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Frahm's spark powers No. 1 Nebraska softball past South Dakota in regional opener

by: Bobby Schneider05/16/26bschneider33

LINCOLN — No. 1 Nebraska softball (47-6) held off South Dakota (20-35-1), 4-1, in its first regional matchup on Friday evening with 2,948 fans in red at Rhonda Revelle Field.

Facing a one-run deficit in the bottom of the fifth, senior Jordy Frahm awakened the Big Red bats with a two-out double.

Moments later, Hannah Coor batted her home with an RBI triple to tie it up before Hannah Camenzind’s RBI double handed NU a 2-1 lead.

“It finally came down to us just coming together as a team and being like, ‘OK, we are just getting out of ourselves. We just need to be ourselves. Keep everything simple and go play Nebraska softball,'” Frahm said.

The No. 4-overall seeded Huskers did not record a hit until the fourth inning, which included stranding the bases loaded.

Lefty Alexis Jensen (23-2) dominated in her start from the circle. The true freshman struck out five Coyotes and surrendered one run on two hits in her five innings of work.

Frahm (SV: 11) closed out the game with two shutout innings.

“We bent, but we didn’t break,” head coach Rhonda Revelle said. “I thought that was really important, especially given the gravity of this game.”

Revelle added, “If I’m being honest, I had to work.”

Here is an instant recap from the first Husker-hosted regional since 2013…

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Pitchers’ duel dominates through four

USD starter Madison Evans gave Nebraska fits early and often. In fact, she retired nine of the first 10 faced. Trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the fourth, it appeared the Big Red offense would respond.

Coor drew a lead-off walk before Camenzind advanced her to third with a double — NU’s first hit of the game. Another walk loaded the bases, but two pop-ups and an inning-ending strikeout by Emmerson Cope squandered the golden opportunity.

“I thought (Evans) threw a really good and gritty game,” Revelle said. “I have been watching her video from February, to March, to April, to May… and she’s always had that stuff.”

Revelle added, “I just tip my hat to the way (Evans) competed against us. She did not back down at all.”

Meanwhile, after three no-hit frames (including three strikeouts), Jensen’s lone hiccup came in the fourth.

Wahoo (Neb.) native Autumn Iversen drilled a lead-off homer to left field as NU faced a 1-0 hole. After walking another to follow, Jensen regained her composure to rack up another two strikeouts in a clean fifth.

Frahm ignites Nebraska’s bats

With two down, the momentum entirely on USD’s side and a major upset brewing, Nebraska superstar Jordy Frahm injected electricity with her double to left field.

Frahm left it all out there by extending a normal single to a two-bagger with a full-effort slide, which propelled the two-run punch.

That spark was all that the Huskers needed.

“When we broke through, it’s like ‘OK,’ and I feel like we’re going to be fine the rest of the weekend,” Revelle said. “No more slow motion.”

With all the momentum and a roaring Bowlin Stadium packed with red, NU added two more insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth after Kacie Hoffman’s two-RBI double to make it 4-1.

Frahm, a Papillion (Neb.) native who transferred from Oklahoma in 2024 in the hope of helping Nebraska host a regional, will not forget the first-round environment.

“It was incredible,” Frahm said. “Just to hear how loud the stadium got in certain moments, just to walk out before our game even started and see the place full… really cool.

“I don’t know if I’ve ever felt it like that or seen it like that.”

Nebraska returns to action for Round 2 of the regional on Saturday at noon CT against GCU. Watch on a TBD ESPN Network or listen on the Huskers Radio Network.

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