Nebraska Softball Sweeps Home-Opening Weekend

Huskers' red-hot offense leads to dominant performances against South Dakota State and Omaha

Published on Mar. 8, 2026

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The Nebraska softball team (18-4) opened its home schedule at Bowlin Stadium with a series sweep over in-state rivals South Dakota State and Omaha. The Huskers outscored their opponents 31-7 over the four-game stretch, recording 19 extra-base hits including 10 home runs. Key contributors included Ava Kuszak, who had five extra-base hits, and Sammie Bland, who returned from injury to hit a game-winning home run.

Why it matters

Nebraska's dominant offensive performance to open the home schedule is an encouraging sign for the team's potential this season. The Huskers are looking to build on their 18-4 start and make a push for the NCAA Tournament, and this series sweep against regional opponents showcases the team's firepower at the plate.

The details

In the series opener against South Dakota State, the Huskers won 9-4 and 8-0. They followed that up by defeating Omaha 4-1 and 10-2 in a run-rule victory. Standout performances came from Ava Kuszak, who hit three home runs and two doubles, and Sammie Bland, who returned from injury to hit a game-winning home run on Sunday. The Huskers' pitching staff also turned in strong outings, with Jordy Frahm and Hannah Camenzind combining to allow just three runs across the four games.

  • The series sweep took place over the Huskers' home-opening weekend of March 5-8, 2026.
  • The Huskers defeated South Dakota State on Thursday, March 5, and then took down Omaha on Saturday, March 7 and Sunday, March 8.

The players

Ava Kuszak

A key offensive contributor for the Huskers, Kuszak had five extra-base hits including three home runs over the four-game stretch.

Sammie Bland

The junior third baseman returned from injury to hit a game-winning home run on Sunday, showcasing her importance to the Huskers' lineup.

Jordy Frahm

The right-handed pitcher turned in a strong outing against Omaha, allowing just two hits in the Huskers' 4-1 victory.

Hannah Camenzind

Camenzind started the series finale against Omaha, though she was relieved by Alexis Jensen who closed out the run-rule victory.

Rhonda Revelle

The Huskers' head coach was pleased with her team's offensive performance and ability to bounce back after a rough second inning against Omaha on Sunday.

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What they’re saying

“She expects a lot of herself offensively and she has been a big part of our offense every year she has been here. So to have a little bit of a slow start and then get injured and not be able to swing, that nearly kills her.”

— Rhonda Revelle, Head Coach (on3.com)

“She's having to come back. She's not getting to swing as much as she would like to but she's having to figure out how to do things differently with coach (Diane) Miller.”

— Rhonda Revelle, Head Coach (on3.com)

What’s next

The Huskers will look to continue their strong start to the season as they hit the road for a series against Creighton on March 12-14.

The takeaway

Nebraska's dominant offensive performance to open the home schedule is an encouraging sign for the team's potential this season. With key contributors like Ava Kuszak and Sammie Bland leading the way, the Huskers have the firepower to make a push for the NCAA Tournament.