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2000 NCAA Super Regional
No. 6/9/10 Nebraska (50-15) vs. No. 2/2/3 Stanford (45-14)
June 2-4, Sunken Diamond, Palo Alto, Calif.
Friday, June 2, 9 p.m. (Central)
Saturday, June 3, 3 p.m. (Central)
if Necessary - Sunday, June 4, 3 p.m. (Central)
Radio: KLIN 1400, Pinnacle Sports Network
Live Internet Broadcasts/TotalCasts: huskerwebcast.com
Nebraska Probable Rotation
|
|
Season |
Career | ||||||||
|
No. |
R/L |
Name |
Yr. |
ERA |
App. |
GS |
IP |
SO |
Record |
Record |
|
28 |
R |
Shane Komine |
So. |
2.14 |
16 |
16 |
117.2 |
154 |
11-3 |
17-5 |
|
33 |
L |
Jamie Rodrigue |
Fr. |
2.53 |
16 |
14 |
85.1 |
53 |
9-3 |
9-3 |
|
26 |
L |
Trevor Bullock |
Sr. |
2.21 |
18 |
8 |
69.1 |
56 |
6-1 |
6-1 |
Huskers Travel to Stanford for Super Regional
Lincoln -- The sixth-ranked Nebraska baseball team (50-15) enters its first-ever Super Regional looking to cap the most successful season in Nebraska baseball history with the school's first College World Series appearance. Nebraska's task won't be an easy one, as Nebraska's road to Omaha will go through nine-time CWS qualifier Stanford (45-14) at the Cardinal's Sunken Diamond in Palo Alto, Calif., in a best-of-three game series, Friday-Sunday, June 2-4.
While this is just Nebraska's fifth NCAA Tournament in school history, it is not the first time the Huskers have had to win in Palo Alto to advance to the College World Series. Nebraska played at Stanford in 1985, where the Huskers defeated Pepperdine, 4-2, in the first game of the regional. The Huskers were one out from advancing to the championship game, but Stanford rallied to score two runs in the bottom of the ninth, handing the Huskers a 9-8 loss. Nebraska fell in the next game to Pepperdine, 7-6, after having an opportunity to win that game. The Huskers gave up two runs in the top of the ninth for Pepperdine to take a 7-4 lead. The Big Red battled, but managed to score only two runs in the bottom of the ninth.
The Huskers enter their first Super Regional after a historic weekend, sweeping through the Minnneapolis Regional to claim its first-ever NCAA regional title, while setting the school's single-season win record. Nebraska's 50 wins surpassed the old record of 49 wins set during the 1979 and 1980 seasons.
Nebraska has been impressive in the NCAA Tournament, sweeping through the Minneapolis Regional behind three dominant pitching performances and its stingy defense to defeat Butler (2-1), Minnesota (5-1) and Wichita State (8-1) at Siebert Field in Minneapolis.
Nebraska has had great success against the tournament field this year, going 14-8 during the regular season. One of the hottest teams in the country, Nebraska enters the NCAA Tournament after posting a 32-4 record since April 4. After then-No. 17 Baylor swept the Huskers in Waco, Nebraska dropped to 18-11 overall and 7-8 in the Big 12. The Huskers regrouped after the losses by winning 24 of their final 27 regular season games, vaulting from seventh in the conference to a second-place finish. The Husker offense has played a key part in the stretch, hitting .358 in those 36 games.
Nebraska's NCAA Tournament History
This marks Nebraska's second straight NCAA Tournament appearance and the school's fifth overall. The Huskers played in the NCAA District playoffs for a chance to advance to the NCAA Tournament in 1948 and 1950, but did not actually compete in the tournament.
Nebraska is fresh off its first-ever regional title after compiling an all-time NCAA Tournament record of 8-8. Last year's team defeated lost to Mississippi State, defeated Bowling Green, before getting eliminated by Mississippi State. Nebraska also made back-to-back showings in 1979-80, winning one and two games, respectively.
