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Huskers Host Maryland To Close Regular Season

May 1, 2025 / NU Athletics

Photo Credit: NU Athletic Communications
Photo Credit: NU Athletic Communications

The No. 20 Nebraska softball team hosts the Maryland Terrapins for the final regular-season series of the year on May 2-4. Friday’s game is set for 4 p.m. (CT), Saturday’s matchup will be played at 1 p.m. (CT) and Sunday’s contest is scheduled for 11 a.m. (CT). 

NU was tabbed No. 20 by the NFCA Coaches Poll and D1 Softball and No. 21 by Softball America and USA Softball/ESPN. The Huskers are 35-12 on the season with a 14-5 mark in conference competition, while Maryland is 18-28 (3-16 Big Ten). 

Last weekend, the Huskers traveled to Seattle, Wash., to take on the Washington Huskies. The Big Red went 2-1 on the weekend, with wins on Friday (12-8) and Sunday (6-0) and a loss on Saturday (2-10, 5 inn.). NU hit six extra-base hits on Friday to grab a new single-season program record. The team now stands at 184 extra-base hits this year. Jordyn Bahl knocked three home runs over the weekend, the first of which made her the first player in Nebraska history to notch 15 doubles and 15 home runs in the same season. She also became the first Husker since Billie Andrews in 2022 to post 50+ runs, hits and RBIs in a season.

Friday and Sunday’s games will be on the Big Ten Network, while Saturday’s game will be streamed on B1G+. All three games will have a free radio broadcast with Nate Rohr on the call. The radio broadcast is available at Huskers.com/listen and on the official Huskers app. This weekend’s games will celebrate fans, with a “Ballpark Bash” being hosted between Haymarket Park and Bowlin Stadium on Saturday, May 3 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday’s game is the Huskers’ annual Alumni Game and Sunday’s game marks NU’s Senior Day.

Leading Off

  • Nebraska now has 93 home runs and 184 extra-base hits on the season, both of which are program-record marks.
  • Nebraska has been prone to big innings, scoring four or more runs in an inning 37 times, including 16 innings with six or more runs and seven innings with eight or more runs.
  • Ava Kuszak is one run away from 50+ hits, runs and RBIs this season. She would be the seventh player in school history and the second this season to accomplish the feat.
  • The Huskers are ranked No. 20 in the NFCA Poll. NU has been ranked by the NFCA every week this season.
  • Nebraska is currently ranked 10th nationally in run differential. The Big Red has scored 385 runs to its opponents’ 154, for a differential of +231. 
  • Last weekend, Jordyn Bahl became the first player in school history to notch 15 homers and 15 doubles in the same season. Bahl also reached 50+ hits, runs and RBIs on the season, becoming the sixth player in NU history to do so. Bahl’s next extra-base hit will tie the single-season program record.
  • If Nebraska wins all three games this weekend, it clinches a bye in the Big Ten Tournament. NU would also clinch a bye with two wins, unless Northwestern sweeps UCLA.

Bahl’s Campaign for National Player of the Year
Nebraska softball junior Jordyn Bahl has a solid argument to be the National Player of the Year, as her pitching and hitting stats stand out amongst all Division I players. She was named a Top 25 Finalist for the USA Softball Player-of-the-Year Award on Wednesday.

  • Bahl ranks in the top 15 nationally in numerous categories – opponent batting average (2nd), hits allowed per seven innings (5th), shutouts (6th), strikeouts (6th), strikeouts per seven innings (6th), total bases (8th), extra-base hits (9th), slugging percentage (9th), batting average (10th), complete games (11th), victories (11th), ERA (12th), runs per game (12th), and WHIP (15th). 
  • The Papillion, Neb., native boasts a batting average of .468 on the season, which ranks 10th nationally. She has also contributed 55 runs, 65 hits, 56 RBIs, 15 doubles and 17 home runs so far this year. Bahl is the first Husker in school history to record 15 doubles and 15 home runs in the same season.
  • Bahl is on pace for numerous school records. If the season ended today, she would rank first in batting average and slugging percentage, second in extra-base hits, fifth in total bases, sixth in doubles, seventh in home runs and runs scored and eighth in RBIs and winning percentage.
  • The junior is trying to become the first player since 2017 to score more runs than she allows (min. 130 IP). Bahl currently has 55 runs scored and 56 runs allowed. She also only needs three home runs to become the fourth player in NCAA history with 20+ victories and home runs in the same season.

Husker Home Run Quick Hitters
The Nebraska softball team has enjoyed a solid season at the plate, most notably with its home run numbers. 

