Monday Morning Sports – Husker Baseball Ends Series with Dominating Win, Nebraska Softball Avoids Sweep in Wisconsin Series, Husker Volleyball Downs Kansas in Spring Match, Loper Football Gold Wins Spring Game, Local Sports Schedule

HUSKER BASEBALL SAVES SERIES WITH DOMINATING WIN:

Nebraska pounded out a season-high 19 runs in a 19-7 win in the series finale at Indiana on Sunday at Bart Kaufman Field in Bloomington, Ind.

The Huskers (15-23, 5-7 Big Ten) scored 19 runs on a season-high 20 hits, while the Hoosiers (16-23, 4-8 Big Ten) had seven runs on 10 hits.

Nebraska’s 20 hits are the most for the Husker offense since totaling 20 at UC Riverside on Feb. 15, 2019.

Every starter in the Nebraska lineup had at least one hit and scored a run in the series finale.

Nebraska hosts pair of non-conference foes in midweek games this week at Hawks Field. The Huskers take on Kansas State on Tuesday, April 26, before hosting Omaha on Wednesday, April 27.

NEBRASKA SOFTBALL FALLS FOR FIRST TIME IN CONFERENCE; WINS SUNDAY:

A day after competing in a doubleheader that gave the Huskers their first conference losses of the season, the Nebraska softball team (34-11, 14-2 Big Ten) finished the weekend with a victory over Wisconsin (25-12, 10-5 Big Ten). The Huskers tallied 10 hits while holding the Badgers to only four in the 6-4 win Sunday afternoon. 

Kaylin Kinney (4-1) recorded the win for the Huskers. The sophomore pitched five innings, holding the Badgers to two hits while striking out three. 

Peyton Glatter led Nebraska on offense, finishing the day 2-for-3 including a three-run homer in the top of the fourth. Mya Felder and Abbie Squier each added two hits while Cam Ybarra, Sydney Gray and Kinney each had an RBI. 

The Huskers return to action next weekend, April 29-May 1, in Columbus, Ohio for a three-game series against Ohio State.

HUSKER VOLLEYBALL TOPS KANSAS IN GRAND ISLAND:

The Nebraska volleyball team defeated Kansas, 3-1 (26-24, 18-25, 25-16, 25-17), on Saturday in a spring exhibition match in front of a sold-out crowd of 6,117 at the Heartland Events Center. 

Madi Kubik had 20 kills on .311 hitting, and Whitney Lauenstein had 12 kills and eight blocks to lead the Huskers to victory in their only spring match of the season. Nebraska had an edge in hitting percentage (.180 to .127) and out-dug the Jayhawks, 64-57. 

Kansas was led by former Husker Anezka Szabo, who had 12 kills and hit .455.

LOPER FOOTBALL CONCLUDES SPRING GAME WITH UNIQUE GOLD VICTORY:

The Nebraska-Kearney Gold team downed the UNK Blue team, 2-1, Saturday afternoon in the annual spring scrimmage at Ron & Carole Cope Stadium.

This was the 15th and final workout for the Lopers this spring. Practice started on March 23 with fall camp slated to begin in early August.

The coaching staff divided teams into equal groups with several key players, including All-American quarterback TJ Davis (Colorado Springs) and All-American safety Darius Swanson (Aurora, Colo.), going only two series. The first half featured 10-minute quarters with the third and fourth quarters last 13 minutes apiece. It was a running clock for most of the afternoon. 

The unique score came about as UNK’s three place kickers – senior Junior Gonzalez (Corning, Calif.), sophomore Kyle Failing (Port Orchard, Wash.) and redshirt freshman Spencer Hogeland (Kearney Catholic) – each attempted a field goal when a team got into scoring position. The same would’ve been true for PAT’s had either squad reached the end zone on another windy day at Foster Field.

Redshirt freshman QB Sean “Fats” Johnson Jr. ran 20 times for 110 yards including a game-best 36 yarder. He also completed 4 of 9 passes with each completion going to a different teammate. Next, redshirt sophomore back and former Bearcat Miko Maessner paced the Blue by running five times for 41 yards.

STORM TIE USHL RECORD FOR MOST POINTS IN A REGULAR SEASON:

The Tri-City Storm tied the USHL’s Tier I Era record for the most points recorded in a single season in Saturday’s 3-2 overtime road victory over the Lincoln Stars.

The 2021-2022 Tri-City Storm joined the 2011-2012 Green Bay Gamblers and the 2012-2013 Dubuque Fighting Saints as the only teams in league history to record 98 points in a single season.

Tri-City has a first round bye in the opening round of the Clark Cup Playoffs.

LOPER T&F WINS SEVEN EVENTS DESPITE SCHEDULE CHANGE:

The Nebraska-Kearney track and field team won seven events at the annual Jim Dutcher Memorial this weekend in Crete.

UNK was originally scheduled to be at the Midwest Classic at Emporia State on Saturday but weather changed that plan. The Dutcher was held Thursday-Saturday with Lopers competing over the final two days. 

Leading the way was Kearney senior Anna Squiers who won the discus with a season-best toss of 156-9. Already on the national list, this toss moves her into the top 12 at the moment and is just off her career-best throw (157-4).

Holdrege freshman Samantha Schemper cleared 11-1.75 in the vault placing fifth.

Kearney sophomore Brayden Sorensen, Elkhorn freshman Trevor Bills and Florida senior Montrez Jackson all cleared 6-10.25 in the high jump with Sorensen winning based on judge’s decision, finishing the Lopers at 1-2-3. 

