Both Nebraska softball coach Rhonda Revelle and senior pitcher Kaylan Jablonski agreed to avoid dwelling too long on Jablonski’s NCAA record performance over the weekend.
So, what better way to move on than for Jablonski to turn around and see her senior teammate, center fielder Taylor Otte, make a highlight reel catch worthy of Sports Center nomination – and in victory over an intrastate rival, no less?
“You know what? That needs to be on ESPN tonight,” Revelle told reporters after Nebraska’s 6-2 victory over Creighton on Wednesday night at Bowlin Stadium. “Can somebody send it to them? I know they would put it on. That was unbelievable.”
Nebraska led 3-0 in the fourth inning when Jablonski entered the game. With a runner on base and one out, Creighton catcher Jordyn Sturgeon lofted a high fly ball to deep left center field.
“Once I saw it was over, it was all about timing the catch,” Otte said. “That’s all I had to do.”
“My thing was find the fence, get my hand on the fence and then jump,” Otte said, “and then it ended up in my glove.”
Otte pulled her glove back to reveal she had indeed robbed Sturgeon of a home run, much to the delight of the 458 fans in attendance – and Jablonski.
Jablonski, the only pitcher in the country to rank in the top 10 in wins and saves, pitched four innings to pick up the victory and improve to 14-5. She also slapped an RBI single to right field for a 1-0 Nebraska lead in the first inning.
That pales in comparison to what Jablonski did Saturday at Cal State Fullerton. Against the Titans, Jablonski belted three home runs and threw 140 pitches to earn the win in Nebraska’s 7-1 victory.
Extensive research from Nebraska’s media relations department later revealed that Jablonski became the first player in NCAA softball history to hit three homers and pick up a win as a pitcher in the same game.
Nebraska now begins Big Ten Conference play Friday with a three-game home series against Michigan State.
