SAN ANTONIO – The No. 10 Nebraska softball team used a pair of four-run innings to open its season with an 8-5 victory over Washington in the first of two games Friday at the UTSA Invitational in San Antonio, Texas.

Nebraska erased an early one-run deficit with a four-run second inning to grab a 4-1 lead. Washington came back to take a 5-4 lead before the Huskers scored four runs in the bottom of the fifth, rallying for a non-conference victory over a Washington squad ranked in three of the four major preseason polls.

Alexis Jensen earned the win for Nebraska in her collegiate debut. Jensen allowed five runs (three earned) in 5.0 innings and struck out 10. Jordyn Frahm earned the save with 2.0 scoreless innings of one-hit relief.

Offensively, Jesse Farrell went 2-for-2 with a home run and and two RBIs in her Husker debut, while Lauren Camenzind hit a three-run homer. Frahm and Hannah Camenzind each had two hits for the Big Red.

Morgan Reimer took the loss for Washington.

Washington opened the scoring with a solo home run in the top of the second. 

The Huskers struck back immediately, as Farrell knocked her solo homer to tie the score at 1-1 before Kacie Hoffmann walked and Samantha Bland reached base on a throwing error that also sent Hoffmann to third. L. Camenzind sent herself, Hoffmann and Bland to the plate with a three-run homer to left center. 

The Huskies made the score 4-2 on another solo shot in the third.

UW then evened the score at 4-4 on a two-out, two-run homer from Gabi Toney following a Husker error. A solo home run gave Washington the lead in the top of the fifth.

Nebraska took an 8-5 lead in the bottom of the fifth. Emmerson Cope was hit by a pitch and Katelyn Caneda came in to pinch run. H. Camenzind singled to advance Caneda and the two eventually went to second and third, respectively, on a wild pitch.

Farrell reached on an error to score Caneda and H. Camenzind, and Farrell herself advanced to third. Bland walked and stole second before L. Camenzind reached on a fielder’s choice. Coor also went to first on a fielder’s choice that also scored Farrell, and a Frahm single scored Bland.

Later in the day, the Huskers fell to the No. 1, defending national champion Texas Longhorns by a score of 15-10.

The Huskers answered a pair of big innings from Texas but it was not enough. After the Longhorns scored five runs in the top of the fourth, NU answered with five runs in the bottom of the frame.

The Longhorns then broke open a 10-7 game with five runs in the top of the seventh, only to see Nebraska battle back to score three runs and leave the bases loaded. 

Frahm took the loss in the circle after allowing five earned runs and six hits in 3.0 innings. H. Camenzind allowed four earned runs in three innings of relief while Cope allowed two runs in 1.0 inning. Citialy Gutierrez grabbed the win for Texas and Hannah Wells claimed the save.

Offensively, newcomers Farrell and H. Camenzind and both went 3-for-4 on the day. Both tied their career highs with their three hits. Coor knocked a three-run homer and Farrell knocked a solo shot of her own. Frahm, Cope, Hoffmann and Alina Felix added a hit apiece and Muhlbach and L. Camenzind each contributed an RBI.

Nebraska got on the board first with Farrell’s solo homer in the bottom of the first. She has now homered in both games she’s played as a Husker.

Texas knocked a two-run homer to take a 2-1 lead in the top of the second. The Longhorns extended the advantage to 4-1 on a double and a sacrifice fly in the third.

Coor reached first on a UT error in the bottom of the third and advanced to second before scoring on a Frahm single to make the score 4-2. 

Texas made its lead 9-2 with five runs on just four hits in the top of the fourth.

The Big Red used a six-hit bottom of the fourth to cut the lead to 9-7. H. Camenzind hit a leadoff single and Cope singled right after her to put runners on first and third. Katelyn Caneda pinch ran for Cope and went to second on a Kacie Hoffmann single that scored H. Camenzind.

Bland reached base on a fielder’s choice and Caneda went to third. Caneda crossed the plate on a L. Camenzind RBI. Bland, L. Camenzind and Coor scored on a three-run shot by Coor.

The Longhorns added another run on an RBI single in the sixth.

Texas added five runs in the top of the seventh and grabbed a 15-7 lead.

In the bottom of the frame, Muhlbach drew a bases-loaded walk to score Frahm and make the score 15-8. A Felix single scored Farrell, who singled earlier in the inning, and Nessa McMillen, who pinch ran for Muhlbach. The Huskers pulled within five at 15-10, but UT ultimately pulled out the win.