Behind Komine, Big Inning, NU Beats Nicholls State 10-2

Houston, Texas -- Freshman right-hander Shane Komine pitched a career-best 7.2 innings earning his first career win and the Husker bats awoke in the eighth inning scoring seven runs as the Nebraska baseball team defeated Nicholls State 10-2 in the first game of the Marriott West Loop Invitational at Cameron Field on the campus of Rice University on Friday afternoon.

Komine kept the Huskers in a tight ballgame until the eighth inning. The freshman from Honolulu, allowed the first batter of the game to score and then settled down scattering five hits while striking out a career high seven batters. Komine set a Big 12 Conference record in his appearance by having five hit batters.

The win moves Nebraska to 4-4 on the year and Nicholls State, a participant in the 1998 NCAA Regionals drops to 5-4.

"Top to bottom, this was the best game we have played all year," NU Coach Dave Van Horn said. "We pitched well. We played outstanding defensively. We had a couple of key hits, ran the bases well and created a lot of things late in the game. We just got the job done.Leading 2-1 in the bottom of the eighth inning, the Huskers' offense came alive. Nebraska took advantage of two Nicholls State errors, three walks and picked up five singles to score eight runs."

Justin Cowan walked to lead off the inning and from there, Nebraska took off. Will Bolt beat out a bunt for a single and Bolt and pinch runner Jamal Strong each moved up a base on a throwing error by NSU third baseman Dariel Baez. After Big 12 Player-of-the-Week Ken Harvey was intentionally walked, designated hitter Jim Bailey skied a ball to short center that was dropped by Colonels second baseman Jacques Jobert. Harvey was forced out at second on the play, but the Huskers extended their lead to 3-1.

Danny Kimura walked and catcher Brian Johnson ripped a single to center to score two runs giving NU a 5-1 advantage. John Cole picked up his first career hit as a Husker on a squeeze bunt which he beat out for an RBI single. Adam Shabala hit a two-RBI single and Brandt Vlieger hit a ground ball through NSU first baseman Brian Daigle to score another run. Strong followed with another single scoring Shabala and Vlieger came home on a wild pitch to give the Huskers a comfortable 10-1 lead.

For awhile the Huskers were in a dogfight. Nicholls State scored one run in first after having the bases loaded and no outs to take a 1-0 lead. It was the eighth time in eight games this season the Huskers have trailed.

Nebraska broke through in fifth when Johnson was hit by a pitch and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Cole. Johnson scored from second to tie the game when Shabala hit a deep drive to center and NSU center fielder Ed Marquez held the ball thinking that was the third out of the inning.

Senior Jeff Hedman put the Huskers ahead to stay in the sixth when he hit a leadoff home run off Malcolm Orgeron (2-1). NSU threatened in the eighth with two two-out singles against Komine. With runners at first and second, freshman reliever Steve Hale struck out Daigle looking to end the threat. The Huskers followed with an eight-run bottom half of the inning.

Nebraska will play its second game in the Marriott West Invitational on Saturday at 1 p.m. against top-five ranked Rice. The Owls are ranked second by Baseball America, third by Collegiate Baseball and fourth in the Baseball Weekly/ESPN Coaches Poll. Junior right-hander Scott Fries (2-0) will take the mound against Rice.