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Nebraska softball claims Purdue series 2-1, drops first home game

Abby Barmore HuskerOnlineby:Abby Barmore•03/31/25•

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Olivia DiNardo Nebraska softball
Olivia DiNardo Nebraska softball (Photo by Nebraska Communications)

No. 20 Nebraska softball (26-9, 6-2) claims the Purdue (18-16, 3-7) series 2-1 at Bowlin Stadium in Lincoln, Neb. They outscored the Boilermakers 19-1 in the first two games but fell 6-2 on Monday.

The Huskers posted a seven-run second inning to bust the game open and help them win 13-1 in five innings. Kacie Hoffmann and Ava Kuszak hit home runs for four runs in the fourth inning. Kuszak hit her 13th home run of the season and first since March 1.

NU claimed Saturday’s game 6-0 behind strong pitching performances from Hannah Camenzind and Jordy Bahl.

The Boilermakers earned their first win against Nebraska since 2021 with a 6-2 win on Monday. They scored three runs in the fifth and sixth innings to avoid the sweep.

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Nebraska pitchers improving

Nebraska’s pitching staff had a solid weekend. Purdue earned one run and four hits in the first two games vs. the Huskers. They caught fire late Monday to score six runs with 12 hits to win.

Bahl led the charge by throwing seven innings. She threw a complete game on Friday, giving up two hits and allowing one unearned in five innings. Bahl struck out eight batters in game one and five in game two. She replaced Camenzind on Saturday to secure the win. Bahl allowed no hits and no runs in two innings.

On Saturday, Camenzind threw one of her best games as a Husker. The Arkansas transfer didn’t allow a run in two or more innings for the first time all season. She allowed two hits, walked one, hit a batter, and struck out three in five innings.

“Honestly, just filling up the strike zone, trying to hit my spots, and letting my defense work,” she told BTN afterward. “The defense has been nails the last few weekends, so just feeding them and not trying to do too much.”

Camenzind put herself in a pickle at the top of the fifth. She put two lead-off batters on base after hitting Ramos and then walking Condon. But the junior and her defense retired the next three batters to keep Purdue off the board.

She took over for Kylee Magee on Monday and didn’t have a great outing. She gave up five hits and three runs and struck out one. Emmerson Cope started the seventh inning. She allowed two hits.

Right-hander Kylee Magee started on Monday. She threw her best game as a Husker. The Arizona State transfer threw 4 1/3 innings, allowing five hits, three runs, and striking out two. She hit two batters and walked three. The Huskers desperately needed her to step up, and she did so during her last two outings. However, the sophomore still struggles with her control as she works back from off-season wrist surgery.

Olivia DiNardo is an RBI machine

Nebraska designated player/catcher Olivia DiNardo is an RBI waiting to happen. The junior led the Huskers with nine RBI over their mid-week win vs. Omaha and their Purdue series. DiNardo went 8-of-13 in NU’s four games in week eight.

Against Omaha, she hit a grand slam and had an RBI single for all five of Nebraska’s runs, helping them win 5-0.

On Friday vs. the Boilermakers, she went 3-of-3 from the plate and recorded two RBI. The Arizona transfer batted in Nebraska’s first two runs on Saturday with perfectly hit singles. DiNardo was critical in igniting NU’s offense this week.

Digging deep… and not

The Huskers led Sunday and Monday’s games 1-0 for four innings on Sunday and four innings on Monday.

In game two, Nebraska scored five runs in the bottom of the sixth to take a lead and win the game. DiNardo, Lauren Camenzind, Bahl and Sammie Bland (double for two RBI) recorded RBI to bust the game open.

On Monday, the Huskers were in a great situation to give themselves insurance runs in the fourth inning. They loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the fourth. Ava Bredwell was walked, Bland added a single and Abbie Squier reached on a fielder’s choice. But Kuszak and Bahl were sat down back-to-back.

Purdue struck in the top of the fifth. They scored three runs on four hits to take a 3-1 lead. Hannah Camenzind fought back with a lead-off home run, her second homer of the game.

The Boilermakers didn’t back down. They scored three more runs off four hits in the sixth to secure the victory. H. Camenzind had a fielding error in the sixth and gave up three doubles.

The Huskers dug deep on Sunday to get the series win but fell short when they had a chance to take a lead in game three. Both pitching, fielding and batting were issues for Nebraska down the stretch.

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