The only other time Nebraska has won two games in a regional came in 1980, as the Huskers defeated Brigham Young twice, by scores of 12-0 and 12-4, but lost to Michigan twice.
The Huskers have been shutout three times in their 18 tournament games, while recording one shut out, a 12-0 blanking over BYU in 1980. Husker hitters have hit eight total home runs in NCAA play, including three this year (Matt Hopper 2, Dan Johnson).
Nebraska Sweeps Regional
Nebraska had an impressive run in the Minneapolis Regional as the No. 1 seed, NU won all three games against Butler, host Minnesota and Wichita State.
NU allowed just two earned runs in the three games for a team ERA of 0.67 in the tournament.
Nebraska def. Butler, 2-1: Nebraska won its first game of the regional by sneaking past Butler, 2-1. Nebraska ace Shane Komine was stellar, striking out 12 and allowing just two hits in 7.1 innings. The Honolulu native was on pace to throw a complete game, before taking a line drive off his jaw. Nebraska's Jamal Strong hit a one-run single to score Will Bolt to score the deciding run in the sixth inning.
Nebraska def. Minnesota, 4-1: Against Minnesota Trevor Bullock allowed just one hit through seven scoreless innings before giving up a solo home run in the eighth to spoil a shutout in his first complete game of the season, as Nebraska handed the Gophers a 4-1 loss. Matt Hopper lifted the Huskers in the second inning with a solo home run, his 20th of the year, to left field. Justin Cowan added a run-scoring double in the second and NU added two more runs in the the fourth to knock the Gophers into the losers' bracket.
Nebraska def. Wichita State, 8-1: Freshman Jamie Rodrigue was two outs away from a school record fifth career shutout against Wichita State in the regional championship, before he allowed a one-out walk and a single. A Husker error prevented Nebraska from ending the nation's longest scoring streak, but the Huskers scored all the runs they needed on a three-run home run from Hopper in the first inning to give Nebraska a 4-0 lead. Dan Johnson homered in the fourth before Nebraska tacked on a run in the seventh and two in the ninth to win the Huskers' first regional championship.
Nebraska vs. Stanford
Friday's game will mark the third meeting between Nebraska and Stanford, with The Cardinal winning both previous meetings. Stanford defeated Nebraska, 9-8, with a two-run rally in the bottom of the ninth, in the 1985 NCAA Tournament and won the 1993 meeting, 14-3.
Komine Questionable for Stanford Series
First-Team All-America right-hander Shane Komine is questionable for Nebraska's Super Regional against Stanford after taking a line drive off his jaw in NU's game against Butler on Friday, May 26. The Honolulu native received a scare when Eddie Olzsta hit a sharp line drive off Komine's glove in the eighth inning, fracturing his jaw in two places. The sophomore was hospitalized and underwent surgery at Fairview University Hospital, where Dr. David Hamlar inserted a titanium plate in Komine's jaw. Fortunately, Komine's jaw did not need to be wired shut, and he may be able to return to action without missing a start. The injury spoiled a superb outing after Komine struck out 12 and allowed just two hits in 7 1/3 innings against the Bulldogs. Two days later, Butler freshman pitcher Pat Neshek suffered a non-displaced fracture of his jaw after taking a liner off his face from Wichita State's Dustin Hawkins.
Will Bolt Named Minneapolis Regional MVP
Sophomore second baseman Will Bolt's outstanding play in the field and at the plate earned him tournament MVP honors at the Minneapolis Regional last weekend. Bolt led all tournament participants with a .545 average, collecting six hits in 11 at bats. He also anchored Nebraska's infield, as the Huskers turned four double plays in three games. Bolt, who was hitting .263 through the first 23 games, has raised his average to .356, thanks to 14 hits in Nebraska's nine postseason games.
