Nebraska softball will play its final home games of the season this weekend when the Huskers host Northwestern for a three-game series on Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Bowlin Stadium.
Tickets for each game of the series can be purchased at huskers.com/softball, by calling 1-800-8-BIG-RED or at the Bowlin Stadium ticket office beginning one hour prior to first pitch. Fans are encouraged to purchase tickets prior to game day. Tickets purchased on the day of the game cost $2 more than tickets purchased in advance.
Fans should also be advised that effective immediately, re-entry is no longer permitted at Bowlin Stadium. Fans who enter the stadium and leave will not be allowed to re-enter.
On Saturday, the Haymarket Park parking lots will also be used for football parking and the lots will be cashiered until 11 a.m. Any fan with a Saturday softball ticket can park for free by showing a parking attendant their softball ticket.
Saturday will also feature a post-game jersey retirement ceremony for Husker great Taylor Edwards. On Sunday, eight Nebraska seniors will be recognized following the game.
Fans unable to make it out to Bowlin Stadium can watch all three games on Big Ten+, with subscriptions starting at $9.99 a month. A free radio broadcast of the three games – and every game this season – will be available on Huskers.com or the official Huskers app.
Leading Off
- Six of Nebraska’s 24 players (25 percent of the roster) are out for the season with an injury.
- The Huskers rank fourth nationally with 85 doubles and are also fourth in the country with 27 double plays.
- Nebraska has played nine extra-inning games this season, its most extra-inning games in a season since 1982 (11).
- Nine of Nebraska’s 16 Big Ten games have been one-run games, including six extra-inning games.
- Northwestern is making its first trip to Lincoln since the 2019 season.
- Nebraska has won four games when trailing after six innings this season, its most such wins in a season this century.
- On Tuesday, Billie Andrews became the fifth player in program history to total 150 career hits, 150 runs and 150 RBIs.
- Billie Andrews enters the weekend with 97 career extra-base hits. Ali Viola is the only Husker to total 100 extra-base hits.
- Billie Andrews is two home runs shy of becoming the sixth player in Big Ten history with 60 career home runs.
- Billie Andrews needs two stolen bases to become the first player in school history with 50 career steals & 50 career homers.
Nail Biters for the Big Red
Nebraska has become accustomed to playing close games this season. The Huskers have played 16 games decided by one run (35 percent of their schedule)
- Nebraska’s 16 one-run games this season are its most since NU played 17 one-run games during the 2016 season. The last time Nebraska played more than 17 one-run games in a season was 2013, when the Huskers played 18 games decided by one run.
- The Huskers are 10-6 in one-run games this season. The last time Nebraska won more than 10 one-run games in a season was 2016 (11). NU has not won more than 11 one-run games in a season since 2007 (15 one-run wins).
- Nebraska has also played nine extra-inning games this season, which matches the total of extra-inning games the Huskers played in the 2022 and 2023 seasons combined.
- The nine extra-inning games for Nebraska this season are its most since the 1982 team – of which Rhonda Revelle was a member – played 11 extra-inning games.
- Nebraska is 5-4 in extra innings this season. The five extra-inning wins are the most by a Husker team since the 2007 squad went 6-2 in extra-inning games.
- In 16 Big Ten games this season, Nebraska has played nine one-run games. The Huskers are 5-4 in one-run games during the conference season.
- The Huskers have also played six extra-inning games in their first 16 conference games. Nebraska is 4-2 in extra innings in Big Ten play.
- In each of Nebraska’s first six Big Ten series – including Tuesday’s doubleheader against Iowa – at least one game has gone to extra innings in every series.
Huskers Showing Comeback Ability in 2024
Nebraska has shown a knack for coming from behind this season. The Huskers have trailed in 16 of their 27 wins, including nine times when Nebraska came back from a multi-run deficit.
- The Huskers have won four times when trailing after six innings this season. Nebraska is 4-11 when trailing after six innings in 2024 after a 3-74 record in the previous five seasons.
- Nebraska’s four wins this season when trailing after six innings match the 2016 team for the most wins when trailing after six innings since at least 2000.
Taylor Edwards to Have Her Jersey Retired on Saturday
Nebraska will retire the No. 12 jersey of Taylor Edwards in a post-game ceremony on Saturday. Edwards will become the sixth Husker to have her jersey retired.
- Edwards was a four-year starting catcher from 2011 to 2014. A three-time all-conference performer, Edwards earned third-team All-America accolades as a freshman in 2011, when she was one of 25 finalists for the USA Softball Player of the Year Award.
