Huskers Sneak by Spartans In Home Opener, 2-0

Friday, March 20

East Lansing, Mich.

5 PM

Michigan State University

13-14, 0-4

Nebraska

22-5, 4-0

Nebraska

Michigan State

3/20/2026 7:14:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

East Lansing, Mich. – Michigan State opened its home slate at Secchia Stadium on Friday afternoon, coming up just short against No. 9/5 Nebraska 2-0.

Pitching was the story on both sides – MSU bent but did not break, as it allowed 11 hits but forced the Huskers to strand 13 runners. Jacey Schuler and Autumn Behlke both worked out of jams and got big lifts from a pair of double plays.

Nebraska's Jordy Frahm was also impressive in the circle, striking out 12 to push her season total to 109 K's. She is now 8-3 on the year as she allowed the Spartans just a pair of base hits (to seniors Hannah Hawley and Sydney Doloszycki) and walked two. Catcher Jesse Farrell had a solo homer as she led the four Huskers who each had two hits. The only other Nebraska run came on a sac fly in the third inning by Ava Kuszak.

The two teams will meet in a Saturday doubleheader at Secchia Stadium (due to an inclement weather forecast for Sunday). Game one will begin at the regularly-scheduled 1 pm, with game two coming 30 minutes after the completion of game one.

TOP PERFORMANCES

Seniors Hannah Hawley and Sydney Doloszycki had the base hits for MSU on the day.
Jacey Schuler earned the start in the circle, gave up five hits, surrendered just one run, and struck out two. She took the loss, falling to 4-5.
Autumn Behlke delivered four innings of relief, scattering six hits. She allowed only one run as well, a solo homer in the fifth inning

NOTABLES

MSU turned its 13^th double play of the season in the top of the third, and then its 14^th in the top of the seventh. The Spartans entered the weekend ranking third in the Big Ten in turning two (0.46 per game).
Payton Conroy had five assists and a pair of putouts, contributing to both of MSU's double plays.
Britain Beshears drew her team-leading 19^th walk of the year to lead off the third inning.

HOW THINGS HAPPENED

After two scoreless innings, the Huskers broke through with a run in the top of the third on a two-out sac fly. With one on and two out, the Huskers followed with a double to left and a walk, but Schuler got out of the jam with a fly to left to end the threat.
In the top of the fifth, Autumn Behlke retired the first two batters, but Jesse Farrell stepped in and hit a solo shot over the wall in left to make it 2-0.
In the sixth inning, Nebraska got a leadoff single from Hoffman, and two batters later, Frahm sent a ball up the middle that caromed off the bag. Behlke got the next batter on a ground ball to third, issued a walk to load the bases, but worked out of the jam with a fly ball to left.