TWIS Notes: HUSKERS Take the UCLA Series & Alexis Jensen Grabs National Honors (Plus Other SOFTBALL Nuggets)

Nebraska Wins 2 of 3 vs. #7 UCLA The Huskers’ series against UCLA held multiple implications and the reason for this was simple – they were the last ranked team with any high-quality RPI value left on Nebraska’s schedule until the Big 10 Tournament May 6th-9th being held at Maryland. (Don’t ask why – but the Terps won’t qualify for it and the site isn’t worthy of Division 1 post-season play.

) This made at least a series victory imperative if they were to keep hopes alive for a national top 8 seed to clinch a NCAA Super Regional should they come out on top in Round 1. And the Huskers did just that bookending a thrilling 6-5 loss Saturday with 4-1 and 8-4 wins on Friday and Sunday respectively. In game 1, Alexis Jensen and Jordy Frahm combined to stymie the Bruins as Hannah Camenzind caught fire late swatting a 2-run homer in the 5th and walking in another in the 6th to lead a 4-1 win.

In game 2, the Huskers entered the bottom of the 7th trailing 6-3 when Lauren Camenzind and Frahm opened the inning with back-to-back jacks to cut the lead to 1. The Huskers then loaded the bases with one out before Jensen and Sammie Bland ended it suddenly 6-5 with hard line drive outs. In game 3, Frahm homered to lead off the game with another dinger – her 3rd straight going back to Saturday afternoon – and set the tone for the 2nd in which Jensen, Hannah Camenzind and Ava Kuszak would all homer to center field in a 6-run inning which would carry them to an 8-4 win.

Jensen Nets Multiple Weekly National Honors Husker freshman Alexis Jensen was named the National Freshman of the Week by Softball America, D1 Softball and Softball on Sports Illustrated, the organizations announced Tuesday. She went 2-0 in the circle last weekend and helped the #6 Huskers to the above series win over UCLA. In her two appearances, she held the Bruins to a single run on Friday and then 4 on Sunday.