Bearcats
| 09/30/25 vs Hastings | 8 |
| 09/29/25 @ Lincoln Southeast | 13 |
| 09/29/25 @ Lincoln Southeast | 8 |
| 09/26/25 vs Gering | 13 |
| 09/25/25 vs Grand Island | 8 |
| + 25 more games |
Kearney and Columbus are an even 5-5 against one another since September of 2021, but likely not for long. The Bearcats will face off against the Discoverers at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday. Kearney is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 8.9 runs per game this season.
Kearney is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of Nebraska's top teams: Hastings, who was ranked 11th at the time (Kearney was ranked 23rd). The Bearcats fell 11-8 to the Tigers on Tuesday. The Bearcats' defeat signaled the end of their four-game winning streak.
Alexa Jacobsen made the most of her time in the batter's box despite the final result and went 2-for-3 with three RBI, two runs, and one double. Kennedy Lee was another key player, going 2-for-3 with two runs.
Norfolk hit Columbus with a 12-run fourth inning on Tuesday, which goes a long way in explaining the final result. The Discoverers fell just short of the Panthers by a score of 17-15. The Discoverers have struggled against the Panthers recently, as the game was their seventh consecutive lost matchup.
Kyrstyn Long stepped up to lead a balanced group of hitters: she went 3-for-4 with three RBI, two runs, and one triple. Another player making a difference was Olivia Hill, who went 3-for-5 with three RBI, one triple, and one stolen base.
Kearney's loss dropped their record down to 20-10. As for Columbus, their defeat dropped their record down to 5-18.
Columbus' pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Kearney has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .475. It's a different story for Columbus, though, as they've only averaged .364. Will they be able to contain Kearney's hitters?
Kearney beat Columbus 8-3 in their previous matchup back in October of 2024. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Bearcats since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
