Box Score
LINCOLN, Neb. - Mattie Fowler hit a two-run walk-off single to give No. 20 Nebraska a 3-2 win over the UNO softball team before 206 fans at Bowlin Stadium on Tuesday.
The Mavericks dropped to 22-3 on the season with their second loss this year to a ranked opponent. The Huskers improved to 19-5 with their eighth straight win. The Huskers have beaten UNO three times since the Mavs' transition to Division I, all by one run.
The Huskers went up 1-0 in the bottom of the third on an unfortunate bounce for the Mavericks. Fowler hit a deep fly ball to right field and
Lindsay Redding had a read on it. Redding reached out on the warning track to make the catch, but the ball bounced in and out of her glove and went over the right field fence for a home run, Fowler's first of the year.
The Mavs couldn't get a hit off of Nebraska's Tatum Edwards through five innings but did put runners on base each inning via walks. UNO finally cracked Edwards in the top of the sixth inning.
Amber Lutmer reached first on a fielder's choice, and
Molly Negrete stepped in with two outs. Negrete laced a grounder sharply off the second baseman's glove. The ball bounced into right field, giving Negrete a double and advancing Lutmer to third on the play.
Tonya Peterson then came to the plate and dribbled a grounder about 10 feet down the left field line, but it was enough to reach first safely and score Lutmer from third to tie the game at 1-1.
Sydney Hames then singled to the shortstop to score Negrete from third to give UNO a 2-1 lead.
But the Huskers rallied in their last chance. Taylor Edwards led off the bottom of the seventh with a single to left field, but Brooke Thomason's ground ball hit Edwards on her way to second, forcing her out. Dawna Tyson then roped a single down the right field line to advance Thomason to third with one out. Tatum Edwards grounded to
Tara Trede, who held Fowler at third and threw Edwards out at first for the second out. Tyson moved to second on the play. Fowler then played the hero, roping a single to center field to score Edwards from second and Tyson from third for the 3-2 comeback win.
Elsasser (13-3) gave up three earned runs on seven hits, two walks and three strikeouts. Tatum Edwards (12-4) allowed no earned runs on six walks and seven strikeouts.
The Mavs are set to open the home portion of their schedule with a Summit League doubleheader against Fort Wayne on Saturday at 1 and 3 p.m. at Westside Field at Westbrook.
