CNT Sports // Baseball & Softball // NRG CN
HUSKERS TAKES HAWKEYES SERIES, FALL IN SUNDAY SWEEP CHANCE:
Nebraska won the weekend series but couldn’t complete the sweep, as the Huskers fell 4-1 in the series finale against Iowa on Sunday at Hawks Field at Haymarket Park.
Nebraska (27-14, 10-5 Big Ten) scored a run on two hits and an error, while Iowa (24-17, 10-8 Big Ten) recorded four runs on eight hits.
Sunday was filled with delays and finishing out Saturday’s suspended contest, where Nebraska clobbered Iowa 12-2 in seven innings.
Nebraska returns to action with a midweek matchup at Creighton on Tuesday, April 30 at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha.
HUSKER SOFTBALL CANCELS FINAL GAMES OF NORTHWESTERN SERIES:
After both teams waited for nearly 24 hours, the weather did not allow the resumption of Saturday’s softball game between Nebraska and Northwestern. As a result, the series finale was canceled.
Nebraska led Northwestern 5-0 in the top of the fourth inning before weather delayed – and ultimately suspended- the game at 3 p.m. on Saturday. The game was scheduled to resume at 11 a.m. on Sunday but a series of lightning delays and rain showers forced the cancellation of the game shortly before 2 p.m., as a final lightning delay forced Northwestern to leave to keep its travel plans.
The Wildcats won both games of the weather-shortened series.
RAIOLA SHINES, HUSKERS FINISH SPRING PRACTICES WITH WHITE WIN IN SPRING GAME:
Nebraska’s top three quarterbacks all put together productive games to highlight an entertaining Spring Game that resulted in a 25-21 victory for the White team over the Red in front of 60,452 fans at Memorial Stadium on Saturday.
Dylan Raiola produced the biggest numbers by completing 16-of-22 passes for 239 yards and two touchdowns on the afternoon. He added a completion on a go-ahead two-point conversion that gave the White team a 22-21 lead midway through the third quarter. Raiola completed passes to 14 different receivers on the day, while playing quarterback for both teams on a rotating basis with Heinrich Haarberg and Daniel Kaelin throughout the first three quarters.
Haarberg was also impressive, completing 8-of-13 passes for 163 yards and two more touchdowns. Haarberg did not throw an interception and added a 17-yard run.
Kaelin showed well in his first spring game, completing 9-of-16 passes for 91 yards.
The Huskers are now off until late July, as spring practices wrap up with the spring semester of classes finishing out in mid-May.
PIPER, ANDREWS TAKE TOP HONORS AT HUSKERS’ “NIGHT AT THE LIED”
Nebraska Athletics celebrated its top achievers on the field, in the classroom and in the community with the annual “A Night at the Lied” Sunday evening. The event highlights the accomplishments of Husker student athletes over the past year, culminating with the presentation of the Most Outstanding Female and Male Student- Athletes.
Seniors Billie Andrews (Softball) and Ethan Piper (Football) won the most coveted awards at the 34th annual event, as they were selected as the 2023-24 Most Outstanding Female and Male Student-Athlete.
Andrews has cemented a legacy as one of the best softball players in school history. A three-time All-Big Ten honoree, the Gretna, Neb., native is the program’s all-time leader in home runs with 58 as of April 24 and ranks in the top 10 on school charts in eight offensive categories, including runs scored, hits, RBI and batting average.
Piper was a significant contributor for the Husker football team, as he made 25 career starts and played in 31 games during his Husker career. He started at least three games in each of the last four seasons, including all seven appearances in 2023 before his career was ended by a knee injury.
NFL DRAFT SHUTS OUT NEBRASKA; SEVERAL ALUMNI SIGN FREE AGENT DEALS:
No Huskers heard their names called during the three-day NFL draft that wrapped up Saturday, but four will get their chances after signing with teams as undrafted free agents.
It is the second time in sixty years – and the first time since 2019 – that a Nebraska football player did not hear their name called.
The Denver Broncos signed a pair of Husker defensive backs, safety Omar Brown and cornerback Quinton Newsome.
Another Husker defensive back, Phalen Sanford, was signed by the Las Vegas Raiders. Sanford, from Benkelman, Neb., joined the Huskers in 2019 as a walk-on transfer from Hastings College.
Offensive lineman Nouredin Nouili signed a free agent deal with the New Orleans Saints.
Long snapper Marco Ortiz and wide receiver Billy Kemp IV have received invitations to the rookie minicamps of the San Diego Chargers and the New York Giants.
LOPER SOFTBALL ENDS SEASON IN OKLAHOMA:
Senior catcher and cleanup hitter Emily Sampson hit a walk-off home run in game one and junior Madison Heinle threw 5.1 strong innings in game two to help Northeastern State take a double header from Nebraska-Kearney, 5-4 and 6-1, Saturday afternoon in Broken Arrow, Okla.
These were the final games of the 2024 season for both the RiverHawks (10-33, 5-21) and Lopers (18-31, 6-20).
Senior pitcher Madison Rosenthal (Johnstown, Colo.) and outfielders Carly Dembowski (Lincoln North Star) and Abbie Jo Gaube (Omaha Gross) played their final games.
BRONCOS SOFTBALL WRAPS YEAR WITH SPLIT AGAINST BRIAR CLIFF:
The Hastings College softball team wrapped up the 2024 season with a 7-3 win and 8-5 loss to Briar Cliff on Senior Day out at the Smith Softball Complex on Saturday afternoon.
Hastings finishes the season 16-28 (4-18).
UNK TENNIS TAKES MIAA CROWN:
The 17th-ranked Nebraska-Kearney women’s tennis team won the 2024 MIAA regular season title by beating 13th-ranked Washburn, 4-1, Friday afternoon in Topeka, Kan.
The Lopers (18-4, 7-1) have won six in a row with the last four victories coming against nationally ranked squads. They’ll be the top seed in next week’s MIAA Tournament in Edmond, Okla.
This marks UNK’s first-ever MIAA regular season title and the program’s first title since the 2011-12 Lopers were Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) regular season champs.
NBA PLAYOFF FIRST ROUND SCORES/SCHEDULES:
SUNDAY SCORES:
New York Knicks 97-92 Philadelphia 76ers (NYK leads 3-1)
Los Angeles Clippers 116-111 Dallas Mavericks (Tied 2-2)
Indiana Pacers 126-113 Milwaukee Bucks (IND leads 3-1)
Minnesota Timberwolves 122-116 (MIN Wins 4-0)
MONDAY SCHEDULES:
Boston Celtics @ Miami Heat – 6:30 PM (BOS leads 2-1)
Oklahoma City Thunder @ New Orleans Pelicans – 7:30 PM (OKC leads 3-0)
Los Angeles Lakers @ Denver Nuggets – 9 PM (DEN leads 3-1)
NHL PLAYOFF FIRST ROUND SCORES/SCHEDULES:
SUNDAY SCORES:
Colorado Avalanche 5-1 Winnipeg Jets (COL leads 3-1)
Vancouver Canucks 4-3 Nashville Predators (VAN leds 3-1) (OT)
New York Rangers 4-2 Washington Capitals (NYR Wins 4-0)
Edmonton Oilers 1-0 Los Angeles Kings (EDM leads 3-1)
MONDAY SCHEDULES:
Tampa Bay Lightning @ Florida Panthers – 6 PM (FLA leads 3-1)
Dallas Stars @ Las Vegas Golden Knights – 8:30 PM (VKG leads 2-1)
