Nebraska’s Jordy Bahl crouched on the infield dirt, watching and waiting as her third baseman fielded a slow roller.
Just eight months prior, Bahl laid on the dirt in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, having suffered an ACL tear that ended her season after just one game. This time around, Bahl popped up, ripping off her face mask while elevating her glove to demand high-fives from her teammates with a smile on her face.
A moment like that — a simple one shared with teammates — had been a long time coming for Bahl.
Despite having torn her ACL in February, Bahl was healthy enough to take part in the Nebraska softball team’s Scarlet and Cream scrimmage on Wednesday, the first of four the Huskers will play this month.
A large brace on Bahl’s left leg was a lasting reminder that her recovery isn’t fully complete just yet — but five innings in the circle, four at-bats and two innings at first base showed why her status for the spring should have never been in doubt.
Bahl told reporters over the summer that she hoped to be cleared by late October — so how was she able to hit the field before then?
“We have a great athletic training staff,†Bahl said, crediting trainer Marcia LaCroix’s work in her recovery process. “We always hear about the athlete putting time into rehab, but there’s so many people that go into that besides just the athlete.â€
As is often the case for a player with high expectations for herself, there was no easing Bahl back into the scrimmage; she was going full speed. That was evident in the fourth inning when she scored from second base on a slow ground ball, sprinting around third base rather than simply taking it slow and stopping at third.
“Jordy has one gear,†head coach Rhonda Revelle said.
Bahl nearly completed five scoreless innings inside the circle, eventually surrendering two runs while staying within the 50-60 pitch limit the Nebraska coaching staff had set.
“It wasn’t my very first time throwing live (since the injury)," Bahl said. "I’d gone a couple times leading up to this week and I feel good."
It was the first game action inside Bowlin Stadium for a new-look Nebraska roster that includes six transfers and four freshmen who were not on last year’s roster. Arkansas transfer Hannah Camenzind threw four innings in the circle as her twin sister, Lauren, spent time at both shortstop and third base.
Nebraska’s shortstop situation will be evaluated in the coming months as the Huskers seek to replace Billie Andrews, a four-year starter and the program’s all-time home run leader. Ava Kuszak, a Wisconsin transfer with experience at shortstop, also spent time at the position during the scrimmage.
For a Nebraska team that was injury-riddled during the spring, it was an encouraging sign to see many players back from injury. Sophomores Emmerson Cope and Caitlin Olensky both pitched, with the two-way player Cope also slugging a pair of home runs and totaling six RBIs in the process.
Outfielders Abbie Squier and Dakota Carter, who both missed the entire 2024 season due to injury, and Talia Tokheim, whose season was limited to just nine games, were also back in action.
The scrimmage ended in a 9-9 tie as a result of a late comeback effort from the Scarlet team, with the consistent approach of the Nebraska hitters at the plate standing out to the team’s head coach.
“We’re working so many different combinations that I don’t really expect it to be perfect now,†Revelle said. “But I love that this was really competitive.â€
Nebraska will scrimmage again on the next three Wednesdays in October at 4 p.m., with each contest being open to the public.