  • Nebraska is third in the nation with 93 home runs in 47 games and is on pace to hit 99 home runs in a 50-game regular season. NU broke the school record for single-season home runs against Creighton on April 9. If the Big Red gets to 100 home runs, it would be the fourth team in Big Ten history to do so.
  • A total of 14 Huskers have hit a home run this season, including 13 players with multiple home runs.
  • The Huskers have homered five times in a game on six occasions this season, including three consecutive games to open the Troy Cox Classic.
  • Nebraska has produced 15 innings this season with multiple home runs, including five innings with three or more home runs.
  • Nebraska has hit back-to-back home runs seven times this season, including three times with three consecutive home runs that includes a school-record four straight home runs against San Jose State on Feb. 22.
  • Ava Kuszak (twice), Jordyn Bahl (twice), Samantha Bland, Abbie Squier, Emmerson Cope (twice) and Hannah Camenzind have all had a multi-homer game this season, including three-home run games from Kuszak against Montana on Feb. 16 and Bland at Iowa on April 5, both of which tied the Nebraska and Big Ten records for home runs in a game.
  • Kuszak has hit more home runs herself (18) than 84 NCAA Division I teams. Together, Kuszak (18) and Jordyn Bahl (17) have combined for 35 home runs. Their two-player combined total of 35 home runs would rank 108th among all NCAA Division I teams this spring and would be more than four Big Ten schools have hit as a team.
  • Eleven Huskers – Bahl, Kuszak, Squier, Cope, Bland, Bella Bacon, Alina Felix, Hannah Camenzind, Malia Thoms and Lauren Camenzind – have already matched or exceeded their career season highs in home runs.

Bahl Solid at the Plate
Nebraska softball pitcher and utility player Jordyn Bahl has not only had an impact in the circle, but her offense is a force to be reckoned with.

  • Bahl ranks in the top 25 nationally in slugging percentage (9th), runs per game (12th),  extra-base hits (9th), batting average (10th), home runs per game (19th), RBIs per game (21st), on-base percentage (22nd), runs (23rd) and home runs (24th).
  • On the season, 34 of Bahl’s 65 hits have gone for extra bases. She averages an extra-base hit every 4.1 at bats.
  • Bahl has nearly as many hits herself as she has allowed as a pitcher. Bahl has 65 hits in 139 at bats at the plate and in the circle, she has allowed only 85 hits in 626 opponent at bats.
  • Bahl has also scored almost as many runs herself (55) as she has allowed (56) in 140.0 innings in the circle.

Huskers in the Record Books

  • The 2025 Nebraska softball team is first in school history with 93 home runs and 184 extra-base hits on the season.
  • As it stands, the 2025 squad would rank first in batting average (.354), slugging percentage (.643) and on-base percentage (.431). 
  • The Big Red scored 10+ runs in five straight games from Feb. 14-16 for the first time in program history.
  • NU notched five home runs in three straight games for what is believed to be the first time in school history.
  • In the Huskers’ game against San Jose State at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic, they hit four straight home runs for the first time in program history.
  • Nebraska scored 102 runs in its first 10 games of the season, which marked the quickest the team has hit the 100-run milestone. The Huskers scored 200 runs in their first 23 games of the season, which marked the quickest the team has hit the 200-run NU scored 300 runs through 37 games, which marked the quickest the team has hit the 300-run milestone. Before this year, the fastest pace was games 43 in 2015.
  • Ava Kuszak and Samantha Bland have both posted three-homer games and are now tied with Kaylan Jablonski and Christie McCoy for the school record for home runs in a game. 
  • Kuszak is currently tied for fourth place in school history with 18 home runs on the season, and Jordyn Bahl is second in school history with 34 extra-base hits. 
  • If the season ended today, Bahl would be first in school history in batting average (.468), Kuszak would be sixth (.420) and Olivia DiNardo would be ninth (.393). Bahl would  also rank first in slugging percentage (.971), while Kuszak would rank second (.891).

Huskers Hit the Portal
Nebraska utilized the transfer portal this offseason, bringing in six new players -- Hannah and Lauren Camenzind and Kacie Hoffmann from Arkansas, Olivia DiNardo from Arizona, Kylee Magee from Arizona State and Ava Kuszak from Wisconsin.

  • Hannah Camenzind was a second-team All-SEC member in 2023. Over her two seasons with the Razorbacks, she posted a 14-3 record with 3.11 ERA over 119.1 total innings. At the plate, she batted .308.
  • Lauren Camenzind was a third-team NFCA All-South Region member in 2023. Over her two seasons at Arkansas, she played in 86 games (79 starts) at both catcher and shortstop.
  • DiNardo racked up numerous accolades during her two years at Arizona. She was a second-team NFCA All-West Region member in 2023 and a Third-Team member in 2024 and was named a Second-Team All-Pac-12 and Pac-12 All-Freshman Team honoree in 2023. Over the course of two seasons with the Wildcats, DiNardo started 102 games and built up a batting average of .340, along with 15 doubles, 20 home runs and 74 RBIs.
  • Hoffmann played in 106 games with 96 starts during her time with Arkansas. She hit .244 and logged 16 doubles, 15 home runs and 47 RBIs. 
  • Kuszak earned second-team All-Big Ten honors and third-team NFCA All-Great Lakes Region accolades in 2024. During her two seasons at Wisconsin, she played in 76 games with 65 starts and notched 16 doubles, 10 home runs and 33 RBIs on a .278 batting average.
  • Magee was named a member of the Pac-12 All-Freshman Team at Arizona State in 2023. She suffered an injury early in the 2024 season. She pitched in 27 games with 24 starts and compiled a 3.51 ERA and two saves, along with striking out 79 batters in 89.2 innings.