Bolt was joined on the all-tournament team by pitchers Shane Komine and Trevor Bullock, along with catcher Justin Cowan, center fielder Jamal Strong and designated hitter Matt Hopper.
Huskers Land Four-First Team All Big 12 Selections
Nebraska cleaned up on all-conference honors this season, earning four first-team selections, NU's most first-team selections since the 1966, when the Huskers had four Big Eight honorees. Only the 1966 and 1958 squads also managed four first-team all-conference awards.
Shane Komine, last year's freshman of the year, is Nebraska's first Big 12 Player of the Year and NU's first conference player of the year since Darin Erstad was named Co-MVP of the Big Eight in 1995. For the first time in circuit history, the Freshman and Newcomer of the Year honors were split into Player and Pitcher designations because of a solid amount of young talent. Nebraska designated hitter Matt Hopper was named the Freshman Player of the Year, while Freshman Pitcher of the Year is Baylor relief ace Zane Carlson. Dan Johnson was named the Newcomer Player-of-the-Year, while Newcomer Pitcher-of-the-Year laurels went to Charlie Thames of Texas.
Komine Named Finalist For Dick Howser Trophy
Shane Komine was named one of 12 finalists for the Dick Howser Trophy presented to the nation's college baseball player of the year by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers' Association, Tuesday afternoon.
The Big 12 Player of the Year was also tabbed a First-Team All-American by USA Today/Baseball Weekly after striking out 154 batters in 117.2 innings. He allowed just 29 walks and compiled a 11-3 record with a 2.14 ERA.
The trophy has been presented to the college player of the year since 1987, by the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) from 1987-98 and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) beginning in 1999. Named after the late two-time All-America shortstop and college coach at Florida State. Howser was also a major league manager with Kansas City and the New York Yankees.
Cowan Named Semifinalist for Johnny Bench Award
Senior catcher Justin Cowan was named on of 10 finalists for the Johnny Bench Award, given to the nation's top collegiate catcher. Cowan was selected to the 10-player field after he led the Big 12 in hits, doubles and RBI during the regular season. He is hitting .381 with 22 doubles, nine home runs and a 70 runs batted in. He is also 7-for-7 on stolen base attempts and has committed just four errors this season behind the plate.
Other semifinalists for the Johnny Bench Award include (in alphabetical order): Brad Cresse from LSU, Danny Massiatte from Louisiana-Lafayette, Casey Myers from Arizona State; Bradon Pack from South Carolina, Bryan Prince from Georgia Tech, Dane Sardinha from Pepperdine, Mike Tonis from California, Scott Walter from Loyola Marymount and John Wilson from Kentucky.
Three finalists for the Johnny Bench Award will be selected by a national voting panel at the end of May. The finalists will be announced in Omaha, Neb. during the College World Series. The final vote will occur at the end of the CWS, with the three finalists being invited to Wichita, Kan. for the Third Annual Greater Wichita Sports Banquet, June 20 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel.
Matt Hopper Named Freshman All-American
USA Today/Baseball Weekly has named Nebraska freshman Matt Hopper to its Freshman All-American Team as a designated hitter/first baseman. Hopper set a Big 12 freshman record with 21 home runs this season and led the conference in total bases with 159 after hitting 14 doubles and recording 82 total hits. Hopper is the fifth Husker to be named a freshman All-American and the first to be named to the USA Today/Baseball Weekly team. Other Husker freshman All-Americans included Darin Petersen (1992), Jed Dalton (1992), Todd Sears
Cole Named First-Team Academic All-District
Sophomore left fielder/second baseman John Cole was named to the 2000 GTE Academic All-District VII Baseball Team, announced May 10. Cole owns a 3.75 grade-point average, is batting .324 with 38 runs and 37 RBI through Tuesday.
A 2000 National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Preseason All-America selection, Cole is tied for second on the team with 16 stolen bases on 19 attempts and is third on the team with 11 doubles.
