The Iowa softball team traveled to Lincoln, Neb., this past weekend for a three-game series against the Cornhuskers.

Iowa (10-23) was swept in a three-game series for the first time since Mississippi State swept the Hawkeyes in February.

The Huskers took Game One in walk-off fashion, 5-2. After taking an early 1-0 lead, the Hawkeyes engaged in a pitching battle between Iowa’s Kayla Massey and Nebraska’s Tatum Edwards.

It took until the sixth inning until the offense picked up again, with the Huskers grabbing two runs for a 2-1 lead.

Iowa quickly tied it up in the top half of the seventh with an RBI single from Brianna Luna that allowed Erin Erickson to score.

But the defense couldn’t hold, and Nebraska came through in the clutch with three runs in the bottom half of the inning to down Iowa.

In the second game, Massey recorded Iowa’s only hit and run with a solo home run.

Nebraska put together two 4-run innings and buried the Hawkeyes, 8-1. The final straw was a run in the bottom of the sixth that brought on the run rule, ending the game at 9-1.

In the series finale, Iowa fell behind early and couldn’t keep up with the Huskers’ hot offense.

Nebraska scored 14 runs in the bottom of the second inning and didn’t let up. Iowa’s offense struggled to maintain momentum and only recorded 2 hits.

Nebraska tallied 3 more in the fourth inning to eventually make it 18-0 and once again, forcing the run rule to end the game.

— by Jack Rossi