By Justin Fitzgerald
On Sunday, Maryland had a chance to win the series against Nebraska, something they hadn’t done all season.
But Nebraska had other ideas, using an 11 run second inning and an eight run third to crush the Terps 26-4.
Maryland dropped to 8-25 and 1-5 in the Big Ten, while Nebraska improved to 22-12 and 3-3 in the Big Ten.
“This is not a game you can dwell on, it got away, it was terrible. You have to move forward,” head coach Julie Wright said.
After holding the Huskers to three runs on Friday, Madison Martin was not as sharp Sunday. She gave up 8 runs in 1 2/3 innings, and struggled to find the strike zone; walking four.
Nebraska got on the board first, scoring two runs on an error by Skylynne Ellazar and an RBI groundout by Alyvia Simmons. Huskers’ starter Kaylan Jablonski also struggled in the first inning, walking three straight batters. Dewey drew the last walk, which scored Lindsey Schmeiser and cut the Huskers lead to 2-1. But Jablonski got Kylie Datil to pop out to second to end the inning and get out of the bases loaded jam.
It was the closest Maryland would get.
Martin gave up a leadoff walk to Dawna Tyson to start the inning, and after getting one out gave up a walk and single to load the bases for MJ Knighten. Knighten doubled to right to clear the bases. After Jablonski popped out, Cassie McClure hit a homerun to left to give Nebraska a 7-1 lead. Martin was pulled after walking the next batter.
Hannah Dewey was the next pitcher for the Terps, but couldn’t get an out. She walked Mattie Fowler, and then hit Tyson after getting ahead 0-2. With the bases loaded, Austen Urness hit a two run single to extend the lead to 9-1. Then Laura Barrow singled, Stokes walked, and Knighten singled, and Nebraska had a 12-1 lead.
That was it for Dewey, who was replaced by Brenna Nation. Nebraska would score one more on an error by Dewey at first.
Maryland added one in the bottom of the second, but it wouldn’t matter. Nebraska jumped all over Nation, who gave up seven runs but only got one out. McClure homered again, this time a three-run shot that hit the scoreboard in right.
Nebraska added one more off of Sami Main, and also scored four in the fourth and one in the fifth.
Even though it was a brutal game, one bright spot came in the fourth when Kylie Datil hit her first home run of the season. It was one of just five hits for Maryland, compared to 21 for Nebraska.
The Terps will be back in action on Tuesday when they take on Saint Francis (PA) in a doubleheader.
“We have two games, 14 innings, and that’s all we should be focusing on right now,” Datil said.
