Magic is in the air in Oklahoma City — and so is Ava Kuszak’s home run, assuming it’s not still hovering in space above Devon Park.
Nebraska’s senior shortstop had the biggest hit of the Cornhuskers’ 5-3 win vs. No. 5 Arkansas — the biggest hit of the Women’s College World Series, arguably — with a two-run, walk-off homer vs. the Razorbacks. With one fell swing of her bat, she helped Nebraska survive an upset bid that went into the bottom of the 10th inning before Nebraska could finally pull away.
SHE’S MADE FOR THE MOMENT.
KUSZIE CALLS GAME. pic.twitter.com/ZPnt9o1BTX
— Nebraska Softball (@HuskerSoftball) May 29, 2026
Speaking after the game, Kuszak simply said she was thankful to play as a Cornhusker when asked about her emotions in the moment.
“Honestly, I’m just so grateful to be a Husker,” Kuszak said, “and so grateful to be a part of this team. These girls are my best friends, and I would do absolutely anything for them. And I’m so blessed, so grateful.”
Kuszak’s first hit of the day couldn’t have come at a better time, either. She had gone 0-for-4 in her previous at-bats, flying out once and grounding out in the remainder of her plate appearances, her most recent in the bottom of the eighth, where the Cornhuskers stranded two runners in their first extra-inning walk-off opportunity.
“I feel like we were just sitting there saying, ‘We’re on it. We just gotta keep grinding, find a way to get on,'” Kuszak said. “And that was honestly my plan, just getting on for the girl behind me.”
With the win, the Cornhuskers get a much-needed day off on Friday, May 29 while Arkansas falls to the losers’ bracket to face No. 8 UCLA in an elimination game. Nebraska, meanwhile, will next play at 7 p.m. ET (6 p.m. CT) against top-seeded Alabama on Saturday, May 30.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Nebraska softball walks off Arkansas in WCWS with Ava Kuszak homer
About the Author
