Komine Breaks Strikeout Record in Shutout Victory

Lincoln, Neb. -- Sophomore pitcher Shane Komine turned in another dominant performance, shutting out Iowa State, 5-0, at Buck Beltzer Stadium Friday night. Komine, who improved to 8-3 on the year, struck out 12 to break Nebraska's single-season strikeout record of 123 set by former All-American Troy Brohawn in 1993. Komine, a nominee for the Rotary Smith Award given to the nation's top collegiate baseball player, has a Division I leading 126 strikeouts this season. The native of Honolulu, Hawaii, scattered seven hits, including two in the ninth inning to help the Huskers improve to 34-12 on the year and 17-8 in the Big 12. The complete game shutout was the first of Komine's career and the fourth on the season for the Huskers.

Nebraska's win set a Big 12 record for consecutive conference victories as the Huskers won their 10th straight league game. Nebraska has swept its last three Big 12 opponents, also a Big 12 first.

Will Bolt hit an RBI single down the right field line in the fourth inning to give Nebraska a 1-0 lead, before the Huskers tacked on four in the seventh. Adam Stern hit an RBI single and Dan Johnson added a one run triple in the fifth to spoil an outstanding outing from Iowa State pitcher Lincoln Mincks.

Jeff Leise led the seventh inning off with a single to left center field and reached second on a sacrifice. Adam Shabala then beat out a high chopping grounder to the shortstop, Steve Goldberg. But Goldberg threw the ball away on the play allowing Leise to score and advanced Shabala to second. Stern's the hit a up the middle to score Shabala and give the Huskers a 3-0 lead.

Johnson then hit a high fly ball to left field that got lost in the lights and landed at least 25 feet away from the nearest fielder, giving Johnson a one-run standup triple. A Mincks' wild pitch allowed Johnson to score to cap the Husker scoring.

Mincks had one of his best outings of the year, holding the Huskers to four hits in the first six innings. He worked out of a jam in the first after giving up two singles and a walk to load the bases with one out. He then struck out freshman Matt Hopper, the Big 12's leading home run hitter, and got senior Brandt Vlieger to pop up to first base to strand all three runners.

Mincks finished the game with five strikeouts and five walks in seven innings.

Komine worked out of a similar jam in the third, after two Cyclone singles and a Husker error loaded the bases with two outs. But Iowa State came up empty after Rob Conway hit a deep fly ball that took Leise to the fence in leftfield, to escape the inning.

Komine also picked off Ben Van Iderstine, who reached on a Husker error in the fifth inning.

NOTES:
*Shane Komine tied the single-season strikeout record with his ninth strikeout of the game, a swinging strikeout by Jade O'Brien for the third out in the sixth. O'Brien was also strikeout victim No. 2 in the second inning.

* Komine broke the record in eighth with a swinging strikeout by Ben Van Iderstine for the second out of the seventh inning. Van Idersinte was also victim No. 3 in the third inning.

* Komine struck out eight of the nine batters in the Iowa State lineup. Junior Ryan Wickham was the only batter not to strike out, going 1-for-4.

* Head Coach Dave Van Horn picked up his 100th Nebraska victory Friday. He is now 100-50 in his NU career and 471-198 in his career.

* Nebraska has now won 16 of its last 17 games and 26 of its last 31.