The Kanata, Ontario, native finished the 1999 season batting .396 as a freshman - good for second on the team. The 10 student-athletes selected to the first team advance to the national GTE Academic All-America ballot.
1999 NCAA Tournament Recap
The 1999 season marked Nebraska's first trip to the NCAA Tournament since 1985 and just the fourth in school history after clinching an automatic berth by winning the Big 12 Tournament. The Huskers went into the regional with a 41-16 record and a nine-game winning streak.
In the first game of regionals at Bill Davis Stadium in Columbus, Ohio, Nebraska played two-time defending CWS qualifier Mississippi State. The Huskers led 8-6 after four innings, but MSU erupted for 12 runs in the final five innings to hand NU its first loss in nine games.
The Huskers rebounded the next day defeating Bowling Green, 10-5. R.D. Spiehs earned the win, allowing no runs in 5.2 innings pitched. Nebraska pounded out 15 hits, including four by junior shortstop Brandt Vlieger. NU trailed 5-2 after five innings before scoring eight runs in the sixth, seventh and eighth.
In NU's second elimination game of the tournament and second contest against Mississippi State, Jim Bailey homered for the second time in the regional, but the Bulldogs pounded 17 hits against three Nebraska pitchers in a 13-7 Mississippi State win.
NU Pitching Staff Among Nation's Best
Nebraska's pitching staff has made dramatic improvements over the past few seasons and has emerged this year as one of the nation's elite groups. The Huskers led the Big 12 with a 3.31 earned-run average in conference games and currently lead the nation with a 3.10 ERA for the season. The Huskers also have two pitchers among the nation's top 50 individual ERA leaders.
Sophomore Shane Komine, Nebraska's ace, carries a 2.14 ERA, best among NU starters. The Big 12 Player of the Year and First-Team All-American's ERA and 154 strikeouts rank among the national leaders, after leading the nation in total strikeouts the majority of the season. Komine (11-3) is questionable for the Super Regional after having his jaw broken by a line drive against Butler, where he struck out 12 and allowed just two hits in 7 1/3 innings. The outing erased his worst outing of the year, where he allowed seven earned runs in the first game of the Big 12 Tournament against Missouri. Prior to that he entered the Big 12 Tournament as one of the hottest pitchers in the country, posting a 6-0 record in his previous six appearances, with a sparkling 1.08 ERA.
Komine has set school records for single-season strikeouts and innings pitched, while tying the school's single-game record with 17 strikeouts this season. He has thrown six complete games this season, and struck out double-digit batters in nine of his last 13 appearances.
One of Nebraska's best additions this season has been freshman Jamie Rodrigue, a 6-0 lefty from St. Clair, Mo. He is 9-3 this season with a 2.53 ERA in 85.1 innings. Rodrigue is the first Husker to throw four shutouts in a season and one of just two NU players to throw four in a career. Komine and Rodrigue have combined to earn four Big 12 Pitcher-of-the-Week awards this season (Komine honored three times), with Komine grabbing national pitcher of the week honors twice.
Nebraska has a number of weapons out of the bullpen this season, including sophomore Thom Ott. A transfer from James Madison University, Ott is 2-1 with six saves and a 1.34 ERA in 33.2 innings and has not allowed a run in 18 relief appearances and has allowed only one earned run all season.
Despite this being just R.D. Spiehs' seond season on the mound, he has become a familiar face on the hill, after making a freshman record 23 appearances a year ago. The Grand Island, Neb., native has picked up where he left off with 18 appearances this season. He has lowered his ERA from 6.27 as a freshman to 3.29 this year. Spiehs is 7-2 this season and 12-3 in his career, picking up five of his six wins in relief.
As a staff, Nebraska has struck out a school record 470 batters while allowing just 160 walks, a 3.01-to-1 ratio. Nebraska has held opponents to a .240 batting average this season, including a .167 average in the last three games.