What Nebraska Returned in 2025
Nebraska’s 2025 roster consists of 25 total athletes. Fourteen of those are returners.

Huskers Returning from Injuries
Nebraska faced significant adversity in 2024, as a total of six players suffered season-ending injuries, including four that are returning for the 2025 season. Additionally, Arizona State transfer Kylee Magee had to use the offseason for rehab. 

  • Jordyn Bahl suffered a knee injury in the Huskers’ 2024 season opener that required season-ending surgery. Bahl was a First-Team All-American, the Big 12 Pitcher of the Year and one of 10 national finalists for player of the year in 2022 and 2023. 
  • Abbie Squier, a returning All-Big Ten and all-region selection, returns after being out for the 2024 season due to surgery. In 2022 and 2023, she was the Big Red’s starting left fielder. 
  • Dakota Carter, the Huskers’ designated player, was deemed out for the 2024 season before it even began. In 2023, she scored 13 runs as a pinch runner and appeared in 39 games. 
  • Caitlin Olensky suffered a season-ending injury in the Huskers’ conference opener against Illinois last year. Before her injury, she compiled a record of 3-2 with a team-best 3.30 ERA.
  • Emmerson Cope was out for almost a month of the 2024 season after battling a back injury. When she was in the lineup, the Topeka, Kan., native amassed an ERA of 4.76 in the circle. She racked up 21 hits, 10 runs, six homers and 19 RBIs. 
  • Talia Tokheim missed the first 23 games of the season while rehabbing an injury from 2023. She returned for nine games before suffering another season-ending injury in game three of the Penn State series. In her limited time on the field, she notched 46 total bases and seven home runs.
  • Kylee Magee suffered a season-ending injury after racking up six appearances with four starts in her sophomore year with the Sun Devils. In her first two years at Arizona State, she struck out 79 batters in 89.2 innings. 

Scouting Maryland (18-28, 3-16 Big Ten)
Maryland is 18-28 on the season with a 3-16 mark in Big Ten conference competition. As a team, the Terrapins bat .273 and have an ERA of 5.48. 

  • Nebraska and Maryland have common opponents in Utah, Texas Tech, Purdue, UCLA, Indiana, Iowa and Howard. The Terrapins are 3-11 against those opponents, while NU is 7-5. 
  • The Terrapins have three players that have started every game -- Sydney Lewis, Mazie MacFarlane and Sam Bean. 
  • Lewis boasts the highest batting average on the team at .331 and a team-high 10 home runs. She adds four doubles, 14 runs scored and 38 RBIs.
  • MacFarlane bats .329 and has the highest on-base percentage on the team at .424. She has hit a team-high 16 doubles, along with five home runs. She has also contributed 22 RBIs. 
  • Bean owns a batting average of .278 and has hit eight home runs, six doubles and a triple, along with 33 RBIs.
  • Sammi Woods bats .309 on the season with 25 runs scored, nine doubles, three homers and 13 RBIs.
  • Bailey Murphy has posted a batting average of .326 with eight RBIs, 30 hits and nine runs in 2025.
  • Madison Runyan has notched a home run and seven doubles with 14 RBIs and 21 runs scored on a .276 batting average.
  • Julia Shearer has 18 RBIs with 29 total bases and a home run, three doubles and 23 hits on a .256 batting average. 
  • Matti Benson owns a .216 batting average with two home runs, six doubles and 22 RBIs.
  • Caitlyn Cornwell has notched six RBIs on 24 hits in 2025. She bats .195.
  • Bri Godfrey has pitched the most innings for Maryland at 86.0 and has a 25-13 record. She posts an ERA of 5.13 with 46 strikeouts and 63 earned runs.
  • Shearer owns a 6.35 ERA and 3-11 record across 75.0 innings pitched. She has struck out 47 batters and allowed 68 earned runs.
  • Keira Bucher has tossed 57.0 innings and has a 5.28 ERA and 2-6 record. She has allowed 43 earned runs and struck out 32 batters. 
  • Aubrey Wurst and Genevieve Ebaugh round out the Terps pitching staff. Wurst is 7-3 with a 4.20 ERA across 46.2 innings. Ebaugh owns an 8.00 ERA and 0-1 record across 14.0 innings.
  • Head Coach Lauren Karn is in her 2nd season at Maryland. She is 42-58 with the Terrapins and 163-183 in her career.

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