The Lopers will compete in four different meets next weekend: the Drake Relays and Kip Janvrin Open in Iowa, the Alex Francis Classic in Kansas and the Prairie Wolf Invite in Lincoln.

NBA PLAYOFFS SCORES:

SUNDAY RESULTS:

Milwaukee Bucks 119 – 95 Chicago Bulls (MIL 3-1)

Denver Nuggets 126 – 121 Golden State Warriors (GSW 3-1)

Miami Heat 110 – 86 Atlanta Hawks (MIA 3-1)

New Orleans Pelicans 118 – 103 Phoenix Suns (Tied 2-2)

MONDAY SCHEDULE:

Boston Celtics @ Brooklyn Nets – 6 PM (BOS 3-0)

Toronto Raptors @ Philadelphia 76ers – 7 PM (PHI 3-1)

Utah Jazz @ Dallas Mavericks – 8:30 PM (Tied 2-2)

MONDAY SPORTS NIGHTLY SCHEDULE:

Greg Sharpe and the rest of the Sports Nightly crew will spend the first hour with head football coach Scott Frost speaking about the spring practice season wrapping up earlier this month, and in the second hour the crew will chat with head coach for Nebraska Baseball Will Bolt. 

Local Results & Schedules:

THIS WEEK IN LOCAL SPORTS:

SATURDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • BASEBALL: @ Norfolk Triangular
    • GAME 1: KHS 12-1 Omaha South
    • GAME 2: KHS 13-3 Norfolk
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • BASEBALL: @ Norfolk Triangular
    • GAME 1: KHS 12-1 Omaha South
    • GAME 2: KHS 13-3 Norfolk
• UNK:
  • FOOTBALL: Spring Game
    • Gold 2-1
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • BASEBALL: @ Doane:
    • GAME 1: Doane 10-8
    • GAME 2: Doane 17-7

MONDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • GIRLS TENNIS: @ Omaha Koch Center Invite – 8:30 AM
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • GIRLS SOCCER: @ Holdrege – 4:30 PM
  • BOYS SOCCER: @ Holdrege – 6:30 PM
• UNK:
  • N/a
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • WOMENS GOLF: @ Norfolk CC GPAC CHAMPIONSHIPS

TUESDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • T&F: Varsity Invite @ Grand Island – 3 PM
  • BASEBALL: v. Bellevue East – 4 PM @ Memorial Field
    • Pregame on KGFW at 3:50 PM
  • GIRLS TENNIS: Kearney Quad @ Harmon Park – 4 PM
  • GIRLS SOCCER: v. Lincoln High @ Kearney High School – 5:30 PM
  • BOYS SOCCER: v. Columbus @ Kearney High School – 7 PM
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • BOYS GOLF: Kearney Catholic Invite – 9 AM
  • GIRLS TENNIS: Quad v. Holdrege, McCook – 1:30 PM
  • BASEBALL: v. Bellevue East – 4 PM @ Memorial Field
    • Pregame on KGFW at 3:50 PM
• UNK:
  • N/a
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • WOMENS GOLF: @ Norfolk CC GPAC CHAMPIONSHIPS
  • SOFTBALL: v. Concordia – 5 PM, 7 PM

WEDNESDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • N/a
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • N/a
• UNK:
  • N/a
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • N/a

THURSDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • BOYS GOLF: @ Capitol City Golf Invite @ Holmes Golf Course – 9 AM
  • T&F: @ Omaha Benson – 3 PM
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • GIRLS TENNIS: @ Hastings Invite – 10 AM
• UNK:
  • FOOTBALL: Loper Backer Banquet @ Younes Conference Center
  • M/W T&F: @ Drake Relays (Des Moines, IA)
  • M/W T&F: @ Prairie Wolf Invite, Lincoln – 12 PM
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • M/W T&F: @ Prairie Wolf Invite, Lincoln – 12 PM
  • M/W T&F: @ Drake Relays (Des Moines, IA)

FRIDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • BASEBALL: v. Elkhorn North – 5:30 PM @ Memorial Field
    • Pregame on KGFW at 5:20 PM
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • BASEBALL: v. Elkhorn North – 5:30 PM @ Memorial Field
    • Pregame on KGFW at 5:20 PM
• UNK:
  • M/W T&F: @ Drake Relays (Des Moines, IA)
  • M/W T&F: @ Kip Janvrin Open, Indianola, IA
  • WOMENS TENNIS: v. NW Missouri State (MIAA Tourney) – 10 AM
  • SOFTBALL: @ Northeastern State – 1 PM, 3 PM
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • M/W T&F: @ Prairie Wolf Invite, Lincoln – 12 PM
  • M/W T&F: @ Drake Relays (Des Moines, IA)
  • BASEBALL: @ Morningside – 4 PM, 6 PM

SATURDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • GIRLS SOCCER: District Soccer Tournament
  • BOYS SOCCER: District Soccer Tournament
  • GIRLS TENNIS: @ Omaha Koch Family Tennis Center Invite – 8:30 AM
  • BASEBALL: @ Lincoln SW – 12 PM
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • GIRLS SOCCER: Sub-Districts TBA
  • BOYS SOCCER: Sub-Districts TBA
  • T&F: @ Centennial Conference @ Columbus – 10 AM
  • BASEBALL: @ Lincoln SW – 12 PM
• UNK:
  • SOFTBALL: @ Rogers State – 12 PM, 2 PM
  • WOMENS SOCCER: @ Iowa Western CC, Council Bluffs, IA
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • M/W T&F: @ Drake Relays (Des Moines, IA)
  • BASEBALL: @ Morningside – 1 PM, 3 PM
  • SOFTBALL: @ Morningside – 1 PM, 3 PM