Justin Cowan Makes Dramatic Return at Big 12 Tourney
Senior team captain Justin Cowan, one of 10 finalists for the Johnny Bench Award, which is given to the nation's top collegiate catcher, was named a third-team All-American by Collegiate Baseball after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery to repair a torn lateral meniscus on Tuesday, May 9. A First-Team All-Big 12 selection and third-team Collegiate Baseball All-American, he missed eight games before returning as a designated hitter in Nebraska's first elimination game of the Big 12 Tournament against Oklahoma, May 20. Since then, he has not missed a step, going 9-for-22 (.409) at the plate, including a solo home run in the Big 12 championship game.
Cowan has shouldered much of the load for the Huskers at the plate, both defensively and offensively this season. The Huskers' starting catcher has been consistent this season, hitting .381, the second-best average on the team and second-best in the Big 12. Cowan posted a 19-game hitting streak this season, the seventh longest in school history, which came to an end in the first game against Baylor. Cowan was superb during the month of March, hitting .429 in Nebraska's 18 games with 10 doubles and a .597 slugging percentage.
Cowan, who led the Big 12 with 13 doubles in league play, also led the conference in hits (51), and runs batted in (40) , and was third in total bases (79), trailing teammates Dan Johnson and Matt Hopper. Cowan is on a record pace with his 23 doubles. His 23 doubles surpassed his 1999 total of 21, giving him 44 for is career in his second year as a Husker. Cowan holds the school record for doubles by a two-year player, previously held by Burt Beattie in 1985 to 1986. Cowan is four doubles shy of breaking the school's all-time career record of 47 set by Jed Dalton (1992-95). His 23 doubles are currently fourth in a single season.
Komine Sweeps Conference Honors
Honolulu, Hawaii native Shane Komine (pronounced co-ME-nay) is one of the premier pitchers in college baseball. A USA Today/Baseball Weekly and a Collegiate Baseball First-Team All-American, the sophomore swept Big 12 Player-of-the-Year honors from Big 12 coaches, the Dallas Morning News and the Austin American Statesman.
Komine is hoping to return to action this week after suffering a broken jaw in his last outing in Nebraska's first game of the NCAA regional against Butler. He leads the Huskers with 16 starts this season, throwing 117.2 innings and holding opponents to a meager .200 batting average. Komine has surrendered just 28 earned runs and 29 walks this season, carrying an astounding 5.5-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Komine has allowed just 25 extra-base hits this season, including five home runs, three of which were surrendered against Missouri in the Big 12 Tournament.
In his last outing against Butler, he struck out 12 and allowed just two hits in 7 1/3 innings, beforing suffering his injury in the eighth frame.
One week after earning the Collegiate Baseball National Pitcher and Big 12 Pitcher of the Week award, Komine suffered his worst outing of the season against Missouri in NU's Big 12 opener. He surrendered eight hits and seven earned runs in just 4.2 innings against the Tigers. Missouri scored three earned runs, all off a Landon Brandes home run, before Komine got the first out of the game. He also gave up solo home runs in the third and fifth innings and left the game with the Huskers trailing, 8-7. He was not charged with the loss as the Huskers took a 9-8 lead in the sixth to take him off the hook, before Missouri upset Nebraska, 12-10.
Prior to that, Komine had an incredible run, winning six straight starts and compiling a 1.08 ERA in those six contests, with shutouts against then-No. 6 Texas on May 6 and Iowa State on April 28.
Komine, second nationally with 154 total strikeouts (CS-Fullerton's Adam Johnson finished with 166), has set Nebraska's single-season strikeout record in 117.2 innings this season, breaking two-time All-American Troy Brohawn's record of 123 set in 1993. Brohawn, a 6-1 left-hander, set the mark as a sophomore in 111 innings en route to a perfect 13-0 record on the mound.
One of just four 10-game winners in school history, Komine stands alone in second place for single-season victories with 11 and is two shy of tying Brohawn's single-season record of 13. He surpassed Brohawn's record for innings on the hill in a single season in his last appearance.
