that, it feels good.” The crowd was unbelievable all weekend, setting a single-game attendance record on Saturday with 3,123. It was just the second crowd of 3,000-plus in program history. Overall, 8,383 fans entered the gates, setting a three-game series record. “It just shows how much joy and love the fans see from us, and how they love showing up and watching us,” Jensen said. “It’s an honor to be a part of the record.”Maren Angus-Coombs was born in Los Angeles and raised in Nashville, Tenn. She is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University and has been a sports writer since 2008. She has been covering college softball since 2016 and spent the 2023 season covering Husker Softball for Hail Varsity. In addition to All Huskers, she is a staff writer for the Los Angeles Sports Report.Jordy Frahm Sets Program Record as Nebraska Softball Snaps UCLA's 22-Game Win StreakUCLA Returns to the Final Four With a More Confident Lauren Betts Leading the WayNebraska vs. Michigan Prediction, Odds for College Basketball on Tuesday, Jan. 27
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
UCLA rallies past Duke behind Betts to reach women's Final FourLauren Betts had 23 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks to help UCLA rally from a rare halftime deficit and beat Duke 70-58, advancing to the women’s Final Four for the second straight season. The top-seeded Bruins will play either Texas or Michigan in Phoenix on Friday in the national semifinals.
Read more »
UCLA women Final Four bound after rally for big victory over DukeSACRAMENTO – Sometimes you just have to find a way. Before tipoff inside the Golden 1 Center on Sunday, the national anthem singer’s microphone cut out only moments into the song. But as if on cue,…
Read more »
UCLA women battle through adversity to defeat Duke and reach the Final Four againLauren Betts finishes with 23 points as No. 1 UCLA surges in the second half to defeat No. 3 Duke 70-58 and advance to the Final Four of the NCAA tournament.
Read more »
NCAA Tournament: UCLA storms back against Duke, advances to Final FourLauren Betts scores 23 points and the Bruins outscore the Blue Devils 39-19 in the second half for a 70-58 victory in the Elite Eight.
Read more »
UCLA punches ticket to NCAA women's Final Four after comeback win over DukeUCLA punched a ticket to the women's Final Four after surging late to beat Duke.
Read more »
UCLA storms back from rare halftime deficit to beat Duke and reach women's Final FourUCLA rallied from a rare halftime deficit and beat Duke 70-58 on Sunday, advancing to the women's Final Four for the second straight season.
Read more »