February 10, 2024
PUERTO VALLARTA, Mexico - Kaylin Kinney did not allow a hit in 3.1 innings of relief to get the win as No. 13 Nebraska beat Utah Valley 3-2 at the Puerto Vallarta Challenge at Nancy Almaraz Stadium.
Left fielder Samantha Bland’s diving catch in left field robbed pinch hitter Rachael Brown of a game-tying hit to end the game.
Sarah Harness and Kinney limited Utah Valley to just two hits in the win. Kinney won her second game of the week and did not walk a batter while striking out one this morning.
It was the final game in Puerto Vallarta for both teams. Kinney and Billie Andrews were named to the All-tournament team from Nebraska (2-2) while Avery Sapp and Amber Rodriguez earned All-tournament honors for Utah Valley (0-4).
Bella Bacon had an RBI double before Bland added a run scoring single, the first hit of her career, giving the Cornhuskers a 2-0 lead in the second.
Billie Andrews blasted a solo homer to center in the third, pushing the lead to 3-0.
Utah Valley got on the board on Peyton Hall’s first career hit, a two-run homer, in the fourth to cut the deficit to 3-2.