Las Cruces, N.M. — Nebraska (1-1) picked up its first win of the 2020 season on Friday, topping UTEP (0-2) by a score of 10-7.
The Husker offense was on fire racking up 14 hits on the day which included home runs by Tristen Edwards and Peyton Glatter. Edwards finished 2-for-4 with three runs while Glatter went 2-for-5 with two runs and three RBIs. Cam Ybarra led the Huskers going 3-for-4 with one run. Her three hits were a career high. Lexey Kneib also had a multi-hit game going 2-for-2 with one run and one RBI. Olivia Ferrell, Courtney Wallace, Payton Huscroft, Samantha Owen and Ally Riley each had one hit for Nebraska as well.
In the circle, Wallace picked up the win for Nebraska and improved to 1-0 on the season. She pitched 3.0 innings and gave up four runs on seven hits. Wallace also added two strikeouts. Olivia Ferrell started and pitched 3.0 innings. She gave up three runs on six hits and also recorded five strikeouts. Lindsey Walljasper pitched 1.0 inning of relief and earned her first career save. She didnt allow a hit and recorded one strikeout.
UTEPs Isabella Kelly dropped to 0-1 on the season. She pitched 6.2 innings and gave up six runs on 11 hits. She also had one strikeout.
Nebraska got off to a hot start scoring four runs in the first inning. The first five batters reached base. Edwards hit a leadoff home run to start the Huskers off. Ybarra singled and Glatter hit another homer to put the Huskers up 3-0. Ferrell drew a walk and Sarah Yocom ran for her. Then Huscroft doubled to score another run.
In the second Edwards hit a leadoff double and moved to third on a single from Ybarra. An RBI single from Ferrell extended the lead to 5-0. In the bottom of the inning, the Miners got on the board with a solo home run. They scored another run on a pair of hits. UTEP score one run in the third and the fourth to cut the lead to 5-4.
In the fifth, Kneib hit a leadoff single. UTEP got back-to-back outs on a strikeout and a fielders choice. With two outs and a runner on first, Riley doubled to center field to give the Huskers a 6-4 lead.
A solo homer for the Miners in the fifth put the score at 6-5.
Nebraska added some cushion in the sixth scoring four runs to go up 10-5. Edwards drew a leadoff walk and stole second. Glatter singled up the middle to bring Edwards home. On the same play, Glatter reached second on a fielding error to put another Husker baserunner in scoring position. Wallace hit an RBI triple to extend the lead to 8-5. Kneib singled to score Wallace. Kneib reached third on a pair of wild pitches. Walljasper drew a walk on to put runners on the corners and later Kneib scored on a passed ball. In the bottom of the inning the Huskers got in a jam as UTEP loaded the bases with one out. A base hit scored one run but the Huskers got a force out at home to get the second out. However with the bases loaded, a walk score another run. The Huskers got a force out to get out of the inning but not before the Miners cut the lead to 10-7.
In the seventh, Walljasper came into pitch for the Huskers. She retired the first three batters to finish the game.
Nebraska continues the Troy Cox Classic on Saturday when it plays Bradley (10:30 a.m. CT) and UTEP (3 p.m. CT).
