USD softball upset bid falls short at Nebraska in NCAA Tournament
The South Dakota softball team put a scare into one of the top teams in the country, but a two-run fifth helped Nebraska defend its home turf.
When Madison Evans got out of a bases loaded, no outs jam in the bottom of the fourth inning, there appeared to be a buzz in Bowlin Stadium that South Dakota could spring one of the most improbable upsets of the 2026 softball season. The next couple innings went Nebraska's way, and the No. 1 Cornhuskers beat No.
4 South Dakota 4-1 in the NCAA Tournament Lincoln Regional. Nebraska will face No. 3 Grand Canyon in the winner's bracket at noon Saturday, May 16, while South Dakota and No.
2 Louisville will play a win-or-go-home game at 2:30 p. m. Grand Canyon beat Louisville 5-1 in the first game of the day.
South Dakota took a 1-0 lead with the game's first hit in the top of the fourth. Autumn Iversen, making her return to Nebraska, ripped a solo home run off Big Ten Freshman of the Year Alexis Jensen to lead off the fourth. Evans gave up a walk, double and walk to start the bottom of the fourth.