Komine has put together some of the best performances in school history this season, tying a school record with 17 strikeouts in a win over Kansas (April 8), only to follow it up with 16 strikeouts in a complete-game win over Missouri (April 14). Against the Jayhawks, he struck out eight batters through the first three innings and finished with his fifth double-digit strikeout game of the season. Komine finished strong against the Tigers, striking out the last five batters he faced.
Following his school-record performance against Kansas, Komine was named Collegiate Baseball's Louisville Slugger National Pitcher of the Week and the Phillips 66 Big 12 Pitcher of the Week. He has been named national pitcher of the week twice this season and has earned the conference pitcher-of-the-week award three times during the year, as he led the Big 12 with 12.3 strikeouts per nine innings in league games.
Komine is now 17-5 in his young Husker career with 233 strikeouts, tied for second on NU's all-time strikeout chart.
Komine's success is even more remarkable considering his back problems as a freshman. After battling back spasms that limited him to just 5.1 innings in the final 16 games in 1999, he changed his training routine in the offseason to get dramatic results. He has recorded eight or more strikeouts in 10 of his 15 appearances this season.
Rodrigue Nearly Nabs Record Fifth Shutout of Season
Jamie Rodrigue, a freshman left-handed pitcher from St. Clair, Mo., has had an impressive freshman campaign for Nebraska. Rodrigue has compiled a 9-3 record and a 2.53 earned-run average this season, including a 5-1 mark and a 2.88 ERA in Big 12 play.
Rodrigue has given up just seven runs in his last six appearances, totaling 41 2/3 innings. Rodrigue was two outs away from handing Wichita State its first shutout in over 300 games and collecting his fifth shutout of the season, which would have made him NU's all-time leader in shutouts. His current stretch began with consecutive shutouts against Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Iowa State and continued through 7 1/3 scoreless innings in a win over Texas. His streak came to a close against No. 21 Fresno State in the final series of the regular season, throwing 3 2/3 scoreless innings, before the Bulldogs had a pair of two-out hits to break onto the scoreboard.
Rodrigue has already accomplished what only one other pitcher in Nebraska history has ever done -- throw four shutouts in a career, and Rodrigue's have all come in his rookie season. He broke the single-season record for shutouts with his 12-0 victory over Iowa State on Sunday, April 30.
The Nebraska offense has given Rodrigue tremendous support. The Huskers averaged 11.1 runs per game in his first 10 starts and 9.3 for the season. The school record holder for wins by a freshman, Nebraska has a 13-2 record in Rodrigue-started games. His first two shutouts made school history, coming in back-to-back blankings of Kansas State and Oklahoma, throwing 14 consecutive scoreless innings. He is the only NU freshman to shut out three conference schools in a single season.
His success shouldn't come as a surprise as the first-team all-state pitcher went 10-3 as a senior at St. Clair High School, striking out 138 batters in 80 innings of work. He was also a threat at the plate, hitting .523 with 12 home runs and 50 RBI, earning first-team all-state designated hitter/utility player honors.
Strong Sets Two-Year Stolen Base Record
Jamal Strong, a 5-10, 175-pound center fielder out of Altadena, Calif. (Citrus College), had one of the most impressive streaks in college baseball snapped on April 8, when he failed to reach base for the first time in his career as a starter. Entering the Kansas series, Strong had reached base in every game as a starter in an NU uniform. That streak of 79 games came to a halt in the first game of a double header, as Strong went 0-for-5. Fresno State became just the second team to keep Strong off the basepaths on May 13 as the California native went 0-for-4. In the next game, however, Strong reached base in all five appearances.
Strong returned to action Monday, May 8, against Texas after missing nine games with a separated shoulder.
