LINCOLN, Neb. – A seven-run second inning explosion from Wisconsin wasn't enough as UW fell to Nebraska, 13-8. The difference maker in the game was the season-high 11 unearned runs given up by the Badgers on Friday at Bowlin Stadium.

"I'm proud of our team for battling Nebraska for seven innings," UW head coach Yvette Healy said. "There were a lot of positives on offense. When you have a sophomore like Samantha Arents step up and hit a grand slam on the road, it makes you excited about what's left to come."

Three vital errors in the bottoms of the second, fourth and sixth innings by the Badgers (27-22-1 overall, 10-10-1 Big Ten) gave Nebraska (31-17, 12-8) big opportunities to score the runs they needed to pull ahead of the Badgers.

Freshman Melanie Cross started the top of the crucial second frame where Wisconsin took the lead with a single down the left field line. Senior Katie Christner was walked to move freshman Gabby Scherle, who pinch ran for Cross, to second with no outs.

Senior Macy Oswald knocked in a sacrifice bunt to move both runners up for her fellow senior Ashley Van Zeeland. A signature "Van Zingle" bunt to the pitcher brought Scherle in for the Badgers' first run and within one of the Huskers who took an early 2-0 lead off of four hits in the bottom of the first.

Sophomore Kelsey Jenkins put the ball in play in the shallow infield but the third baseman tried to get Christner out at home, but the attempt was unsuccessful as Christner slid in to tie up the game, 2-2. Jenkins then stole second right before junior Chloe Miller was walked. With bases loaded, junior Sara Novak dinged a sacrifice fly to center field to give UW the 3-2 lead.

Sophomore Samantha Arents extended that lead in a big way with her first career grand slam and the first grand slam for UW since Jenkins blasted one against NC State on Feb. 21. The Badgers headed into the bottom of the second frame with a 7-2 lead after putting up seven runs off of just three hits.

But Nebraska had a response in the bottom of the second, tapping in four runs off of five hits. Senior Taylor-Paige Stewart subbed in for relief for junior Kirsten Stevens after three runs came in. But the four-run inning wasn't enough for the Huskers who still trailed 7-6 after just two innings. After two, both teams had already lit up the field with a combined 15 hits.

Christner and Jenkins tried to keep the momentum going in Wisconsin's favor in the top of the third after Christner knocked out a double to lead off the inning. Christner advanced to third on a passed ball and eventually came home after Oswald knocked a sacrifice fly into right field to give UW the 8-6 advantage. Oswald compiled both a sacrifice hit and sacrifice fly in the game. Jenkins was left stranded on the bases after she singled through the left side.

Stewart handled business in the bottom of the third, taking down two Huskers with swinging strikeouts. However, a double play from Nebraska with one out ended Wisconsin's chances to score in the top of the fourth.

After Nebraska's leadoff batter MJ Knighten reached on an error, the Huskers snapped into action clinching four runs off of two additional hits. UW tabbed one hit in the both the tops of the fifth and sixth innings but was unable to recover when Nebraska took advantage of yet another error in the bottom of the sixth and scored three more runs off of the error and two hits.

Nebraska's Austen Urness was the game changer for the Cornhuskers after she knocked out home runs in the fourth and sixth innings and pulled in a season-high five RBI for the team.

Wisconsin had 10-or-more hits for the fifth time this conference season and had double-digit hits in a conference game for the first time since April 8 against Purdue. The Badgers were led by Jenkins and Cross who each logged two hits, including a double for Cross. Arents led the team with a career-high four RBI in the game.

Stevens threw 1.2 innings for the Badgers and gave up eight hits and six runs. Stewart took the loss after letting in five hits and seven runs, despite none of those runs being earned. She also struck out five batters and walked two.

Saturday's game has been changed to a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. CT, moving the series finale originally scheduled for Sunday to 3 p.m.