Jordy Bahl delivered an impressive performance for Nebraska in their 10-2 victory over UConn in the NCAA Tournament on Friday. Bahl not only hit two home runs, but also shined on the mound, pitching three hitless innings.
Bahl initiated Nebraska’s scoring by drawing a bases-loaded walk that brought Bacon home from third. Following another run from Ava Kuszak’s groundout, Olivia DiNardo contributed with a two-run single, establishing a strong 4-0 lead for the Huskers.
In a decisive moment during the third inning, Bahl launched a three-run homer into center field, extending Nebraska’s lead to 7-0. This home run was particularly notable as it marked Bahl’s 20th of the season, making her one of only four NCAA players to record over 20 wins as a pitcher and more than 20 home runs in a single season.
She soon added her 21st home run in the fifth inning, contributing to Nebraska’s commanding 8-2 lead. On the pitching front, Bahl struck out three batters during her time on the mound, while Kylee Magee secured the win for the team by pitching three innings and giving up just one hit, a two-run home run by UConn’s Cat Petteys.
With this victory, Nebraska advances to the winner’s bracket of the Baton Rouge Regional, where they will compete against the winner of the LSU and Southeastern Louisiana match-up on Saturday at 12:00 PM. This performance underlines the team’s strong potential in the tournament, and fans will be eager to see how they perform in the next round.