Skip to main content
nebraska logo

Nebraska softball run rules UConn in first Baton Rouge Regional game

Abby Barmore HuskerOnlineby:Abby Barmore•05/16/25•

abby_barmore

Nebraska softball Jordy Bahl
Nebraska softball Jordy Bahl (Photo by Nebraska softball social media)

No. 19 Nebraska softball (40-13, 17-5 Big Ten) set the tone for the Baton Rouge Regional. They run-ruled UConn 10-2 in six innings in the first game of the NCAA Regional at Tiger Stadium. The Huskies (35-18, 18-6 Big East) are the reigning Big East Tournament champions.

The Huskers advance to face Southeastern Louisiana (49-14, 21-6 Southland) on Saturday, May 17 at noon CT. The Lions upset No. 10 overall seed LSU 4-3 on their home field. SLU scored three runs in the fourth to tie the game 3-3 and then scored in the top of the seventh to take the lead.

Right-handed pitcher Jordy Bahl pitched three shutout innings, striking out three and walking two. Righty Kylee Magee replaced Bahl for the final three innings. She allowed four hits, two runs, struck out three and walked two.

Subscribe to get exclusive Huskers content on HuskerOnline today! Only $1 for your first week!

Right-handed pitcher Payton Kinney started in the circle with a 2.33 ERA. She gave up one hit, four runs and walked five in one inning. Kinney left the bases loaded for righty Hope Jenkins. Jenkins lasted 4 2/3 innings, allowing nine hits, five runs and struck out one.

Bahl led the Huskers with four RBI. Olivia DiNardo added two RBIs. Ava Kuszak and Ava Bredwell added an RBI each.

Bahl helps Nebraska build a big lead

Both Nebraska and UConn had early opportunities to score due to walks and errors, but didn’t capitalize.

After Bahl retired all three of UConn’s first batters, she worked a lead-off walk. Kinney walked three Huskers in the bottom of the first. However, Nebraska did not capitalize and score with the bases loaded.

A fielding error by Ava Kuszak and a walk by Bahl gave UConn two free bases. But, Bahl struck out Kaitlyn Kibling to end the second inning unharmed.

Nebraska cashed in on its next bases-loaded opportunity in the second. A lead-off walk (Bella Bacon), a hard-hit single (Bredwell) and a hit by pitch (Lauren Camenzind) loaded the bases with no outs. Bahl worked a walk for an RBI. Kuszak grounded out for an RBI. DiNardo’s single and a throwing error by Kaiea Higa at first scored two runs to give Nebraska a 4-0 lead after two innings.

Bahl hit a 3-RBI home run to center field to go up 7-0 in the bottom of the third inning. She has 20 home runs in 2025. Her homer allowed for Magee to come into pitch with a huge lead.

UConn got on the board in the top of the fourth. They recorded three straight hits, their first hits of the game, to start vs. Magee. The Big East Freshman of the Year, Cat Petteys, hit a 2-RBI home run to left field to cut Nebraska softball’s lead to 7-2.

Bahl hit another home run in the bottom of the fifth to give Nebraska an 8-2 lead. Sammie Bland and Kuszak recorded hits for the Huskers’ first back-to-back hits of the game. But Kacie Hoffmann flied out to deep center field to leave two runners on base.

Bredwell singled down the left field line to help Abbie Squier (single) score in the bottom of the sixth. The Huskers went up 9-2. Bacon and Kennadi Williams (Bredwell’s pinch runner) advanced twice on wild pitches. Bacon scored off a wild pitch to enforce a run rule.

Bahl will be fresh vs. LSU/Southern Louisiana

Bahl pitched three innings and 46 pitches vs. the Huskies. She will be ready to go to face the winner of LSU/Southern Louisiana.

The Huskers are lucky they jumped out to a big lead. After Bahl was pulled, Magee gave up three straight hits and two runs vs. her first batters. She settled in nicely and helped Nebraska to a win.

Bahl was at her best on Friday. She didn’t allow a hit or run in three innings and had three strikeouts. The first-ever Big Ten Pitcher and Player of the Year went 2-of-2 from the plate and was walked twice.

She earned five RBI and had a 3-RBI homer. She added a solo homer in the fifth for an 8-2 lead. Bahl is tied with MJ Knighten (2016) for second in Nebraska history with 21 home runs in a single season. Ali Viola leads Nebraska with 22 homers in 1998.

“I was just trying to see the ball really good, like see it twice if I could, and then just try to fill myself on time for pitches that I can hit,” Bahl said on ESPN+ after the game.

The Papillion, Neb. native became one of four college softball players to have 20 home runs and 20 wins in the circle. She is the first to accomplish the feat since Oklahoma State’s Samantha Show in 2019.

The two-time national champion at Oklahoma has everything it takes to lead Nebraska to the WCWS. But she can’t do it alone.

Never miss breaking news or another HuskerOnline article again. Click HERE to sign up for HuskerOnline’s Daily and Breaking News Newsletters.

You may also like