A school record crowd of 3,021 piled into Bowlin Stadium to see No. 20 Nebraska softball hammer Maryland, 9-2, Saturday in the next-to-last game of the regular season. The crowd included 100 Husker softball alumni who helped celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Nebraska softball program.
The Cornhuskers (37-12, 16-5 B1G) trailed 2-0 after half an inning, but an RBI single by Olivia DiNardo with two outs in the bottom of the first cut the deficit in half. The score stayed 2-1, Terrapins (18-30, 3-18 B1G) until the bottom of the fourth. With two outs and Abbie Squier at third, Lauren Camenzind reached on an error by the shortstop, allowing Squier to score the tying run. Jordy Bahl followed with a walk. With two on, Samantha Bland singled to left, scoring Squier to give Nebraska the lead. Ava Kuszak followed with a triple to right to score Bahl and Bland and push the lead to 5-2.
The Huskers mounted another two-out rally in the fifth. After Squier tripled, Ava Bredwell drove her in with a two-out single to right. After a Lauren Camenzind walk, Bahl drove in Bredwell with a single to right to push the lead to 7-2. Then in the sixth, Kuszak reached on an error to lead off the inning. With one out, Hannah Camenzind singled to center, moving Kuszak to third. Squier doubled to right to score Kuszak and move Hannah Camenzind to third. Bella Bacon followed with a sacrifice fly to center to push the lead to seven.
Kylee Magee (7-4) pitched four shutout innings of relief to earn the win. She walked two and struck out three. Keira Bucher (1-7) took the loss. In 3.2 innings, she allowed five runs (one earned) on six hits.
Nebraska will wrap up its regular season against Maryland tomorrow at Bowlin Stadium. The Huskers can clinch a first-round bye in the Big Ten Tournament with a win. First pitch is slated for 11 a.m.