Strong's numbers are incredible. He has played in 109 games at Nebraska and started 105. Strong has reached base in 101 of 105 games as a starter and all but five overall. In the 105 games as a starter, he has reached base on hits in 74 of those games. In the other 29 games, he has reached base on walks 14 times, errors eight times, five times as a hit batter, once on a wild pitch after a strikeout and once on a fielder's choice.
Strong's presence on the base paths has made opposing pitchers and catchers sweat when he is in the Husker lineup. Strong, who holds the ninth-longest hitting streak in school history (17-games from 1999-2000), led the Big 12 with 16 stolen bases in league games and is second with 33 thefts on 40 attempts this season. His 0.70 stolen bases per game rank 16th nationally.
Strong now has 67 career stolen bases, which is tied for fourth on the Nebraska career stolen base chart and first among NU's two-year players. Larry Mims (1985-86) held the old two-year record with 61, while Jeff Carter (1982-85) holds NU's all-time mark of 103. Strong needs just one theft to stand in fourth place alone, but would need 23 more stolen bases to pass Ken Ramos (1987-89) for third place.
Strong's 33 stolen bases this year is 10th best on the single-season charts, and he is eight shy of moving into a tie for fourth on the single-season list.
Before his injury, Strong was on pace to record 40 stolen bases this year, good enough for seventh on the single-season list. In the field, the talented centerfielder can cover an amazing amount of ground in the field, and rarely makes a mistake, committing just three errors in his Husker career.
Dave Van Horn Leads Nebraska to Second Big 12 Title
Dave Van Horn has emerged as one of the nation's top young coaches. Hired in January 1998, Van Horn has guided Nebraska from the depths of the conference standings prior to his arrival (10th in 1997), to its best season in the 111-year history of the program.
In Van Horn's debut season, he led the Huskers to a 24-20 record with a seventh-place finish in the Big 12, playing for a spot in the Big 12 Tournament going into the final week of play, despite being hired just 35 days prior to the beginning of the season.
The Huskers not only qualified for the Big 12 Tournament in 1999, but won the tournament championship, marking the school's first conference title of any type since 1950. Nebraska finished with a 42-18 record, and its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 14 seasons.
Van Horn has put the Huskers on the college map this season, leading the Big Red to its first Super Regional tournament. Nebraska raced to the front of the Big 12 pack this season, posting a second-place league finish, NU's best since 1982. Van Horn then did the improbable, leading the Huskers through the losers' bracket to a second straight Big 12 Tournament title. This year's team led the powerful Big 12 in batting average, ERA, home runs, stolen bases and ranked second in fielding percentage.
In his 11th season as a head coach, Van Horn has a career record of 487-201 including a record of 116-53 at Nebraska. Van Horn coached three seasons at Northwestern State in Natchitoches, La. (1995-97), where he compiled a 106-65 (.620) overall record. Before coaching for the Demons, he led Central Missouri State to a 51-11 record and the NCAA Division II national title in 1994.
In six seasons at the Division I level, he has a 220-118 record (.651). Van Horn, 39, also ranks among the best for coaches aged 45 or younger. He ranks 16th with 270 wins.
Before becoming a head coach, Van Horn was an assistant coach for three seasons at Arkansas, helping the Razorbacks to two College World Series appearances (1985 and 1987). On the field, he was just as impressive, earning All-Southwest Conference honors as an infielder for the Razorbacks. He was the team's MVP and was drafted in the 10th round of the 1982 MLB draft by the Atlanta Braves, spending three seasons in the organization.
NU-Creighton Draw Nation's Largest Crowd in 2000
The Huskers got a taste on May 10 of what playing to the College World Series might be like.
The Huskers played a non-conference game against Creighton at Rosenblatt Stadium, the site of the CWS, and drew the nation's largest college baseball crowd of the season and the fourth-largest regular-season college baseball crowd in NCAA history.
Nebraska defeated the Bluejays, 10-2, in front of a frenzied Husker crowd. The attendance surpassed this season's best mark of 13,123 set in the Ole Miss at Mississippi State game in Starkville on April 15.
