Huskers Walk Off Shockers, advance to regional finals

The Nebraska softball team (36-21) advances to the NCAA regional finals after defeating No. 21 Wichita State (44-12). The Huskers won 9-8 in the ninth inning Saturday night in Stillwater, Okla.

After tying the game in the bottom of the seventh to force extra innings, the freshman Katelyn Canada drove in Sydney Gray for the winning run. Every Husker in the lineup recorded a hit as NU racked up 13 hits. Mya Felder led the Big Red offense going 3-5 with one home run and two RBIs. Abbie Squier and Caitlyn Neal each added a home run.

The Shocker offense was led by Sydney McKinney, who went 4-for-4, including two doubles and three runs scored. Lauren Mills added three hits, including two solo.

Courtney Wallace moved to 25-15 on the season, earning the Huskers the win in the circle. The fifth-year senior pitched the final 5.0 innings, giving up eight hits and four runs. Sarah Harness started the game pitching the first 4.0 innings, giving up four hits and four runs while striking out six.

Alex Aguilar (15-4) recorded the loss for Wichita State. He pitched the final 1.2 innings, giving up five hits and three runs. Lauren Howell pitched the first 6.2 innings, giving up eight hits and six runs.

The Shockers got on the board early with one run in the top of the first. McKinney led off with a double and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt. With two outs, McKinney scored on a wild pitch to give WSU a 1-0 lead.

Mills led off the second with a home run to center field to extend Wichita State’s lead to 2-0.

The Huskers got on the board with one run in the bottom of the third. With one out, Caneda doubled to right center. Neal followed with a groundout, moving Caneda to third. Billie Andrews added one goal scorer Caneda. Wichita State got out of the inning with a strikeout, holding a 2-1 lead.

Mills added his second homer of the game with a solo shot to right field in the top of the fourth to extend the Shocker lead to 3-1.

NU took the lead in the bottom of the fourth. Felder led off with a single to left. Squier was walked to put runners on first and second. A wild pitch advanced runners to second and third. When one out, Sydney Gray hit an RBI groundout and scored one. The Huskers went into the fifth inning down 3-2.

Wichita State led off with a solo home run for the third straight inning, this time from Krystin Nelson, extending the Shocker lead to 4-2.

Squier hit a two-out solo home run in the bottom of the sixth to bring Nebraska within one as Wichita State led 4-3 heading into the seventh inning.

The Shockers added two runs on two hits in the top of the seventh. The walk gave WSU its first base run. A bunt single puts runners on first and second. Addison Barnard doubled to left field to score one. The groundout came in the second run of the inning with Wichita State leading 6-3 heading into the bottom of the seventh.

The Huskers rallied in the bottom of the seventh to tie the game. When one out, Open Bredwell doubled to left field. Caneda followed with a groundout, but moved Bredwell to third. Neal singled to right field, driving in two runs. Billie Andrews There was a walk and Wallace singled up the middle to put runners on first and second with two outs. Felder singled to right field, scoring Andrews and tying the game at 6-6.

In the top of the eighth, the Shockers put runners on first and second after a single with one out and a walk, but NU survived the inning with a hit and a groundout.

Nebraska loaded the bases in the bottom of the eighth, but with two outs, a groundout stranded the runners as the game went into the ninth inning.

Wichita State took the lead in the bottom of the ninth with two runs on four hits. McKinney led off with a single and scored on an RBI double by Lauren Lucas. Zoe Jones followed with a single to left field. Mills added an RBI double down the left field line to give the Shockers an 8-6 lead.

NU rallied again in the bottom of the ninth. Felder led off with a solo home run to center field. When one out, Brooke Andrews single to left field. Gray was walked to put runners on first and second. Bredwell drove in the tying run with a double to center field to score Andrews. Caneda secured the semifinal victory with a fielder’s choice to second as Gray won the tag at home. Nebraska won in nine innings 9-8.

The Huskers return to action in the regional final on Sunday, May 22 at 3:00 p.m. when they take on host No. 9 Oklahoma State. Fans can listen to the action live on the Huskers Radio Network and Huskers.com with Nate Rohr calling the shots.

Game notes

• Nebraska is advancing to the regional finals for the first time since 2016.
• Tonight’s win was the first in NU’s postseason history since Nebraska defeated Louisville in the first round of the 2016 NCAA Columbia Regional.
• Courtney Wallace earned his 25th win in the circle, the most by a Husker pitcher since Tatum Edwards’ 30-10 victory in 2013.