No. 4 Nebraska softball’s first-ever Lincoln Super Regional at Bowlin Stadium got off to a rocky start, but that didn’t impact how the Huskers played on the field when finally given the chance.
Thursday’s game set for 8 p.m. CT was delayed two hours in the bottom of the first and eventually postponed until Friday at 4 p.m. CT. But the Huskers started Friday’s game against No. 13 Oklahoma State strong.
Nebraska dominated on its way to an 8-1 victory over Oklahoma State in the first Super Regional game ever in Bowlin Stadium. The Huskers and Cowgirls play again on Saturday, May 23 at 4 p.m. CT on ESPN. If NU wins, they are going to the Women’s College World Series.
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Friday’s game left off where Thursday’s halted in the bottom of the first. Center fielder Hannah Coor was on first base after reaching on a fielder’s choice to throw out Jordy Frahm at second. Designated player Hannah Camenzind started the game with an 1-0 count.
Camenzind singled down the left-field line. Catcher Jesse Farrell crushed a home run to left-center field for a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Farrell and the Husker offense stayed hot, despite the on-and-off sprinkling.
In the circle, Frahm allowed five hits, one run, walked two and struck out seven batters in seven innings.
Farrell leads red-hot Husker offense
Farrell and the Husker offense didn’t let up after the first inning. The senior catcher led a four-run bottom of the third inning. After H. Camenzind was walked and Ava Kuszak doubled to right, Farrell crushed a single up the middle for two RBI and a 5-0 lead.
Nebraska piled on with two more runs off groundouts by Kacie Hoffmann and Bella Bacon. The Huskers took a 7-0 lead in the third and retired All-American Ruby Meylan. The Omaha, Neb. native allowed eight hits, seven runs, one walk and struck out two in two innings.
Right-handed pitcher RyLee Crandall took over for Meylan with no outs in the third. She pitched two innings, allowing no hits or runs before righty Makala Smith took over in the fifth. Smith pitched the first 1 1/3 innings of her Cowgirl career, allowing four hits, one run and two walks.
Oklahoma State couldn’t crack Nebraska softball’s defense for most of the game. The Cowgirls earned one hit in the first and one in the second and went quiet until the sixth.
Second baseman Karli Godwin got the Cowgirls on the board with a solo home run to left-center field in the top of the sixth. First baseman Lexi McDonald added a single but was left on base after Frahm’s seventh strikeout.
OSU right-handed pitcher Preslee Downing replaced Smith in the circle in the bottom of the sixth with the bases loaded and one out. She allowed one run off a sacrifice fly to right field. Smith allowed two singles and one walk in the sixth.
Frahm and the defense allowed the first three Cowgirls to reach in the top of the seventh. But they turned a double play to end the game and get one win closer to the Women’s College World Series.
Expect OSU to be back
Meylan’s return to her home state of Nebraska did not go how she wished. Her head coach Kenny Gajewski said she left balls too flat, and the Huskers’ offense took advantage. However, the senior only threw 65 pitches and will have lots left in the tank on Saturday.
“She just wasn’t very good for her today, and they made her pay,” Gajewski said. “That’s just what good teams do this time of year. So I have a feeling she’ll come back out, and she’ll throw well again when she gets her opportunity to dig in. She’s pretty tough, pretty resilient kid. I’m looking forward to watching that.”
Despite a large Husker lead, the Cowgirls fought off a run-rule and kept adjusting. Frahm said postgame that she felt more pressure at the end and changed her game plan as the Oklahoma State batters adjusted.
They won’t go away lightly.
Huskers keep it clean
While OSU had three errors, Nebraska’s defense made great catches in the outfield and handled grounders with precision. The Huskers ended the game with a double play, which Revelle appreciated even more when OSU had some momentum.
“You get to this point in the season, and the cliche of pitching and defense really do win championships,” Revelle said. “Then when your offense can create some distance and some separation, it just allows you to breathe a little.”
After averaging seven runs per game in the regular season, Nebraska had seven runs in its three regional games. Revelle and staff asked their batters to be more aggressive and swing rather than letting balls pass by them.
Just like in 2025, Nebraska won the first game of a Super Regional. Can they close the deal?