- Edwards earned All-America recognition again as a senior in 2014, when she was named a first-team All-American. Edwards was just the sixth Husker to be named a first-team All-American. She was also chosen as the nation’s top catcher as a senior, becoming the first Husker to win the Diamond Sports/NFCA Division I Catcher of the Year award.
- Edwards ended her career with 17 school records and a pair of NCAA records. The national records she held included most grand slams in a game (2 in 2013) and most consecutive games with a home run (6 in 2011). Edwards ended her time at Nebraska with Husker career records with 54 home runs (since passed by Billie Andrews), four grand slams, 150 walks and 39 hit-by-pitches. She also owned three Husker season records (walks, hit-by-pitches and grand slams) and three game records (runs, walks, RBIs and hit-by-pitches).
- In her career, Edwards hit .327 with 220 hits, 177 runs, 41 doubles, 54 home runs, 202 RBIs and 150 walks. She posted a .471 on-base percentage and a .629 slugging percentage.
Scouting Northwestern (29-9, 15-2 Big Ten)
Northwestern enters the weekend series at Nebraska with a 29-9 overall record, with the Wildcats boasting the top winning percentage (.763) in the conference. Northwestern is atop the Big Ten standings with a 15-2 record in conference play as the Wildcats seek their third consecutive Big Ten regular-season title.
Nebraska and Northwestern share three common opponents this season in Illinois, Michigan and UCLA. The Huskers posted a 2-4 record against that trio while the Wildcats went 5-1.
Northwestern bats .280 as a team while averaging 5.7 runs per game. The Wildcats rank 15th nationally and lead the Big Ten with an average of 1.4 home runs per game and are 23rd in the country with a .403 on-base percentage. Defensively, Northwestern boasts a 2.11 ERA and a .969 fielding percentage while allowing only 2.6 runs per game. The Wildcats lead the Big Ten and rank 15th nationally in ERA.
The Wildcats have outscored their opponents 109-39 in their first 17 Big Ten Conference games, winning by an average of more than four runs per game. Northwestern has also hit 34 home runs in its 17 conference games while allowing only five home runs.
- Kansas Robinson leads Northwestern with a .422 batting average, 49 hits, 10 doubles, 10 homers, 33 RBIs, an .802 slugging percentage and a .524 on-base percentage. Robinson ranks second in the Big Ten in average and on-base percentage and is third in slugging percentage and walks per game (0.7).
- Kelsey Nader is second on the team with a .358 average, 43 hits, 28 runs and seven doubles.
- Angela Zedak is the Wildcats’ third .300 hitter as she boasts a .322 average. Zedak leads Northwestern with 30 runs scored and has added seven doubles, five homers and 24 RBIs.
- Bridget Donahey has drawn a team-high 30 walks and leads the Big Ten and ranks 19th nationally with an average of 0.8 walks per game. Donahey has added eight home runs to complement a .282 batting average.
- In the circle, Ashley Miller has statistically been the Big Ten’s best pitcher. The reigning two-time Big Ten Pitcher of the Week, Miller is 16-4 on the season with a 1.14 ERA in 135.2 innings. She has thrown more than 55 percent of Northwestern’s total innings while appearing in 27 games with 18 starts. Miller has thrown five shutouts among her 15 complete games and has added four saves. Opponents are hitting just .161 against her, and Miller has struck out 155 batters while averaging eight strikeouts per seven innings.
- Miller ranks 11th nationally in fewest hits allowed per seven innings (4.0), 12th in ERA, 24th in shutouts and 25th in strikeouts. On the conference level, Miller leads the Big Ten in ERA, opponent batting average and is tied for the league lead in saves.
- Riley Grudzielanek has seen the most time behind Miller, appearing in 13 games with nine starts and posting a 6-1 record with a 3.40 ERA in 45.1 innings.
- Cami Henry is 3-2 with a 3.63 ERA in 34.2 innings with two saves in 12 appearances and eight starts.
- Renae Cunningham rounds out the Northwestern staff. Cunningham is 4-2 with a 2.80 ERA in 30.0 innings. She has added one shutout and two saves over 12 appearances and three starts.
- Kate Drohan is in her 23rd season at Northwestern where she owns a 774-422-1 record. Northwestern softball’s all-time wins leader, Drohan has won four Big Ten titles with the Wildcats while advancing to 15 NCAA Tournaments and three Women’s College World Seies.
