A crushing three-run homer and dominant pitching from Jordy Frahm propelled the Cornhuskers past the Cowgirls after severe weather delayed the high-stakes postseason opener in Lincoln
LINCOLN, Neb. — The No. 13 Oklahoma State Cowgirls faced a tough test in their NCAA Super Regional opener, falling to the host 4th-seeded Nebraska Cornhuskers by a final score of 8-1 on Friday at Bowlin Stadium.
The loss moves Oklahoma State to 41-16 on the season, while Nebraska improved to a stellar 50-6 record and took a commanding 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series.
This Super Regional matchup represents a significant milestone for the Cowgirls, who are making another deep postseason run after a strong Big 12 campaign.
However, the Cornhuskers, playing in front of a passionate home crowd, proved why they earned one of the top national seeds.
The game carried an unusual wrinkle due to Mother Nature’s interference. Originally scheduled for Thursday evening, the contest was suspended because of severe weather in the Lincoln area.
After nearly a 20-hour delay, play resumed Friday with Nebraska holding a slight advantage in the early going: a runner on first base and a 1-0 count on Hannah Camenzind.
Camenzind wasted no time capitalizing on the momentum, lining a single to put two runners aboard.
One batter later, Jesse Farrell delivered a crushing three-run home run that gave the Cornhuskers a lead they would never relinquish.Nebraska’s offense continued to pour it on in the third inning, adding four more runs to stretch the advantage to 7-0.
Farrell again played a central role with a two-RBI single, while a pair of RBI groundouts from other Cornhuskers helped plate the additional runs. The Huskers’ lineup showed impressive depth and timely hitting throughout the afternoon, putting consistent pressure on Oklahoma State pitching.
The Cowgirls’ only bright spot offensively came in the sixth inning when Karli Godwin launched a solo home run, her 10th of the season. The long ball provided a small spark for OSU, but it was too little, too late against a dominant Nebraska squad.
In the circle, Oklahoma State starter Ruby Meylan was tagged with the loss, falling to 29-8 on the year. Meylan lasted just 2.0 innings and was charged with seven earned runs.
The bullpen combination of RyLee Crandall, Makala Smith, and Preslee Downing stepped in to provide 4.0 innings of relief, allowing just one earned run on four hits.
Notably, Makala Smith made her first collegiate appearance of the season after spending most of the year recovering from an injury. Her ability to contribute in a high-stakes Super Regional environment could prove valuable moving forward.
On the other side, Nebraska’s Jordy Frahm (formerly Bahl) was outstanding in a complete-game effort. The top-three finalist for the USA Softball Player of the Year award improved to 20-4, striking out seven Cowgirls while keeping OSU’s offense in check for most of the contest.
Frahm’s control and experience were evident as she neutralized multiple OSU threats.Despite the setback, the Cowgirls remain alive in the Super Regional.
UP NEXT: Game 2 is scheduled for Saturday at 4 p.m. CT back at Bowlin Stadium. Oklahoma State will need to regroup quickly and find a way to solve Frahm and the potent Nebraska lineup if they hope to force a decisive third game.
With their season on the line, the Cowgirls will look to lean on their veteran leadership and offensive firepower that carried them this far.