The mark was well shy of the all-time NCAA mark of 21,043 set in 1996 in the Texas Christian-Texas game at The Ballpark in Arlington.
NU Puts Together One of School's Longest Win Streaks
Nebraska's impressive finish during the last half of the season was sparked by a 15-game winning streak that spanned from April 7 to April 24, beginning with a win over Northwest Missouri State and ending with a loss to Wisconsin-Milwaukee on April 25. The streak was the third longest in school history, the longest in 18 seasons and the longest ever in the Big 12.
Of Nebraska's 15 consecutive wins, 14 were against Division I opponents, breaking the school record for consecutive Division I wins (12) set in 1983.
The Huskers finished 11 wins shy of matching the longest win streak in school history set in 1983. The '83 squad kicked off the season with an impressive 26-0 record from March 7 to April 7.
Nebraska's offense was the story during the 15-game streak, as the Huskers hit .409 as a team with a .657 slugging percentage.
Junior first baseman Dan Johnson set the pace, hitting .513 with eight home runs and two doubles during that stretch, while Adam Shabala hit .512. Matt Hopper cranked out 12 of his 19 home runs during NU's 15-0 run.
If The Buck Is A Rocking....
Coach Dave Van Horn has made it a priority to win home games since taking over as head coach at Nebraska. The results have been impressive, as the Huskers are 61-13 (.824) at Buck Beltzer Stadium under Van Horn. In 1999, Nebraska went 24-5 at home, sweeping No. 8 Texas at home and taking two of three from No. 23 Oklahoma State. During his NU career, Van Horn is 14-5 at home against ranked teams. This season, Nebraska is 24-4 at home, includings two wins against No. 21 Fresno State. The Huskers strung together a stretch of 13 straight home wins before Wisconsin-Milwaukee snapped NU's streak on April 25.
Nobody has enjoyed the confines of Buck Beltzer more than freshman Matt Hopper. A native of Morrison, Colo., Hopper has hit 14 of his 21 home runs at the 'Buck, while hitting .440. Dan Johnson has also thrived on the home turf, hitting .417 and cranking 13 of his 21 home runs out of Buck Beltzer Stadium.
Husker base runners are nearly unstoppable at home, stealing 55 bases on 63 attempts (87 percent).
Attendance has also seen great improvements over the past couple of seasons. Last year the Huskers averaged 895 fans in 25 home dates, up 33 percent from the previous season. Husker fans continued to flock to Buck Beltzer Stadium this season, as Nebraska averaged 1,148 fans per date this year, a 48 percent increase from 1998.
Diamond Notes
- 13 of Nebraska's 15 losses have been by two runs or less
- Nebraska has scored 10 or more runs 29 times this season. By comparison, the
- Huskers have allowed only four opponents to reach double figures. Oklahoma scored 10 runs, Kansas scored 11, and Iowa State scored 13 but the Huskers countered with 13, 18 and 14 runs, respectively to win all three games. Missouri is the only team to score more than 10 runs (12) and beat the Huskers.
- The Huskers have held their opponents to four or fewer runs in 46 of 65 games, including nine shutouts (Kansas State, 3/11; Oklahoma, 3/19; Texas Tech, 3/24; Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 4/24; Iowa State, 4/28; Iowa State, 4/30; Fresno State, 8-0)
- Nebraska has allowed just seven earned runs runs in its last seven games, for an ERA of 1.00.
- Nebraska has 73 more stolen bases than its opponents this season
- NU pitchers are allowing just 2.5 walks per game, while NU batters are drawing 5.2 base on balls per game
- Husker batters have been hit by 67 pitches compared to 36 by opponents. Senior Brandt Vlieger leads the team, getting plunked 17 times.
- Nebraska's on base percentage of .426 is 125 points higher than opponents
- NU pitchers are holding opponents to a .240 batting average, which is best in the Big 12.