Bland's Walk-Off Blasts Powers NU to 11-10 Win
Samantha Bland hit a walk-off two-run homer to cap the Nebraska softball team's 11-10 come-from-behind victory over North Dakota Friday night at Bowlin Stadium.
Nebraska trailed 4-0 after a half inning of play, 7-3 after an inning and a half and 10-7 after three-and-half innings but rallied to win on a walk-off hit for the second night in a row.
The Huskers' first lead of the game came when Bland hit a 2-2 pitch over the wall in center to lift Nebraska (14-12) the victory.
The homer capped a terrific night for Bland. The freshman went 4-for-5 with two doubles, a homer and three RBIs while scoring a pair of runs. She set a career high in hits and matched her career high in doubles.
Billie Andrews also had multiple hits and RBIs for the Big Red, going 2-for-3 with two RBIs. Ava Bredwell was 2-for-4, scored twice and drove in a run. Sydney Gray and Caitlynn Neal also scored a pair of runs for the Huskers, while Brooke Andrews, Malia Thoms and Mckinley Malecha each had one RBI.
In the circle, Kaylin Kinney started the game and then re-entered to earn the win in relief. Kinney (9-7) allowed six runs on 4.1 innings in the game, but she did not allow a run and struck out four over the final 3.1 innings. Caitlin Olensky was charged with four runs in 2.2 innings of relief.
Makaela Carr (3-7) took the loss for North Dakota (5-25), allowing four runs in 3.2 relief innings.
North Dakota grabbed a 4-0 lead in the top of the first. The inning was aided by a hit batter and three walks, two of which came with the bases loaded.
Nebraska got three runs back in the bottom of the first. Billie Andrews began the inning with a walk and Gray also walked with one out. Bredwell followed with an RBI single to put the Huskers on the board. Bland then hit an RBI double to score Gray and cut the deficit to 4-2. An error loaded the bases before a passed ball made it a one-run game.
The Fighting Hawks then added three more runs in the top of the second to take a 7-3 lead. The inning began with a solo home run before back-to-back singles. A pair of one-out RBI singles stretched the lead to four before Olensky came on and recorded back-to-back strikeouts to end the inning.
Nebraska came back to tie the game with a four-run third inning. Bredwell and Bland began the inning with singles before Katelyn Caneda walked to load the bases. Thoms then lined an RBI single to center that made it a 7-4 game. After North Dakota recorded the first out of the inning at home plate, an RBI ground out from Malecha cut the Fighting Hawk lead to 7-5. Billie Andrews then tied the game with a two-run single up the middle.
North Dakota answered with three runs in the top of the fourth. All three runs scored with two outs on an RBI single and a two-run double.
Nebraska came back with two runs in the bottom of the frame to cut the lead to 10-9. Bland led off with a double before the next two batters were retired. Neal then singled to score Bland and make it a two-run game. Pinch hitter Peyton Cody followed with a walk and Billie Andrews was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Brooke Andrews then drew a bases-loaded walk to trim the lead to one but the Huskers left the bases loaded.
Both teams were held scoreless in the fifth and sixth innings. After a scoreless top of the seventh, Gray drew a leadoff walk in the top of the seventh. Two batters later, Bland hit her walk-off home run.
Nebraska returns to action on Saturday when the Huskers host Creighton at 4:30 p.m. at Bowlin Stadium.
SAMMIE BLAND WALKS IT OFF!!
— Nebraska Softball (@HuskerSoftball) March 16, 2024
2 run homer from the freshman stud @samanthablandd wins it for the Huskers! pic.twitter.com/qW57boM930
